Francisco Urena is a Dominican-born American government official and former Marine who served as the Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans' Affairs and previously served as the Veterans' Services Officer for the cities of Boston and Lawrence, Massachusetts.
11 Facts About Francisco Urena
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Francisco Urena was later moved to Iraq's Al Anbar Governorate, where he served as a tank commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
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Francisco Urena was awarded the Purple Heart for his injury.
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Francisco Urena worked as a security guard, attended Northern Essex Community College, and volunteered in Lawrence's Veterans' Services office and at the local public-access television station.
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In January 2007, Mayor Michael J Sullivan chose Urena to serve as Lawrence's Director of Veterans Services.
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In 2008, Francisco Urena was named Massachusetts' Veterans Services Director of the Year in part for his work with the Jimenez family.
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On September 8,2011, Francisco Urena was named Commissioner of Veterans' Services for the City of Boston by Mayor Thomas Menino.
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On January 5,2015, Governor-elect Charlie Baker announced that Francisco Urena would serve as his Secretary of Veterans' Services.
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Francisco Urena was sworn in by Baker on January 8,2015, shortly after the Governor's own inauguration.
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Francisco Urena resigned on June 24,2020, the day of release of a report into the deaths of veterans from COVID-19 at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke.
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Francisco Urena has degrees from Northern Essex Community College, University of Massachusetts Lowell, and University of Massachusetts Boston.