[The following press release was submitted by the Committee to Elect Dave Gravel.]

The Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) has endorsed Dave Gravel for State Representative in the Special Election on April 2.

The MTA interviewed the candidates vying for the position and made its endorsement last Friday. In its announcement letter, MTA cited Gravel's "commitment to supporting and strengthening public education at all levels" and noted that "the residents of this district are fortunate to have a candidate with your qualifications and experience running for this seat."

Gravel, a Peabody City Councillor-at-Large and former School Committeeman well known for his active support for education initiatives in the community, stated: "I am pleased to receive this vote of confidence from the teachers. Education is a top issue in Peabody. We need state assistance to help us build new facilities and to expand the quality of our programs. Peabody needs a strong representative to fight for that funding and for our city's students on Beacon Hill and that's the kind of legislator I intend to be."

Gravel has served on the Peabody City Council since 2007. He was elected Council President in 2010. Gravel is credited with successfully restarting and completing the revision of citywide zoning ordinances. He served in multiple city committees including: Industrial and Community Development (Chair); Finance Committee; Municipal Safety; Ad-Hoc Committee on School/Municipal Consolidation (Chair); and the Mayor’s Economic Development Committee.

Gravel served on the Peabody School Committee from 1995 to 2003. During that time he chaired the Finance Committee, the Negotiations Committee, and the Brown School Building Committee. He was also a member of the Carroll School Building Committee and the Quality and Standards Committee. Gravel successfully settled contracts for seven unions and led the efforts to build new schools, renovate buildings and improve educational programs.

Gravel has been involved with organizations and community efforts. He served as chairman of the Peabody Education Foundation and has been active on the boards and as a member of the Peabody Chamber of Commerce and Peabody/Lynnfield YMCA. He successfully co-chaired the community development committee to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to build a new YMCA facility in Peabody.

Raised in Peabody, Gravel is one of six children and a product of the Peabody public school system. He graduated from Salem State College in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in English and from Babson College in 1984 with an MBA in finance and information systems. Dave is founder and CEO of GraVoc Associates, Inc., a technology consulting firm in Peabody.