I suspect that most people want a career that's going to give them opportunities to explore a wide range of what's possible. Consider this as a prime example: Over his 50 years in the plastics industry, Dennis Hagan has made parts that went to space and parts that went into the head of a Chuck E. Cheese costume.
Hagan was named Thermoformer of the Year by the Society of Plastics Engineers' thermoforming division on July 20. He will receive the award at the SPE Thermoforming Conference Oct. 24-26 in Cleveland.
Hagan began in the industry in 1973 when his father founded Hagans Plastics Co. in Grand Prairie, Texas. He helped the company win business creating interior parts for space vehicles and in 1990 spearheaded its move into using computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines and recently has been involved in adding laser technology to the company.
"While Dennis has demonstrated great business acumen, he must also be recognized for his commitment and devotion to his workforce," SPE said in announcing the award. "Dennis has always considered the people who work for Hagans Plastics as the lifeblood of the business. He believes in promoting from within and regularly acknowledges the successes of his people."
Some Hagans Plastics employees have been with the company for more than 45 years, SPE noted.