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World War II Veteran George Green honored as Veteran of the Year by the Missouri Athletic Club |
Green, 89, is one of two million surviving World War II veterans. More than 16 million men and women served in active duty during the war years.
Green enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve on November 1939 and served until he was honorably discharged in June 1946 with the rank of Chief Warrant Officer. During this seven- year period, he crisscrossed the U.S. several times, saw the world, served his country in the European and Asian Theaters, survived a World War, got married and became a father.
Green is one of very few Marines or any World War veteran to be awarded both a Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Pacific and European Campaign ribbon for serving in both fronts during the war. He guarded a British Naval Air Station in Iceland while the Japanese were bombing Pearl Harbor and was a leader of a forward observer team during the assault on Iwo Jima.
In all, he served in 17 different locations during his Marine Corps career, including Iceland, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Kwajalein Marshall Islands, Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima, as well as six U.S. states. His many awards and decorations included a bronze star and a purple heart (with a gold star) received for two injuries received in battle on Iwo Jima.
After his discharge, Green returned to his family's home in Chicago where he attended college in the mornings, thanks to the G.I. bill, and then worked part-time in the afternoons as
an usher at Wrigley Field, for which he was paid $2 a game. He then worked nights as a Freight Agent for Delta Airlines.
After completing a degree in architectural engineering, Green later moved to Webster Groves and spent most of his career working as a construction industry executive. At age 60, Green convinced his son Dan to found a contracting firm with him in 1982. Now celebrating its 30th year in business, ISC Contracting is today a $25 million company, one of the Midwest's leading tenant finish contractors and a nationally known retail contractor. As president emeritus, Green, age 89, still goes to the office when he is able.
Green has been active in numerous veterans organizations, including The Iwo Jima Survivors Association, The American Legion, The Military Order of the World Wars, and The Military Officers Association of America.
At the awards ceremony, which was held at the Missouri Athletic Club, Green received proclamations from The Missouri Athletic Club and the U.S. Marine Corps. More than 350 guests, representing the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, attended the luncheon and awards ceremony. |
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ISC celebrates 30th anniversary |
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George was 60 years of age and a seasoned construction industry executive when he convinced his son, Dan, to open a contracting firm with him in 1982. Now celebrating its 30th year in business, ISC Contracting is today a $25 million company, one of the Midwest's leading tenant finish contractors and a nationally known retail contractor.
“From Day One, our philosophy was simple. We put our customers’ needs first, and do the best job we can with the best possible people,” says Dan Green, who has led the company's day-to-day operations for the past 25 years.
It's a philosophy that has served the company well. People who come to work at ISC tend to stay for the long haul. Scott Seymour joined the company in 1988 as superintendent of labor before being promoted to into project management, and eventually, offered an ownership stake in the firm.
Chris Gaylord hired on as the warehouse manager 22 years ago is one of the firm's top senior project managers. John Perkowski, superintendent of labor and the company's safety manager, has been around since 1994. Senior Project Manager Brian Stotts joined two years after John in 1996.
"It's always been our goal to find people with an old-fashioned work ethic, and who are loyal and dedicated to the company's success," says Dan. "Then we give them the opportunity to grow."
Expanding into greener horizons
All that experience has been put to good use over the past three decades as ISC helped create many high-profile workspaces and retail locations in St. Louis and around the country. That includes everything from the flagship Levis store in New York City’s Times Square, to law offices for Bryan Cave, banks, restaurants and corporate offices throughout the St. Louis region.
Over the years, ISC has expanded not only the kind of projects it takes on, but also the way it approaches the work. Dan's son, Matt, an assistant project manager, is LEED-certified, a designation awarded to individuals who demonstrate a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles. He is leading the company's efforts to incorporate construction practices that result in environmentally responsible, economically efficient and healthy places to live and work.
That includes ISC's own corporate headquarters, where the company now has both a garden and composting system that were built and are maintained by employees. "We have also made recycling a priority at our office, and have improved our energy efficiency in ways that are reducing our electric bill by $600 to $800 a year," explains Dan.
"We believe in practicing what we preach," says Dan. "That's important, because we plan to be around another 30 years."
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