In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we will be introducing you to some members of the EB family.
Name: Ely Davis-Murphy
Heritage: Puerto Rican
Favorite Hispanic Food: Mofongo
Years at EB: 35 years
Who is Ely Davis-Murphy?
I have been at Electric Boat for 35 years and am a Senior Staff Assistant in the Engineering Department. For the past ten years, I have been the coordinator of the New London Office Supply Store, which supplies over 3,600 employees. When the store was created, I implemented, along with the automation of the store, both a recycling program of office supplies, which has recycled and saved $152,000 for the company, as well as a new-hire package that has been distributed to over 4,500 employees and counting. I am also the Art Curator for the EB Employee Art Program, which displays over 400 pieces of artwork in the New London facility. The artwork displayed is from employees from all the EB facilities. In addition, I’m the Fundraising Coordinator for four major annual campaigns at Electric Boat: Go Red for Women, Wear Blue for Men’s Health, Heart Walk and Breast Cancer Awareness. All these campaigns have raised over $1M throughout the years.
I was recently president and am one of the co-founders of the Hispanic Shipbuilders Association—a group of over 120 employees of Hispanic and non-Hispanic descent. The HSA also has non-Hispanic members that like our vision, goals, events and our famous annual Spanish luncheon. During my administration, the HSA became a non-profit organization, increased membership, hosted fundraisers, created an internal website, and I was able to personally award the first official annual HSA Scholarship to a local Hispanic high school student.
Why do you like working at Electric Boat?
I have enjoyed working at Electric Boat throughout the years, because it offers so many opportunities for everyone. There is a place to grow for everyone if they wish to do so. I love that I have flexibility for work hours, vacations, and time off for those personal or emergency times in our lives. I like the people and have always found someone to help me along the way if needed. But most of all, I am very proud to be working at a company that builds such an impressive product–nuclear submarines. It’s very exciting when you can attend a Christening ceremony or a final Commissioning ceremony and see our final product being delivered to the U.S. Navy.
Why does the Hispanic Shipbuilders Association (HSA) matter to you?
It means being able to help others—both new and resident employees—with information, guidance and career opportunities within our large company. The HSA was created to help one another with information, guidance, career opportunities and scholarships. It has grown throughout the years, and now has its own website, awards its own scholarships, and has become an official non-profit group, which means all dues are tax-deductible to our members.
It’s been a pleasure to see the HSA grow and be of service to EB Hispanic employees, but also outside agencies as well. The HSA gives generously both inside EB and outside to the community, supporting local groups with food and clothing donations. I am very proud to be a member of a group that works hard and offers three scholarships per year: one to a local high school student, and the others to HSA members, spouses and their children, so that they can achieve their dreams.
