REM Award Honorees (2001) — Gary Hammond (Waterville Rotary Club)
This past year has been a busy one for the Waterville Rotary Club; nothing could have happened without the significant contributions of club members like our own Gary Hammond.
Gary, a Rotarian since 1984, is a past president. He has chaired at least ten different Rotary committees and has served on many others. Gary has also served on our board of directors several times over the years and earned the Rotary Distinguished Service Award in 1999. He has become a Paul Harris Fellow and has attended International Rotary conventions for our club.
Gary grew up on a diary farm in Greene, Maine and graduated from Edward Little High School. He attended UMO and graduated in 1974 with an associate’s degree in chemical engineering, agricultural engineering and an MBA. After graduating from Maine he worked for the John Deere Company in Syracuse, New York until 1983.
Gary married his wife Martha in 1971 and shortly thereafter moved back to his home state and started his own business, Hammond Tractor. He had less than 20 employees back then, but with the help of his wife and son David, he has grown the business to over 45 employees and two locations, in Fairfield and Union. Gary is president and owner and oversees the company’s sales in farm, garden, and golf equipment. His wife Martha works in the parts department and keeps the appearance and facility image a top priority. They are especially proud of their son David’s success in their family business.
When Gary is not busy with his business, he has donated much of his spare time to the community. Besides his work in Rotary, he has served as a director on the Sidney Athletic Association and Maine General Hospital. Also he has made many donations to the surrounding communities through his company. Gary considers Central Maine a great place to live and raise a family and has always believed strongly in giving back to the community he loves so much. When Gary does take a minute to relax he enjoys skiing, snowmobiling, boating, travel, and spending time at his camp in Eustis and his condo in West Palm Beach, Florida.
When asked Gary’s Rotary work, his good friend and fellow Rotarian Don Plourde said, “Gary is one of the hardest working people I know.” He added, “Gary is honest, ethical and a very generous person. . . . He is always willing to help someone out and is very dedicated to what Rotary stands for.”
Gary himself has high remarks about Rotary, saying, “I take great pride in the Waterville Rotary Club’s accomplishments and believe in all Rotarians giving of their time and energy to make better communities locally and intemationally.”
With hard working Rotarians like Gary Hammond, it’s easy to see what makes the Waterville Rotary Club and our community a better place to work and live. Thank you, Gary, and your family for all you do!!
For more information about the Waterville Rotary Club, please visit its website.