Friends of Swett Warriors

“Jennifer Pinto gives me great hope in the next generation of corporate leaders. She is a true patriot and her company is not new to either the corporate scene or supporting wounded warriors and our veterans. Swett & Crawford is gearing up for their 100th anniversary and did so by having Gary Sinise and his Lt Dan Band.”

“Dear Jennifer,

My name is Kris Harris. I teach 5th grade at Walter Bracken, and you recently visited my room. I just wanted to say thank you, and that visit had a profound impact on my students. It also gave me a chance to talk about the fredoms that we enjoy and what it takes to protect them. My kids learned of real sacrafice. I know my kids are a bit shy but they have amazing hearts. They have written get well cards and thank you cards to soldiers. I have them in my classroom ready to pick up anytime, or let me know what to do with them. Thank you so much for what you do and bringing the bravery and sacrafices into our schools, which all kids can benefit from that lesson.

Sincerely,

Mr. Harris
5th Grade
Walter Bracken STEAM Academy”

“Great job Jennifer—it was great to catch up and again you did an incredible job for Swett and all the Wounded Warriers. Continued good luck in all your endeavors!”

“Many thanks to Swett Warriors for these great Las Vegas events, on behalf of American Legion Post 76 and Nevada's 200,000 veterans! Very proud to have participated!
Thank you,

Bob Jagemann
American Legion Post 76 Trustee & Past Commander
& Nevada Patriot Guard member”

“Dear Swett Warriors,

I want to personally thank you for the opportunity to serve you and your guests recently at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. I am one of the many Banquet Servers at the Cosmopolitan who were honored and humbled by all the heroes and Swett Warriors.

There are a long line of Veterans in my family tree, but this event really drove home the pride, sacrifice and triumphant courage of the sometime forgotten Veterans. I thank you again for opening my eyes and making me more appreciative of our freedom and the men and women that fought to provide it.

Please send special thanks to all in your organization, the many celebrities (Gary Sinise, Terry Fator and more). Congratulations on a wonderful event. Keep up the great work!

God Bless America,
Michael Abbs”

“Thank you for including me and my husband, Gary, in the Swett Warrior weekend in Las Vegas in January. We had a wonderful time and were honored to meet so many incredible people.

The accommodations at the Cosmopolitan were first class. Everything was so comfortable and convenient and the accessible room was great for our specific needs.

We enjoyed the entertainment, shows, fellowship and the food was fantastic. The Gala was a night we will long remember. It was our pleasure to meet and have conversations with many Swett and Crawford employees and partners. We felt their gratitude as we talked. For me, it's not so much what people do, it's knowing they care and have respect for the sacrifices the warrior and the family has made that gives me strength.

All I have said earlier, you probably knew. The smiling faces of the guests probably gave this all away. I want to share a couple of stories of what you may not know. I share these so you will know your hard work continues to give, even in ways you may not have planned or known.

My husband, Gary, was the Swett Warrior who had the opportunity to walk in the exoskeleton at the Gala. It was a very exciting time during the Gala. I wish I could describe how it feels to see my husband stand and walk. To see him tall and moving is literally a priceless gift for me and my children. I catch myself watching the video of him walking over and over. Our daughter called the other day to tell me she had just watched it again. Thank you for your part in making this happen.

During the trip to Creech Air Force Base, one of the Sweet Warriors, an amputee, approached my husband to have a conversation with him. They had never met prior to the Swett Warrior event. The warrior told Gary he would not be walking today if it weren't for a video his physical therapist had shown him during his rehabilitation. The video was of Gary who is a paraplegic. We're not sure what video it was, but whatever they found on YouTube motivated this warrior to do what he needed to do to make the most of his new and different life. There is a bond between these warriors, sometimes with someone they have never met, but they truly need each other. To bring them together, is doing great work.

I had a special treat the night of the Gala. I feel a little selfish about this but will share anyway. :) I felt so spoiled because I was able to get ready in our room (after I treated myself to a makeup session in the salon) and simply get in an elevator and go to the Gala. Normally, I would be wrangling a 300 pound wheelchair in and out of vehicle, moving and setting up ramps to navigate it into the back of an SUV and assisting my husband in and out. I felt like the belle of the ball because I got to choose and wear a dress without having to consider these responsibilities.

Simply said, "Y'all ROCK!" We truly enjoyed our time, felt loved and appreciated. We are blessed.

Respectully,

Mari Linfoot”

“Looking forward to seeing you and all of Swett & Crawford Group again. You guys make all of us warriors feel whole. Thank You. ”

“It was a great few days while it was going on but when you are participating, you don't realize how much you are really missing. The video confirms what a great event you folks put on!! My thanks and proud to have been involved. Keep up the outstanding support of our Wounded Warriors and troops! ”

“I like to say thank you for showing us a wonderful time and I look forward to seeing you and the rest of the Swett crew soon. Please tell everyone in your organization that I had the best time and I am truly blessed and honored to have had the opportunity spend a couple of days with a wonderful group of people. I am so looking forward to our next venture. Once again thank you and your crew for a lovely time in Las Vegas, I will never forget you what your organization did for me and all the other veterans.”

“The following is a testimonial from Colonel David W. Sutherland, honored guest and keynote speaker at Swett Warrior Weekend in Las Vegas:

The Swett Warrior initiative in Las Vegas this year showcases the desire by the American people to want to provide opportunities to our veterans and their families. Their ability to enable and encourage those who serve is an example for other community leaders to emulate. It's this sort of direct leadership that will allow our returning service members and their families to thrive; where they live.
”

“Jennifer,

I hope the Las Vegas events closed well, and, I must say, I was truly impressed by the incredible efforts of you and the Swett team. Thank you, again, for your commitment to military soldiers, their families, and their well-being.

Craig A. Wilhelm
Founder and Board President
Windy25 Memorial Fund”

“Hi Jen –

What an amazing event you hosted over the Swett Warriors Weekend. I have been fortunate over my career to have visited many great venues, resorts, boondoggles, conventions, company events, broker events, industry events and the like. None were ever better done, and certainly none were more meaningful and emotional than this one.

Ignoring the subject matter of Swett Warriors for a minute, from a sheer production standpoint you and your team included an unbelievable amount of detail and content, all really well presented and well executed. As the Gala moved through the evening, I grew more and more impressed not only with the quantity of materials but the amount of thought and care that went into the content. As far as the logistics involved in the entire weekend, you and your team were amazing. I’ve organized more than a few weekends and events of all sorts over the years and I know what’s involved. The scale of this event though, including the number of other organizations that had to be looped into this (American Airlines, Air Power Foundation, limo companies, helicopters, Creech, and all the rest), was mind-boggling.

Yesterday, we hosted our quarterly all-employee meeting – some 175 folks. I opened my remarks with pictures and telling the story of Swett Warriors and how it came to be, and what an incredible event we had just experienced.

I have focused our HR recruiting folks on the disabled veterans community (as well as able-bodied). Also, we will be contacting the DVIC.org folks that you included in Las Vegas to try to tap into their client pool. In Virginia, the military and former-military are a pretty big group.

Congratulations! You deserve every accolade and bit of praise that I’m sure is coming your way!

Thanks so much - just sign me “awe-struck”.

John G. Clarke, CPCU
Senior Vice-President, Marketing
James River Insurance Company”

“Jenn,

First off let me start by saying congratulations....The Swett warrior event was by far one of the best things I have ever been associated with. I am very happy to have been part of it. It truly put things in perspective for me.

David A. Alferez
Director - Professional Services Group”

“Jennifer

The Swett Warrior Gala was an exceptional event and we were honoured to be part of it. Well done. Thanks again for you work. I am confident that were all deeply moved by the stories we heard and the people we met over the weekend. It was truly an exceptional experience for all.

Stan Galanski
President
Navigators Insurance
”

“Dear Ms. Pinto,

Thank you for inviting President Clinton and Secretary Clinton to the Swett Warriors Veterans Event on January 27th, 2013. On behalf of President Clinton, we want to thank you for your dedication to supporting our troops and for all the work you do. We thank you for your outreach, and feel free to contact us with any further requests, and we wish you the best with all future events.

Kind Regards,

Dan Walsh-Rogalski
Scheduling Department | William J. Clinton Foundation”

“Jennifer -

First off you and your team truly did an amazing job in Vegas, congratulations for making it come together so smoothly. Everyone had a great time and had to be touched to meet and interact with those wounded vets, I know I was.

Regards,

Nick Settineri
Vice President-Broker”

“I want to thank you and all your people for the outstanding support you give our nations heroes. It is humbling to see the honor you bestow on them. We would also like to thank you for letting us play a small part in it. I hope we can do more to assist in the future.

Phil Perlman - Patriot Guard State Captian, Nevada
http://www.nvpatriotguard.org/”

“Hello Jennifer,

Thank you would never say enough about his past weekend in Las Vegas. The amount of time and effort you and your team put into this project truly was revealed at all the events. Jamel and I had such a wonderful time. It was a great way for us to reconnect, because Jamel works 3 hours from home.

Jamel and I have attended several wounded warrior events together over the years. They have all brought us great joy, but nothing compares to what we experienced in Las Vegas. The red carpet treatment was unimaginable.

I believe you and your team know that what you have done is spectacular, but I don’t think you understand what it means for all these wounded warriors to come together and spend time and share memories together. Often times they feel alone and believe their communities don’t understand them, are confused by their behavior and get frustrated that no one can relate to a TBI or missing limbs. I want you to know that events like this help our veterans to heal. Because of you, the people who protect our country and were wounded to save our freedom were able to come together with people they can relate to and who understand them. For that I must thank you.

January 31, 2005 Jamel was struck by an IED. He lost his left leg and suffered many other injuries. This Thursday Jamel will celebrate his Alive Day, the day he was given a second chance. It will be the 8 year anniversary of his accident. He likes to celebrate quietly and remember the three Marines who passed in his Humvee that day. Jamel has been fortunate since his accident. He has taken advantage of many outreach organizations, has found a job he is passionate about and continues to live life like it’s his last day. I believe your project will do the same for others.

Jamel is so appreciative of everyday. It is people like you who help him to remain so positive.

With great appreciation and many thanks,
Audrey and Jamel Daniels”

“Jenn,

A sincere THANK YOU from deep inside my heart for everything you and Swett have done for our troops this weekend.

I can only imagine the hard work and time spent planning/managing all events and support logistics, yet you have pulled it off with a BIG smile from beginning to end.

And to all of the support staff: Julie, Denise, Sue, Susan, Emily and many others – please convey my immense gratitude for their commitment and passion for this weekend.

The biggest gift you have given me this weekend is being able to say "Thank You" while firmly shaking a hard, looking deep inside of their eyes, hugging a Golden Star Mom, and being able to say to these guys: "We are here for you!"

I look forward to participate, donate, volunteer, spread awareness about any events in the near future. You have my commitment!

Thank you and wishing all a safe return home,

Will Fagundes
Sr. Digital Media Manager – eMarketing
Chickasaw Nation Division of Commerce”

“Gary Bryant and I want to thank you for a memorable experience this past weekend.

I thought Jenn and her staff did an excellent job of integrating the full spectrum of veteran related interests into a rich and full schedule.

This called for careful planning and hard work, but they did it.

I also believe that, in the future, Swett’s skills and resources should be fully utilized by DVIC. A key element in serving the vets is the long term growth and prosperity of Swett. I can assure you, we will work on that from our end.

Best,

James R. Pender,Chairman
DVIC
www.DVIC.us ”

“Jennifer,

Hope you are getting some much needed rest. Just wanted to thank you for allowing my team to participate with the events this past weekend, truly inspiring!

It was an amazing weekend, your team is absolutely incredible, Swett's commitment to support the Veterans, Service Members and their families is humbling!

Thanks Again!

Captain Jim Palmersheim
Managing Director
Veterans and Military Programs”

“Jennifer,

I want to say thank you for allowing me, my husband and my co-workers to attend the Swett Warrior Gala. It was an absolutely amazing event and I am so honored to be a part of it. A very big thank you for the honor plate. When Todd gave it to me with the pictures I felt so undeserving of it. I may have spent many years putting people in jail and dealing with bad situations but none of what I did compares to what our men and women do every hour when in battle. I am honored and humbled by your appreciation even though it was completely unnecessary. I look forward to working with you again on next year’s event.

Respectfully,
Kelly

Officer Kelly Raybuck
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department”

“This is truly an extraordinary world we live in and I am thankful that I still have life to live. We owe it to the fallen, to live the greatest life one can imagine.

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness forever.

Steve Baskis - United States Army
Injured in Iraq - 2008
Attended the Swett Warrior Weekend

http://thecharacterbuildingproject.com/warriors/steve-baskis/steves-story/ ”

“Jennifer,

It was great to meet you this weekend in Las Vegas. I was very glad that Tim Raynor and Jim Palmersheim extended the invitation. There were many emotional and inspirational moments that made my conference on Monday and Tuesday feel a lot less important.

Congratulations on a great event and I will look you up in New York.

Pete”

“Hello Jennifer,

I hope by now you are winding down and relaxing. It was a pleasure meeting and spending some time with you, Emily, Suzanne, Denise and Sue. What a great "Team", true Professionals. I can't thank you enough for the superb program you orchestrated for the Wounded Warriors, you are the best.

Best wishes,

Jim”

“I'm a little late w/ this, but I just wanted to say that you and yours put on quite a show earlier this week. I can't even imagine the amount of thought, time and effort that went into setting up so many activities with so many different organizations and so many people (with varying needs). I know my guests had a great time and I know the vets had a weekend they will never forget.

Thank you very much for making it all happen!!

Scott K. Hayward, RPLU
Senior Vice President - Financial Services
Swett & Crawford”

“Thank you and the entire Swett & Crawford team for allowing Trish and I to share in so many inspirational stories during your events in Las Vegas.”

“Jen, Emily, Susan,

I must tell you how impressed I was with the event this past weekend and how proud I am to be associated with each of you. What you accomplished was greater than any words I can use to label it. You showed incredible compassion for the servicemen who protected us, innate understanding of the clients who support us and unique innovation in the way you pulled our partners together to share the experience. Jen, you presented with intense enthusiasm and just the right amount of fun. You displayed unmatched character and charm which further deepened the message you were so effectively delivering. To the rest of the team, the devil is in the details and your details were flawless. A great testament from a simple man is that I don't recall ever once looking down at my watch. The impact of this event will run long and deep for everyone involved. Perhaps the only negative in any of this is you have set the bar so high that achieving this level of success again is nearly impossible. Just the way an architect builds homes and a lawyer builds cases you have built a treasure of an experience that started with just a vision and ended in riches of gold. Thank you for the ride!

Regards,

Harold Field”

“I absolutely LOVED the weekend. Having served in law enforcement for 16 years and having that career end as a result of a “combat” injury I was so happy to see first responders included in the event. I have a number of law enforcement friends who too have lost limbs and their lives in the line of duty. I thought Jennifer Pinto did an outstanding job on every front. She did an excellent job at the microphone at all of the events. I know from experience how difficult that can be. She has the gift. Kudos to her and to Swett.

Mitch”

“Hi Emily,

I wanted to thank you and Jennifer Pinto for inviting me to your event. It was an amazing weekend and one I will never forget.

Thank you again,
Mona Lisa”

“Hello Emily and Jennifer!

I wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that Dahlia and I had a really nice time in Vegas with you. Our room was amazing, and it was great to connect with so many other wounded warriors. I was interviewed before the gala for a spot on the news, and I stressed to them that what Swett & Crawford did for all of us really hits home.

I know putting everything together must have taken an incredible amount of work and coordination, so thank you again!

Justin
United States Marine
Injured in Iraq - 2006
Attended the Swett Warrior Weekend

http://thecharacterbuildingproject.com/warriors/justin-constantine/justins-story/ ”

“You guys hit an absolute “grand slam” regarding the overall weekend for the Wounded Warriors, especially doing a project of this magnitude for the first time! Unbelievable!”

“Hi ladies, what an amazing tribute to our warriors. Thank you for all you did for us and for all you did for those who served our country. It was a magical evening.

Dena Kaplan
Insurance Journal”

“Emily and Swett team,

I just had to write and thank you all for this incredibly amazing experience this weekend. I was blown away with everything you guys did for those warriors and I am honored to have been a part of it. I know that I created so many friendships with people who in a few days, made me a better person. Thank you for all that you do. I can't wait to share the memories I have captured along the way!

Lots of love!

Kira Sanoja
Kandylane Photography”

“Thank you all so much - once again - what a treat and of course everything was just top notch!”

“Emily,

What an incredible event this has been! We are so thrilled to be a part of it.

What an amazing job!

Thank you!

LoriAnn Lowery-Biggers
The Navigators Group, Inc.”

“Emily - I just wanted to say how much fun I had in Vegas - it was life changing to be around my fellow wounded warriors - your event was empowering, fun, and put things into perspective - please keep me in mind for future events.

Arthur
United States Army
Attended the Swett Warrior Weekend”

“Jen,

My sincerest apologies for just now sending this email, but I needed time to reflect on the wide variety of emotions and feelings that have stayed with me from the incredible weekend.

First of all, I am very humbled and honored to know such an amazing, driven, and compassionate woman, in you. I am in awe, not only of your love for service members, but your consideration for our needs, our families, and the way you care for each of us individually. You have such a warm and gentle heart for us that enables you to reach a level of honor and commitment that few people can obtain.

The Army’s core values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. I know a lot of Soldiers in the Army who have a hard time exhibiting all of these values on a regular basis but I see all seven come through you so naturally. This, among many other things, is why the service members you labor so meticulously for would do absolutely anything for you, your friendship, and the unconditional love you show us.

Your Swett Warrior Weekend was one of the most astounding events that I have ever been a part of. These days when you can put an event together that reaches across many different types of people, companies, families, and communities while empowering their true emotion and passion to capture what is great about this country and its citizens, then you have done something extraordinary. This is what a saw, heard, and felt from everyone involved with Swett Warriors and the Swett Warrior weekend. You have worked so diligently, yet effortlessly, and done this; and it astonishes me.

I in no way want to take away from anything your team accomplished through your leadership. You have surrounded yourself with an awesome group of women who share your unique vision and devotion for/to those of us they labored so hard for. I was equally humbled and impressed with how they carried themselves and how much demanding work they accomplished in such a short amount of time and in their own time.

I have lived in a few places, held different positions, and had things happen to me that have made me wonder “why am I here,” or “what good could ever come out of this.” For me, Jaime, and our family, YOU are the good that came out of us moving to New Jersey. I believe with all my heart that I was put in New Jersey to be able to see the patriotism, passion, and unselfish devotion in YOU….and to be your life-long friend.

Thank you so much for inspiring everyone’s efforts last weekend, your love, and thank you so much for being you!

Joe W - Army
”

“Jennifer,

I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for allowing Christine and I to attend your event in Las Vegas these pass few days. It was a humbling yet most enjoyable time and I thank both you personally, and your organization, for taking the time to support all of us in the Wounded Warrior world.

It's these recognitions that hopefully remind these new warrior generation members, that their sacrifice and service has not gone unnoticed nor unappreciated. As an "ole dog" wounded warrior who has kicked around since the Vietnam generation (PH class of 1970 & OIF 2005' :-) ) - where we weren't quite offered the same reception at the time - I'm amazed that people in general are so much better educated and exposed to the GWOT related Service Members of today. None of us expect or set out to have that PH on our uniform, it's something none of us covet, and I can tell you from a personal point of view that my recovery at 19 was a little easier than the most recent one at 55! It simply sucks no matter who you are or what your age.

So, from this old SOF soldier, let me say "Thanks" and please pass along my gratitude to all within your organization which have taken part in reminding us that people do care.

If there is anything that I can ever offer in the way of assistance to further your cause, contacts within the USSOCOM Care Coalition, or other contacts I can introduce you to in the Special Operations community, please don't hesitate to ask.

Dan McKinney - Retired
”

“Neal and Jennifer,

Congratulations to both of you for putting together such a fantastic event!!! It was moving, inspirational, and heartwarming to meet and interact with these service men and women who are truly our nation’s heroes. I am proud RSUI was able to participate and glad that I, along with Clint, Andrew and Sheryl, was able to attend the gala.

Again congratulations and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Phillip S. McCrorie, CPCU
Executive Vice President
RSUI Group, Inc.
”

“Jennifer and Emily,

I just wanted to drop you a quick note and let you know that I had a wonderful time at the Gala. It is for a great cause and I am glad I was part of it. As always you both did a great job in pulling it all together.

Mike Bigger
E-Risk Services”

“Neal and Jennifer -

I’m sure you’ve had a flood of emails thanking you for this past weekend. Words really can’t express how appreciative Toni and I are for your efforts and for being included in the weekend. It was more powerful than we could have ever imagined. Humbling. You and your team can count on us when you call upon us in the future.

Warm regards,

Bryan Sanders
Alterra Specialty
”

“Jennifer -

I want to personally thank you for a truly amazing weekend. I loved how your team interacted with the warriors and made everyone feel special. Please give all your staff a big hug and tell them thanks from the AVPT, they where always on target.

Together we will THRIVE...

All Veteran Parachute Team
Continuing to Serve
Mike Elliott
President
Website: allveteranparachuteteam.com
”

“As one of the nation's oldest military charities, the AirPower Foundation is proud to partner with Swett Warriors on a very noble mission to say thank you to all who serve our great nation. We are extremely excited about the Swett Warriors gala on January 27, 2013, and cannot think of a better way to start off the New Year and our new partnership. On behalf of the AirPower Board of Directors and all of the organizations who receive AirPower Foundation contributions to honor all those who serve, we would like to thank Swett Warriors. We look forward to all of the additional support we can provide to our nation's military and their families by working together.

Roman Palomares, Chairman
AirPower Foundation
”

“My wife and I had a whole lot of fun…overall it was a great event, and I want to go again next year.”

“A HUGE thanks to them for putting on an amazing evening!”

“The dinner was the most fun I've had since I got back! All the effort was truly appreciated. 90% of my unit from Iraq was there, and it was great to see everyone. Please forward my thanks!”

“Kathy & I had a great time at the party. Thanks to you! We really enjoyed meeting some of the Swett & Crawford folks, and are extremely humbled at their generosity.
”

“Thank you very much for arranging last night. The food was excellent, the bar was flowing and the show was fun and better than expected from an amateur preparation. ”

“Cheryl and I really had a great time. It was nice to see a company such as Swett and Crawford to go out of their way to put on the night of entertainment and dinner for Creech and the Hunter family...”