philanthropy Archives

SEM Celebrates Earth Day with Neighborhood Cleanup

May 16, 2023 at 7:30 am by Amanda Canale

WESTBOROUGH, MA May 5, 2023 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, spent Thursday, April 27, 2023 walking up and down Walkup Drive in Westborough, MA, where their headquarters are located, picking up trash.

The SEM Culture Committee, a group of voluntary employees that plan interactive philanthropic and team-building activities, partnered with the company’s ISO 14001 task force to collaborate on an event to honor Earth Day, an annually recognized day centered around environmental protection celebrated on April 22.

“At SEM, we are committed to protecting our environment in a multitude of ways,” says Lara Rapport, SEM Director of Quality. “Our ISO 14001 certification as just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the continuous improvements we make in order to be as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible.”

ISO 14001 is a familial set of standards developed in the mid-1990s to help organizations minimize how their operations negatively affect the environment (or cause adverse changes in air, water, or land), educating the organization on how to comply with applicable laws, regulations, and other environmental standards, and how they can sustain their efforts.

“Our cleanup initiative was something that our two groups had collaborated on as a way to not only educate our team on our ISO 14001 efforts, but also to really drive home the message that we can make serious change when it comes to our local environment,” says Amanda Canale, SEM Marketing Coordinator.

The two teams worked closely with the Westborough Department of Public Works to coordinate the delivery of empty waste bags and the pickup of the collected trash. The cleanup event saw an attendance of over twenty employees, including company president, Andrew Kelleher. The cleanup activity is just the latest in the company’s detailed history of giving back to their local community, adding itself amongst the annual food bank and toy donations, and Operation Playhouse.

“We have always prioritized events and activities that are both interactive and morale-boosting, and serve a philanthropic purpose, and this one was our most well-received yet. We will be making this an annual SEM tradition,” states Rapport.

For more information on Security Engineered Machinery’s environmental policy, visit here.

Security Engineered Machinery Gives Back to Worcester County Food Bank

November 23, 2021 at 3:48 pm by Amanda Canale

Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM) and Merchants Fabrication, Inc. recently rallied together to donate a staggering 628 lbs. of non-perishable food to the Worcester County Food Bank (WCFB).

The Worcester County Food Bank is one of only three Feeding America member food banks in the entire state of Massachusetts. In 2018 alone, the WCFB was able to distribute nearly 6.1 million lbs. of food to approximately 75,000 people throughout the county.

SEM Accounts Receivable Coordinator, Steve Watson, posing with a full car load of donations.

Every year, and especially during the current pandemic, SEM has been committed to WCFB’s mission of helping to serve and feed our fellow neighbors. It’s one of a handful of various philanthropic opportunities the entire company looks forward to every year.

“Whether it’s the Habitat for Humanity Operation Playhouse, the November food drive, or our Toys for Tots drive in the winter, everyone comes together to help our fellow neighbors in need,” says Kristin Olson, SEM Materials Supervisor. “It’s one of my favorite parts about being on the SEM team.”

SEM Director of Marketing, Heidi White, posing with the final food donation weight total.

In just over four years, SEM has been able to increase their annual donation from 151 lbs. to now 628 lbs. with the same staff headcount.

“Every year, without fail, we have been able to donate more and more,” says Heidi White, SEM Director of Marketing. “We are honored to give back to our community and are already looking forward to our next opportunity.”

Security Engineered Machinery Supports Asheville Man’s Budding Paper Shredder Business

January 14, 2021 at 8:30 am by Amanda Canale

Security Engineered Machinery, Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, donated a commercial-grade paper shredder to Asheville, NC resident Austin Ferrell after seeing a local news story featuring Ferrell and his years-long passion for shredding. Ferrell, who goes by the alter-ego “Austin Shreds,” has made a name for himself in his local community by spending his free time shredding paper documents for area businesses and organizations. Ferrell operates out of an office he shares with his mother, Janet Price-Ferrell.

“As a parent of a kid with a disability, you’re always looking for something that your kid enjoys,” said Price-Ferrell. “He will shred for three or four hours a day!” Price-Ferrell added that she was ecstatic for her son to receive his new shredder, adding that “The one he was using did not keep up with him!”

An advocate for others like Austin with intellectual disabilities, Janet Price-Ferrell is also Executive Director of FIRST, a non-profit organization that provides persons with disabilities and their families with programs and advocacy to support and foster healthy, inclusive, and self-determined lives.

“All of us at SEM were so touched by Austin’s story and our shared passion for paper shredding,” added Heidi White, SEM Director of Marketing. “SEM’s heritage is in paper shredders — our company founder actually innovated the world’s first paper disintegrator — and so we wanted to show our support for this incredible young man and his business venture by sending him an equipment upgrade.”

SEM arranged for white glove shipment of a brand-new paper shredder for Ferrell to utilize. The SEM Model 2125PSP is a robust, commercial grade shredder, making it faster, more durable, and far less prone to jams than Ferrell’s existing shredder. It also offers a DIN 66399 P-5 (2mm x 15mm cross-cut) final particle size, making it a more secure shredder option for Ferrell’s blooming business.

When he received his new shredder, Austin was ecstatic to say the least. “He kept saying, ‘awesome,’” said Price-Ferrell. “He shredded for three hours straight and it never overheated.”

Those living in the Asheville, NC area can bring their paper documents to Austin Shreds for destruction in exchange for a donation. To learn more, visit the Austin Shreds Facebook page. To see Austin and the paper shredder in action, visit our YouTube page here.

SEM Team Joins Forces for Operation Playhouse

October 9, 2020 at 6:52 pm by Amanda Canale

WESTBOROUGH, MA, October 9, 2020 – Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, spent the day of Thursday, October 8, 2020 partnering with Habitat for Humanity for Operation Playhouse. The operation allows the opportunity for local Worcester County businesses to partner with veteran and military families to build and donate a playhouse to the family’s children. Each year, participating local businesses receive construction plans, paint, and a deconstructed house to build, and are given free reign to decorate the playhouses based on the children’s interests.

This year, SEM decorated the playhouse for Marine veteran Allen Proctor’s family and their three-year-old daughter Charlotte. Proctor served in the U.S. Marines from 2003 to 2007.

After weeks of planning, the team arrived onsite at SEM headquarters bright and early to start building Charlotte’s playhouse. Operation Playhouse’s 2020 theme was “barnyard,” so the SEM team decided to get creative and adopted a Charlotte’s Web aesthetic as a play on the three-year-old’s name.

“SEM was founded by a Korean War veteran and we work very closely with all branches of the military, so this cause is always very dear to our hearts,” said Andrew Kelleher, SEM President. “It is always an absolute honor to come together and give back to a family that has given so much to our country.”

The SEM team all gathered safely outside to welcome the Proctor family with a round of applause as Charlotte excitedly ran towards her all-pink playhouse, her favorite color. The house was adorned with a hand painted sign reading, “Charlotte’s Barn” with a monogrammed pink rocking chair on the front porch. Inside, Charlotte’s Barn was filled with stuffed farm animals, a white and pink polka dotted bean bag chair, Little People farm set, and copies of Charlotte’s Web on DVD and novel written by E.B. White. Charlotte’s favorite feature was the brown hobbyhorse that patiently awaited her arrival outside the playhouse.

“As a team, we had so many great ideas for how we could make this the best playhouse for Charlotte, so to see her ecstatic reaction to everything was incredibly heartwarming,” said Amanda Canale, Marketing Assistant at SEM.

This is SEM’s third year taking part in Operation Playhouse and certainly won’t be the last. “We look forward to this every year and are already excitedly planning for next year,” added Canale.

Watch a recap of the day in the video below.

About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Security Engineered Machinery Gives Back to Veteran Marine Family by Building Log Cabin Playhouse

June 21, 2019 at 7:22 pm by Paul Falcone

Secure data destruction device company partners with Habitat for Humanity in Operation Playhouse

From left to right: Leonard Rosen, founder of SEM, and Otto, Robert, and Ashley Bitterman.

WESTBOROUGH, MA, June 19, 2019—Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, spent the day of Wednesday, June 19, 2019 partnering with Habitat for Humanity for Operation Playhouse. The operation is a partnership that pairs businesses with veteran families to build a playhouse for their children, and this year’s concept was a log cabin. The SEM team started bright and early to design the cabin, which came equipped with its own deck, railings, and chair, to meet their 3pm deadline to present to the Bitterman family, a couple of United States Marines Veterans and their two-year-old son, Otto.

SEM employees (left to right) Todd Busic, Ted Jerdee, Marie DiVirgilio, Karl Lotvedt, and Jeff Lanoue constructing the walls of the playhouse.

“We were honored to present this playhouse to a family who has given so much back to our country today,” stated Nicholas Cakounes, Executive Vice President at SEM. “We are forever thankful for their service as United States Marines, and hope that they will make countless new memories together as a family with this new playhouse.”

Ashley Bitterman served in the US Marines from 2009-2019 and served a tour in Afghanistan from March to September 2011. Her husband, Robert Bitterman, is also a Marine who served from 2010-2014.

The couple watched with smiles as Otto ran into his log cabin, finding a variety of toys and decorations inside his new play space. A stuffed moose head on the wall, a bear skin rug, books, a plastic fishing pole, and his own set of Lincoln logs were just a few of the surprises waiting inside, which Otto took turns pointing to and exclaiming, “So cool!”

The entire SEM team stood around and applauded as the Bittermans rolled up, proud of the work they were able to complete together in just a day. Mr. Cakounes presented the family with a certificate of ownership for the playhouse after thanking the Bittermans for their sacrifices and service to the country.

“You can’t beat seeing that kid’s smile at the end of the day” said Ted Jerdee, Inside Sales Representative at SEM. “It’s a small thing to be able to give back to people who have given so much.”

This is the second time that SEM has taken part in Operation Playhouse and it appears it won’t be the last. Throughout the day, different team members were already brainstorming new ideas of how they could top this year’s house, which came complete with a solar panel that supplies power and a stained deck with railings.

The family left an hour after they arrived, excited about the playhouse loaded into their truck by the team at SEM, whose core values include giving back to the community on both a local and global basis.

About SEM

Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM) provides comprehensive end-of-life solutions for the protection of sensitive information in government and commercial markets. SEM’s reputation as the authority in high security information sanitization was earned through over 50 years of technical innovation, intellectual curiosity, and unrelenting integrity. By fostering a supportive, team-centric environment focused on talent retention and client satisfaction, SEM is recognized as the undisputed leader in depth of expertise, industry excellence, and reliability. SEM data destruction devices are the premier high security choice available on the market today. For more information, please visit www.semshred.com

About Habitat For Humanity

Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat’s vision is of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

Security Engineered Machinery Builds Playhouse for Veteran Family

November 29, 2018 at 9:14 pm by Heidi White

The Brown family with their new playhouse

On November 28, 2018, Security Engineered Machinery Co., Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security information end-of-life solutions, participated in Operation Playhouse, a unique program offered through Habitat for Humanity Metrowest/Greater Worcester. Operation Playhouse enables local businesses and organizations to build and donate a custom playhouse to benefit the children of local veterans and military personnel. The one-day event culminated with the presentation of the firetruck-themed playhouse to United States Marine Corps Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veteran Richard Brown and his family.

SEM Executive Vice President Nick Cakounes presents the playhouse to USMC Veteran Richard Brown, who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom

The event started at 9am onsite at SEM corporate headquarters in Westboro. SEM employees volunteered to participate in various tasks including painting, constructing, roofing, and decorating the playhouse as well as building accessories. Several authentic firetruck items were donated by the Boston and Dunstable fire departments for use in the playhouse. The construction was overseen by David Hamilton, Community Program Manager for Habitat for Humanity. Veteran Richard Brown and his family, from Dunstable, MA, arrived at 3:30pm to receive the playhouse. Nicholas Cakounes, Executive Vice President of SEM, made the presentation.

“Veterans have a special place in our heart here at SEM,” said Mr. Cakounes. “We are filled with gratitude to those who have served our country and protect our freedom, so giving back in some small way through Operation Playhouse was an absolute honor.”

Jeff Lanoue, SEM’s New England Regional Sales Manager, and Garret Peters, SEM’s Operations Manager, constructing the windows.

“This event was incredibly special to me personally,” added Korean War Veteran Leonard Rosen, who is SEM’s founder and Chairman of the Board. “Mr. Brown selflessly served his country, ensuring our rights and freedom. That is a debt we can never repay, so we were thrilled to be able to do something to bring joy to him and his family.”

SEM is a veteran-owned company whose primary client base is the United States Federal Government and its entities, including all branches of the United States Military.

Service Technicians Shawn Barnham, Don Donahue, and Dave Carroll built a custom ladder for the playhouse

Security Engineered Machinery Turns 50

June 11, 2018 at 5:15 pm by SEM

Security Engineered Machinery Co. Inc. (SEM), global leader in high security end-of-life solutions, is celebrating 50 years of protecting corporate and national security interests through continuous innovations in the field of document and media sanitization technology.

Through a combination of in-house engineering and design as well as direct manufacturing in our Westboro, MA facility, SEM has consistently produced innovative data sanitization products and services for the intelligence organizations of the U.S. Federal Government, including our military, embassies and other government entities, in addition to a wide commercial market.

Founded in 1967 by Korean War veteran, Leonard Rosen, the company’s initial product was a paper disintegrator that allowed users to reduce large volumes of top-secret documents down to unreadable particles in a quick and secure manner. SEM’s disintegration was a vast improvement over incineration in speed, convenience, and environmental impact and was quickly accepted as the primary destruction method of the U.S. Government. In the mid 1970s SEM introduced a full line of office paper shredders to allow users to destroy documents closer to their source.

As record storage transitioned from paper to electronic media, the company continued to innovate to meet the new sanitization demands created by this new technology including computer tape, optical media, hard drives and solid-state media. Today, SEM holds several patents and is the global industry leader for multiple forms of sanitization and destruction including degaussing, crushing, shredding, and disintegration of any type of electronic media such as hard drives, optical media and solid state storage systems.

Founder and Chairman Len Rosen is still actively involved in the day-to-day activities of the company, but is quick to deflect credit for success to his management team and entire staff. “It seems like we just started this yesterday” said Rosen. “The growth has been amazing, but I’m most proud of how we continue to adapt as a company, not just to stay relevant, but to lead the industry with innovative solutions.”

SEM Donates to Local Food Bank

December 20, 2017 at 5:40 pm by Heidi White

SEM employees in the Westboro, MA corporate headquarters donated over 250 pounds of food to the Worcester County Food Bank. To incentivize employees to donate more food, SEM offered a gift card as a raffle prize for employees who donated. Employees received one ticket per 10 pounds of food donated. The best part? The winner decided to donate the gift card to the Worcester County Food Bank as well. We couldn’t be more proud of our employees and their dedication to supporting the local community.

SEM Shred

Tag: philanthropy