[WADNet Post] Apr 15: Relay News

RELAY NEWS
--  Hamilton Awarded Relay Service Agreement for Massachusetts
--  WTRS Announcement
--  Job Opening: Video Relay Interpreters
--  Jul 27: WTRS 16th Annual Picnic - New Location
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Hamilton Awarded Relay Service Agreement for Massachusetts

Date: April 15, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dixie Ziegler, 402-694-3656 v/TTY
              Vice President, Hamilton Relay, Inc.


Nebraska Business Selects Pittsfield as Site for New Communications Center
Pittsfield, Massachusetts– April 15, 2008. A business that provides a unique nationwide communications service to people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Speech Disabled is opening a Telecommunications Relay Service Center in Pittsfield.
As the result of a competitive bidding process, Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc. (Verizon) awarded the contract to Hamilton Telecommunications to provide Telecommunications Relay Service to the State of Massachusetts. Hamilton will begin processing Massachusetts Relay calls on July 1, 2008, and has selected Pittsfield as the site for its center. Hamilton will provide service from its location at 703 W. Housatonic Street.
“The Massachusetts Relay Service makes it possible for thousands of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, or living with a speech disability to use the telephone and provides opportunities for full engagement with the world around them,” said Heidi Reed, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. “All of us at the Commission look forward to working with Hamilton Relay and to continued excellence in telephone relay services for residents of Massachusetts.”
Massachusetts Relay is free service that allows people who are Hearing, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind or Speech Disabled to communicate via the telephone. Through the use of specialized equipment, relay users communicate freely with friends, family and businesses who use a standard telephone.
Incorporated in 1901, Hamilton Telecommunications, parent company of Hamilton Relay, began providing relay service in 1990. Since that time, Hamilton Relay has expanded to become one of the largest telecommunications relay service providers in the United States. With the opening of the Pittsfield center, Hamilton will up its total number of states to which is provides relay service to 16 states, plus the Island of Saipan, and the Virgin Islands. “Hamilton has a reputation in the industry for stability and longevity of our business operations,” says Dixie Ziegler, Vice President of Hamilton Relay.
Hamilton has been working closely with the Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Office of Business Development to locate the Relay Center in Pittsfield. “We are excited to begin operations and are impressed with what Pittsfield has to offer. The community has been extremely helpful to work with and preparations are well underway to open our center,” said Ziegler.
Hamilton’s new Pittsfield communications center will employ 50 full time people. “Hamilton Relay offers the opportunity for full-time, stable employment in Pittsfield. In addition, Hamilton Relay offers very rewarding work for individuals.”
Ziegler says the benefits generated by the new Relay Center through increased jobs and payroll dollars will have a positive impact on the growth of Pittsfield’s economy. “Hamilton is a company with longevity and stability. We look forward to being a part of the Pittsfield community for a very long time. To date, Hamilton has never closed a relay facility.” Hamilton is currently accepting applications for a variety of positions in the Pittsfield facility. Applications for relay operators for all shifts are being accepted Monday-Friday, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Berkshire Works Career Center, 160 North Street, Suite 302, Pittsfield, MA 01201. The telephone number for information about employment opportunities and interviews with Hamilton Relay is 413-499-2220. Individuals may also contact Hamilton’s corporate Human Resource Department at 1-800-821-1831 or send inquiries and/or resumes to www.hamilton.net/employment.html to the attention of Cindy Blase. All full-time employees have the opportunity for a benefit package including paid health and life insurance, long term disability, 401(K), cafeteria, paid time off, and holidays. Voluntary benefits include dental and additional life insurance.
“Excellent company benefits is one of the draws for employment with Hamilton. However, the meaningful and helpful nature of the work is very rewarding. As a result, many of our relay operators and management staff have been with the company for 10 to 15 years, or more,” adds Ziegler.
Hamilton is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability. 


About Hamilton Relay
Hamilton Relay offers a variety of services including Internet Relay, Video Relay, Wireless Relay and CapTel. All services are available at www.hamiltonrelay.com. With the addition of Massachusetts, Hamilton Relay will provide traditional relay services to 16 states, the Island of Saipan and the Virgin Islands. 

CapTel is a registered trademark of Ultratec, Inc.

   (Contributed by: Beth Slough, Hamilton Relay)

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WTRS Announcement
Society's Assets Inc (WTRS) is pleased to announce Jana Hicks as their new Staff Interpreter. Jana was born in Minnesota and moved to Waukesha, WI at the age of five where she became interested and started learning ASL in school.
Jana received her B.S. in Exceptional Education with a minor in American Sign Language Studies from UW-Milwaukee. In addition to her degree, Jana completed the Interpreter Training Program. Jana attended the National RID conference in San Francisco in a Support Staff Member role in 2007. Jana currently resides in Madison after living in Milwaukee for five years.
(Contributed by: Jody Lechner, Wisconsin Telecommunications Relay System (WTRS)) 

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Job Opening: Video Relay Interpreter

JOB OPENINGS: VIDEO RELAY INTERPRETERS
Hamilton Relay, Inc. is hiring multiple part time and/or full time positions for Video Relay Interpreters in the Baton Rouge, LA and Middleton, WI area. Other locations may be added in the near future.
Position summary: Relay video calls between video relay users and hearing individuals.
Preferred experience includes 3-5 years experience working as a sign language interpreter. National or state certification equivalent to the current NIC national certification is a plus.
Interested individuals may send all inquiries and/or resumes to www.hamilton.net/employment.html to the attention of Cindy Blase in Human Resource Department or contact her at: 800.821.1831.
We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or disability.
Hamilton Relay, Inc. is a division of Hamilton Telecommunications based in Aurora, NE. Hamilton offers a competitive wage and full time company paid benefits. 

   (Contributed by: Beth Slough, Hamilton Relay)

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Jul 27: WTRS 16th Annual Picnic - New Location

WTRS 16TH ANNUAL PICNIC IN A NEW AND BEAUTIFUL LOCATION!!!
The 16th Annual Wisconsin Telecommunications Relay Systems (WTRS) Picnic is on Sunday July 27, 2008 from 11 AM to 4 PM. It will be held at McKEE FARMS PARK SHELTER in FITCHBURG, WI. McKee Farms Park is located at 2930 Chapel Valley Road, Fitchburg, WI, 53711.
For our 16th Annual Picnic, we want to continue to show our great appreciation to our customers for using Wisconsin Relay Service. WTRS is provided by Hamilton Relay and Society’s Assets, Inc.
For the second year in a row, we will have a Pig Roast, bratwursts, burgers and hot dogs, provided by Stoddard’s Catering. Food and beverages are FREE!! McKee Farms Park has the "Kids Crossing" playground which is a dream playground built in a castle-like structure with tube slides, bridges, ladders and anything that is too creative for adults to play in! We will have entertainment, games and door prizes for kids and adults. Please mark your calendar and bring yourself, family and friends to the 16th Annual WTRS Picnic on July 27, 2008. We will be eagerly looking forward to seeing you all there.
For more information, you can contact Relay Customer Service at (800) 283-9877 VP/TTY, 69.128.10.86 IP Address or (800) 395-9877 voice. We can also be reached via email at wirelay@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

   (Contributed by: Joe Riggio, Hamilton Relay)

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Leslie Riggs
WADNet Post Editor & Listserv Administrator
Wisconsin Association of the Deaf
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