Something to Celebrate: The 13th Annual Manufacturer of the Year Awards
Manufacturing is alive and well in Georgia, still the bedrock of the state’s economy. That was the message at 13th annual Governor’s Awards Luncheon held this past April at the Cobb Galleria in Atlanta.
“[T]hrough integrity, innovation, commitment and – we often tend to overlook this one – good old-fashioned hard work, manufacturing can, does and will continue to succeed in Georgia,” Master of Ceremonies Wes Sarginson said to an audience of more than 1,200 friends of manufacturing, one that counted among its distinguished numbers keynote speaker, Gov. Sonny Perdue.
“Georgia manufacturers don’t just watch progress take place,” said Perdue. “You’re some of the ones who make it happen.”
The luncheon, co-hosted by the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education and the Department of Economic Development, was the main attraction of Manufacturing Appreciation Week, which is held each year to show support for Georgia’s manufacturing sector.
At this year’s event, Richard Kopelman, a partner with accounting firm Habif, Arogeti and Wynne, presented the findings of the firm’s biennial manufacturing survey. The results were showed optimism among Georgia manufacturers.
“Ninety percent of respondents said Georgia is a great place to conduct business,” said Kopelman. He added that respondents indicated the state’s greatest strengths were in its transportation network and low cost of labor.
The highlight of the Governor’s Awards Luncheon was the announcement of the 2007 Manufacturers of the Year, beginning with Rincon’s Temcor in the small company category (150 employees or fewer).
“I’d like to thank you for your recognition of Temcor as a world-class manufacturer,” said Leland Sanders, Temcor vice president of manufacturing. “I’d like to thank the Department of Technical and Adult Education, particularly Assistant Commissioner Jackie Rohosky, Jan Melcher, and the rest of the Quick Start staff, for your continued efforts to support Temcor.”
Lawrenceville’s Ricoh Electronics won the award in the medium company category (151 to 749 employees). Frantz J. Pierre, vice president of toner business operations and the plant systems management division, accepted the award. “We are honored, but more importantly, we are humbled to be the recipient of this prestigious award from our beloved state of Georgia,” he said. He added that Quick Start was instrumental in Ricoh’s choice of Georgia for a facility. “I hope that Ricoh’s partnership with Georgia Quick Start will last for many years to come.”
The prize in the large company category was captured by Perry’s Perdue Farms Inc. facility. “It was a great decision on our company’s part to come to Georgia,” said Jim Perdue, company chairman and CEO. “This facility is quickly becoming our flagship operation, and we’re in about 14 states.”
“We’re really not in the chicken business, we’re in the people business; we couldn’t do it without our associates,” Perdue added. “Quick Start has been a tremendous tool to help us get our associates fully trained before starting their jobs.”
In the student design contest, nine students received scholarships for their artwork in placemats, posters and t-shirts depicting their vision of Georgia’s manufacturing community. Kolyse Eliza Wagstaff from Covington won first prize in the placemat competition; Justin Dubnar from Watkinsville took the t-shirt category; and Jackson’s Tyler Van Dusen won the poster division. Each was presented with a $500 scholarship. Second place winners of $300 scholarships were: Tywun Jackson of Americus, placemat; William Richard Craven of Conyers, t-shirt; and Caroline Penhallegon of Thomasville, poster. In third place, Haley Noelle Almodovar of Martinez, Amanda M. Wilson of Barwick and Brittany D. Meeks of Soperton each received a $100 scholarship in the placemat, t-shirt and poster categories, respectively.