Cleveland — Westminster Tool Inc. has been named Tooling Trailblazer of the Year by the American Mold Builders Association.
The new award, which was established to recognize an AMBA member making significant strides in education and/or recruitment, was announced May 11 at the association's annual conference in Cleveland.
The Plainfield, Conn., company formed its own Westminster Academy to develop talent and works with a local nonprofit organization to develop relevant manufacturing courses at local community colleges. Its recruitment efforts target middle school, high school and college students, as well as displaced workers.
Also at the event, Joe Genc of Graphic Tool Corp. was presented with the Mold Builder of the Year Award, which recognizes an "outstanding business leader" in the industry.
Genc started working in his father's tool operation, Actron Tool Co., after high school, then spent time at several mold builders before joining Graphic Tool, where he works today as program manager. During his career he worked with AMBA and Technology & Manufacturing Association to create curriculum that is still in use today, according to an AMBA news release. Graphic Tool is located in Itasca, Ill.
Both award winners will select an industry-related educational program to receive a $5,000 scholarship grant sponsored by Progressive Components.