Frank Torre attends the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan DMC Heals event.

As one of our nation’s premier providers of physical medicine and rehabilitation, the Detroit Medical Center’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) has been helping people rebuild their lives after a serious injury or illness for more than 60 years.  At a recent event, DMC Heals, Mathew Sanford spoke with Frank Torre about the role rehabilitation and physical medicine played in his life.

As the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, part of the Detroit Medical Center, Frank Torre took a personal interest in Mathew’s story.

Mathew Sanford has recently published a book about how he was paralyzed from the chest down after a pivotal event which set Matt on a lifelong journey following which he emerges with an entirely new view of being a “whole” person.  The book, titled Waking, delivers a powerful message about the endurance of the human spirit and of the body that houses it.

In 2010, the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan named Frank Torre as the Chairman of the Detroit Medical Center’s Board of Directors, for DMC’s Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM).

Frank Torre succeeded Frank D. Stella who has served on RIM’s board for over 10 years.  Previously the president and CEO of Torre & Bruglio, Inc., a Bloomfield Hills, Michigan based company, Frank Torre currently serves as CEO of Signal Restoration Services, and joined RIM’s board in 2001 as the Chairman of RIM’s Fund Development Committee.

At the event, Frank Torre toured the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan’s facilities with Matthew Sanford who shared his experiences and demonstrated the benefits of yoga to disabled and non-disabled students at DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan.

When asked about the event at a later interview, Mathew Sanford stated that Frank Torre’s passion and energy where contagious and he believes that with Frank Torre’s guidance, the DMC will continue RIM’s legacy of cutting-edge treatment techniques complemented by innovative research and personalized medical care.

Frank Torre donates equipment to help Clean Downtown Detroit.

Recently the landscaping crew truck used in these Downtown beautification efforts was donated to Clean Downtown by Torre & Bruglio, one of the state’s largest horticultural and landscaping contractors whose landmark projects include the Penske Corporation and Chrysler World Headquarters, Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, and the Detroit Zoo.  Frank Torre, a Michigan entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist is CEO and chairman of both Torre & Bruglio, and Signal Restoration Services, a full-service contractor that specializes in property loss mitigation and has restored properties in Michigan and across the country.  Headquartered in Troy Michigan, some of the company’s high-profile projects include three major hospitals in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Roosevelt Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

The donated equipment has been loaned for the last several years by Torre & Bruglio and in addition to being used to help clean Detroit, is being used by Clean Downtown and Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit to train workers in landscape management while helping make Downtown Detroit a more beautiful place to live, work and play.

The president of the Downtown Detroit Partnership, which administers Clean Downtown, has been quoted as saying that “Keeping Downtown looking its best is a team sport and we’ve had the best team working with…. Torre & Bruglio ….. in our efforts to keep Downtown Detroit looking cleaner and greener while helping workers obtain valuable job skills.”

The landscaping crew truck is a welcome and permanent addition to the Clean Downtown fleet of trucks seen in and around Downtown Detroit keeping things picked up and clean. It provides much needed transportation to the workers in the Goodwill landscape management program.  This collaborative effort has resulted in newly trained workers and the lovely landscaping that has made Downtown’s landscape pop with color and green ways.

In addition to providing the truck, Torre & Bruglio has generously shared its vast expertise and helped train workers by giving them a much needed and valued skills set.

“The company of Torre & Bruglio, led by Frank Torre, …… has played a significant role in helping Detroit’s disadvantaged find their way back into employment and personal dignity,” said Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit Vice President Lindsay Chalmers.  “They have for many years partnered with Goodwill to assist with teaching of new skill sets surrounding landscape maintenance and the gift of this truck is but one more example of their level of caring.”