Employee Recognition

From the very beginning, the evolution of Clinton Point Quarry has been linked to the Hudson River, the main avenue for shipping its aggregate to New York City and Long Island. Here is one historical tidbit from days past. Up until the 1950s, each barge had its own captain who lived in a small shanty (on the barge) with his family. That practice has long since vanished as barges (pushed by tugboats) now make the trip to NYC in hours rather than days.

Last November, the Hudson River was the scene of a major employee appreciation ceremony, which honored recently retired Ed Daddona, who joined Clinton Point in 1972 and served several years as plant manager.

Tilcon added a new push boat to its fleet of three other push boats in use at Clinton Point. The new boat is 25 feet long, as is the rest of the fleet, in keeping with Coast Guard regulations. However, it features a more powerful engine and, at 27 feet tall, provides the operator with better vision over a fully loaded barge. The new boat was named the Dadonna, in honor of the long-time employee — but little did he know.

Dadonna was asked to accompany the boat on its maiden voyage up the Hudson River but was not told why. Before dawn, he embarked with Captain Einar Johannsen and they put the boat through its paces, checking its maneuverability throughout the several-hour journey. Upon its return, when the boat got closer to the loading dock at Clinton Point, Dadonna was asked to look up at the barrier posted there and saw his name prominently displayed. Crewmember Jamie Slaughter then pulled away a piece of plywood that had been covering the back of the boat and Daddona finally saw his own last name painted on the stern.

“I never expected anything like this,” he said, after taking a few minutes to reflect. Friends, co-workers and family, who had gathered on the dock, greeted him upon the boat's return to shore.