— LISTEE'S SPOTLIGHT —

Mr. Bella enjoyed a 31-year career with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Employment and Training and as a Local Veterans Employment Representative, where his work included veterans’ assistance, training, and job placement services. He served in the United States military during the Vietnam War in a field artillery role, and became the first member of his family to earn a college degree when he graduated from Northern Essex Community College in 1974. Mr. Bella considers himself fortunate to have been able to see the impact that he made on many veterans’ lives throughout his career, and cites seeing veterans thrive in jobs that he helped them find to be the highlight of his work. He has remained active in the community and veterans’ affairs outreach in his retirement, and serves in a Memorial Day Color Guard and a flag-placing Memorial Day beautification project in addition to holding a leadership position in the Lawrence Civil War Memorial Guard. Outside his work on behalf of veterans, Mr. Bella is commissioner and past chair of the Methuen Historical Commission, where he looks forward to continuing to promote local history and historic site preservation.