Published: 11/09/2023
Major Thomas Spagel will address attendees as this year's guest speaker.
The cadre and cadets of the “Pride of PA” Army ROTC Battalion at Gannon University proudly honors those who have served and those who continue to protect our freedoms with a Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10 in Gannon’s Waldron Campus Center, Room 219, 628 Peach Street, Erie, Pa.
The celebration will begin with a Reveille Ceremony conducted by the “Pride of PA” Gannon University ROTC Cadet Color Guard. Gannon University student and athlete Jeremy Mensah will perform the National Anthem.
Gannon’s Fr. Michael Kesicki, University Chaplain, will deliver the invocation and President Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D. will also speak to the importance of veterans to Gannon University, our community and nation.
Retiree of United States Army Reserve and Erie County Councilman, Major Thomas Spagel, will address attendees as this year’s guest speaker.
A wreath will be laid in honor of military members who are currently serving, have served or have given their lives in service to their country. The day’s events will conclude with the playing of Taps, the National Song of Remembrance and benediction from Fr. Kesicki. Lunch will be served in the Haggerty Lounge following the ceremony.
About Thomas Spagel:
Spagel was born and raised in Erie, Pennsylvania. After graduating from East High, he joined the U.S. Air Force where he served as an intelligence analyst at Royal Airforce Station Chicksands, England from 1985 to 1989. Upon returning to Erie, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve and attended Gannon University, eventually graduating with a business degree. While attending Gannon, he joined the R.O.T.C. program and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps.
Upon graduating from the Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course, he was assigned as the intelligence officer with the 4th/92 Artillery Battalion, Erie, Pennsylvania. During that time, he pursued his Master of Business as a graduate assistant in the Human Resources Department of Gannon University.
After completing his MBA, he had a brief stint at American Sterilizer as a purchasing agent and soon realized he wanted to pursue his career as an entrepreneur. He founded Spagel Brothers, Inc. which involved real estate investments as well as Stanganelli’s Italian Foods. Stanganelli’s has grown from a three-person operation to employing over 50 employees and distributes frozen food products nationally.
Click here to view more from this year's ceremony.