1Berkshire is happy to announce that General Dynamics Mission Systems has been selected to receive the 2018 Putting the Berkshires on the Map honor in recognition of the substantial contribution that they have made to the Berkshire economy. This recognition will be presented at the eighth annual Celebrate the Berkshires event on September 13th at the new Proprietor’s Lodge on Pontoosuc Lake in Pittsfield.
Jonathan Butler, CEO of 1Berkshire said, “There is a strong story to tell about this international company and why they are committed to investing and growing in the Berkshires. General Dynamics has gone from approximately 500 Pittsfield-based employees in 1997 to about 1,400 today. It also has about 60 paid interns on staff annually. With their ongoing growth, General Dynamics needed more space and ultimately determined the space previously occupied by SABIC on Plastics Avenue was an ideal spot for their latest expansion. Breathing vibrant life into a building that had been vacated is a good sign for the Berkshires. We are proud to be able to honor them in this way.”
For more than 60 years, General Dynamics has been supporting the U.S. Navy’s submarine and surface ship programs. General Dynamics Mission Systems has grown consistently for nearly 20 years in Pittsfield. Because General Dynamics is part of the traded sector industry (industries and companies who produce goods and services that are consumed outside of the Berkshires) the company’s growth impacts the Berkshires in two ways. First, the increase in jobs helps to attract and retain new and existing Berkshire County residents and second, the growth also acts as an economic multiplier, creating additional jobs in the region. For this reason, the impact of increasing 900 General Dynamics jobs can also be calculated as increasing 1800+ jobs in the Berkshires.
“We are proud to be a part of the Berkshires,” said Brenda Burdick, Strategic Communications at General Dynamics Mission Systems. “General Dynamics Pittsfield employees are actively engaged with the community through STEM outreach including participation in Third Thursdays and hosting an annual High School Engineering Competition. Our employees also serve as volunteers on several non-profit boards and as coaches and mentors.
In addition to honoring General Dynamics, 1Berkshire’s Celebrate the Berkshires will also showcase Berkshire-based individuals and businesses who demonstrate excellence in several Trendsetter Award categories. The entire community is invited to come celebrate these achievements and commitments that have strengthened the local economy and helped the region grow. Visit https://1berkshire.com/calendar/celebrate/ to reserve tickets.