Michigan Manufacturer of the Year Announced - 05/13/2009
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Michigan Manufacturer of the Year Announced
5/13/2009
On 5/12/09, MMA President and CEO Chuck Hadden presented the 2009 John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of the Year Awards at an executive luncheon held at the Henry Center for Executive Development in Lansing.
Paul Britten, CEO and president of Britten Banners in Traverse City, was honored with the Special Achievement Award for exemplary efforts in Green Manufacturing for his environmentally-friendly program, priorLIFE. This unique program has perfected the art of recycling used custom vinyl banners into eco-friendly, useable products.
“Our trim scrap from creating vinyl advertising signs and banners was filling a whole dumpster each week,” Britten commented. “Then one day, in a casual conversation with an associate, the idea of recycling old corporate banners into souvenir products was born. Folks could take a piece of history with them in the form of a tote bag or wallet made from a banner at the event. And, the label would tell the story of the banner’s prior life — hence the name — priorLIFE.”
The Special Achievement Award for Industry Training went to Ed Walker, CEO and president of W Industries in Detroit. This unique program offers employees the opportunity to advance their career within W Industries when they complete the welding training and certification program. The program is taught by two full-time W Industries employees, who are highly-qualified instructors with 50 years of experience between them.
The final and most prestigious award went to Jim Zawacki, president and CEO of GR Spring & Stamping in Grand Rapids. Jim is well known across Michigan for his dedication to the manufacturing industry and recently won Denso’s 2008 “North American Supplier of the Year”. Flanked by the media, and on this way to Washington DC, Jim took time from his busy schedule to accept the award and give a few words of advice to fellow manufacturers.
“Manufacturing is critical to our economy and, as manufacturers, we need to educate our politicians. We are grossly underrepresented at the state and national level and we need a new trade policy,” Zawacki stated. “I believe in fair trade, not free trade. We are now in a global economy and we have to think globally.”
Recipients received their awards at the 2009MMA CEO Forum (See Great Minds Gather at MMA’s CEO Forum ), and were recognized at the annual MMA Legislative and Executive Reception that immediately followed (See Four Legislators Recognized by MMA).
For more than 100 years, the MMA has been serving Michigan manufacturers and related industries by providing effective representation at Michigan’s Capitol; timely educational seminars; quality, competitive-rate insurance programs; informational e-newsletters; and, a bi-monthly magazine — Insight. Visit www.mma-net.org for more information.
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