Ann Arbor, MI (August 18, 2021) - Matt VanHaaren, the CEO of EOTECH, is a very smart and accomplished man. He has managed and developed several technology businesses throughout his career. But Matt isn’t perfect. On the outside is a confident, outgoing personality but on the inside, Matt is a scaredy-cat. Matt is terrified of spiders, clowns and most of all heights. His fear of heights all started with the Great Parking Lot Fall of 1984 where Matt was doing his best Mary Lou Retton balance beam routine on a parking lot curb. During his dismount, Matt fell all 7 inches to the ground suffering major injuries including a knee scrape and bad case of gravel hands. This event changed Matt forever. From then on, Matt avoided parking curbs and large rocks for fear of another fall from the sky. He threw away his moon boots because the soles raised his head into the heavens. He even sold his Chevy Blazer for a Pontiac Sunbird to avoid such a high fall in case he exited the vehicle poorly.
But Matt is a fighter. He slowly tried to overcome this fear with different challenges. First a step ladder. Next, he successfully sat on the tailgate of a small framed truck. He even got to the point where his barber could pump up the chair a bit. But soon Matt will face his greatest challenge ever.
Easterseals of Michigan is an organization Matt has supported for years. They help individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives. Close
Ann Arbor, MI (March 19, 2021) Firefighter Stephen Siller laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation honors Stephen's life and the military service members and first responders who continue to make the supreme sacrifice of life and limb for our country. Tunnel to Towers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity, operates a Smart Home Program for catastrophically injured veterans, a Fallen First Responder Home Program and a Gold Star Family Home Program. They also host numerous fundraising events that directly benefit military and first responder families.
EOTECH is proud to stand with our law enforcement, first responders and military and is honored to announce a new partnership with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Each day, brave men and women put their lives on the line protecting our communities and defending our country and EOTECH believes that now more than ever, these heroes need our financial support. To kick off this partnership, EOTECH has launched a “Back the Blue Initiative” to bring attention to these patriots and generate funds to support the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’s efforts. EOTECH's "Back the Blue Initiative" features a special edition EOTECH XPS2 Holographic Weapon Sight (HWS) with a "Thin Blue Line Flag" logo. The EOTECH XPS2 is a favorite among law enforcement professionals across the country. In addition, EOTECH created a line of t-shirts, mugs, hats, and other Back the Blue items. With every purchase
Ann Arbor, MI (March 10, 2021) EOTECH is pleased to announce a collaboration with The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) —a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America’s fallen law enforcement officers—to memorialize law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty by including Officer Memorial Cards in EOTECH’s product packaging.
Together, ODMP and EOTECH designed the cards to honor 900+ U.S. Law Enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice over the past five years. Each card includes an individual officer’s rank and name, along with their agency, length of service, and end of watch date. The cards feature a QR code so EOTECH customers can visit the officer’s memorial on the ODMP website.
As a leading supplier of law enforcement equipment, EOTECH shares ODMP’s interest in raising public awareness around officer deaths. Creating these memorial cards, serves as a sobering reminder of the sacrifices officers make and that those sacrifices won’t be forgotten.
“EOTECH has long been a supporter of law enforcement and felt this simple but meaningful gesture was a great way to actively show our support both for fallen law enforcement officers and highlight the positive work ODMP is doing,” states Lisa Kemp, Director of Marketing at EOTECH. "As expected, the feedback from our consumers has been very positive and appreciative of our support for Law Enforcement. "
