At the Pride in Port dinner dance on Saturday, Sept. 19, two longtime, highly respected local companies and their management will be honored for their dedication to our community: Precision Work Inc. (Annette Oestreich) and Pierce Coach Line (Troy Pierce).
Precision Work Inc., Annette Oestreich
Annette Oestreich was born and raised in Port Washington. She has spent her entire life in Port Washington and her love of the community has been reflected in her passionate engagement with local issues on a wide variety of subjects.
She and her first husband started a small power-equipment business in Port Washington known as Precision Work. After he passed away, Annette continued to develop the business with her second husband, Robert Oestreich. As an entrepreneurial team, with Robert’s marketing talents and Annette’s financial and management experience, they turned Precision Work into an extremely successful business.
Precision employs 18 people locally, distributes power equipment in nine Northeast states, from Pennsylvania to Maine and is currently the largest distributor of Walker mowers worldwide.
Annette and her late husband, Robert, were a leading force in the fight against the construction of a mass-burn incinerator in the Sand Pits, getting behind the effort both with financial support and enormous amounts of personal effort. They went door to door to get petitions signed and had the courage to join in a lawsuit filed by Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington against the Town of North Hempstead.
When Annette moved to Sands Point in 1989, she quickly became involved in the community. She is an active member of the board of directors of the Property Owners Association of Harbor Acres and has been its treasurer for over 25 years. In addition, she served for several years on the Residents Club Commission of the Village Club of Sands Point and was a founding member of the Astor Lane Residents Association. She is a board member of Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington and is currently chairperson of the finance committee. She is also a member of many local organizations, including the Sons of Italy and the Chamber of Commerce.
Annette has a daughter, Anita, a son-in-law, Jeff, and two grandsons, Jeffrey and Robert.
Annette feels that Port Washington was a great place to grow up and she wants to help keep it that way. She consistently supports many local organizations to give back to the Port Washington community that has been so much a part of her life.
Pierce Coach Line, Troy Pierce
Pierce Coach Line has cultivated deep roots within the Port Washington community. Operations Director Troy Pierce was born, raised and still resides in Port Washington, as well as many of the company’s employees. Owner and president Larry Pierce lived in Baxter Estates with his wife Fran for 47 years. The company has a strong personal stake in the community. It is not just a business, it is a way of life.
Pierce Coach Line, formed in 1940, is one of four incorporated strategic business units consolidated under the operations of its holding company, Pierce Recreation Inc.
The Pierce family business enterprises share a common thread. They focus on serving the transportation, education and recreation needs of our community’s children. As part of this integrated group of child-centered businesses, Pierce Coach Line shares the financial strength and managerial expertise of the Pierce family’s joint business enterprises.
The Port Washington School District has enjoyed the consistency of having only two different school bus contractors of record during the past 61 years. From 1954 to 1997, Pierce Coach Line served as the longest contractor. Very few school districts on Long Island’s North Shore can boast a similar history of consistency and longevity.
Pride in Port Dinner Dance
In addition to celebrating the evening’s honorees and the parade’s grand marshals, Peter and Jeri Dejana, the Pride in Port dinner dance will include “A Taste of Port,” featuring food from many of Port Washington’s renowned eateries. Dancing, raffles and a cash bar will round out the evening. Proceeds benefit Schreiber High School scholarship programs. Tickets are still available for this year’s event, which is being held in the starlight ballroom of the Polish American Citizens Association’s Hall on Pulaski Place in Port Washington.
For tickets ($30 in advance, $35 at the door), call 516-883-6566.
For a list of all Hall of Fame inductees, click here.
To learn more about this year’s inductees, click here.
To learn more about the scholarship Pride in Port supports, click here.
For more information about the Pride in Port Committee and sponsors, click here.
