Raymond A. Byrnes has done more for the Town of Coventry and especially the schools here than most people would realize.  Mr. Byrnes had lived in several other states as well as other parts of RI, but once he and his family moved to Coventry in 1975, he started to put down roots.  Like the mighty oak tree after which the Coventry High School teams are named, Ray Byrnes became a sturdy and consistent source of strength in Coventry.  He almost immediately became involved in town politics and was a member of the Town Council and served as a member of the juvenile board.  Mr. Byrnes is a trained vocalist and has been a benefactor of Saints John & Paul Church as well as a soloist and choir member for decades.  As his children got older, he started coaching Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball, as well as basketball for the Coventry Basketball Association. This began his tremendous volunteer and financial support for many sports teams in the community.
 
As an entrepreneur, Ray Byrnes founded his company in 1987 in a basement with four people.  Today, Contech Medical, Inc. is housed in an 110,000 sq. ft. building in Providence with 110 employees.  Contech has another facility in Costa Rica, opening in fall, 2017 with 20 employees.  The company holds six patents and seven registered trademarks. Their main product is a wound plastic tube used to transport catheters and guide-wires to the surgical suite and assist the surgeon with injection into the patient. Contech also processes many other medical devices.
 
The business has given Ray the opportunity to be able to support various activities in the schools and to ensure the well-being of his family.  Ray’s son Chris (CHS Class of ’91) is now the President of the company; daughter Lori LeBrun’s (Class of ’84) husband Donald (Class of ’83) is the Sales Manager and daughter Lisa Lachance’s (Class of ’81) husband Paul is the Facilities Manager.  He also employs four of his grandchildren (all of whom are CHS graduates) in various positions on a part-time basis.  The success of his company has allowed him to give generously to not only various non-profit organizations, but also specifically to the Coventry Schools, including some elementary schools, the middle school and especially Coventry High School and its Alumni Association.