TROY PIRES & ALLEN PARTNER, ANTONIO PIRES, NAMED
 “LIGHT THE NIGHT” CORPORATE WALK CHAIR FOR SECOND YEAR;DAUGHTER, TRACEY CHAIRS AMBITIOUS OFFICE MEMORIAL CAMPAIGN

East Providence, RI (September 18, 2007) - The Rhode Island Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society announced that community and business leader Antonio “Tony” Pires has agreed to serve for a second year as Corporate Walk Chair for the Providence Light the Night Walk being held on September 29 at 7:00pm in Blackstone Park, Providence.

As Corporate Walk Chair, Pires invites area businesses to participate in this year’s Light the Night Walk.  “By donating our time and energy to this cause, we can bring relief to thousands of our neighbors, and advance the fight for more research and better treatment, and hopefully, one day, find a cure for these illnesses.”

Meanwhile, at the East Providence offices of Troy, Pires & Allen, Pires’ daughter, Tracey McCloskey, a personal lines assistant, spearheaded an ambitious office effort as well. Surpassing the goal of $3,000, McCloskey reports a six-month total of $3500, the result of balloon sales to clients, 50-50 employee raffles, and $5.00 Dress-Down days. For the past two years, Troy, Pires & Allen has not only been a sponsor of the Providence Walk; they have also put together a fabulous team to participate, recruiting employees and friends of the company to walk with them. According to McCloskey “Eighty volunteers comprise our TPA walking team this year. For us, commitment to this effort is personal. It is the Peggy Reade Memorial Walk; a remembrance of a staff member’s spouse. Employee participation has been as enthusiastic as it is strong. We are proud to be participating in this way, while Dad works with the business community.”

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Campaign Coordinator, Erin Arcand notes, “in total, TPA has contributed more than $12,200 to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through their fundraising efforts and sponsorship in only 2 years. That doesn't include the tremendous effort that Mr. Pires himself has put in, recruiting other corporate entities to participate and sponsor the walk.”

A respected business and community leader, Tony is a managing partner for the general lines insurance agency Troy, Pires and Allen, LLC.  From 1986 until 2002, Pires served as a state legislator from Pawtucket, and was the chairman of the House Finance Committee from 1993 to 2001.  Pires is active in the community, and is a member of the Portuguese-American Citizens Committee, Pawtucket YMCA, the Pawtucket Foundation, and serves on the board of the Independent Insurance Agents of RI.

Pires is a lifelong resident of Rhode Island, and resides in Pawtucket with his wife Margaret.  They have three children, and three grandchildren.

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Light The Night is an annual Leukemia & Lymphoma Society event to raise funds for cures. It is the nation’s night to pay tribute and bring hope to people battling cancer.  Each fall, teams of friends, families, and co-workers walk in support of the mission: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Funds raised through Light The Night Walk support the search for better therapies and cures for blood cancers. Participants carry illuminated balloons - white for survivors, red for supporters -- as they walk together in support of the mission along this casual 2.5 mile stroll along Blackstone Boulevard in Providence’s scenic East Side. Please visit www.lightthenight.org or call 877-LTN-WALK for more information.