Small Manufacturer of the Year

Medium Manufacturer of the Year

Large Manufacturer of the Year

Supply Chain Pioneer of the Year

Green Supply Chain of the Year

MVP (Most Valuable Provider)

To request a full-sized version of any of the photos below, note the image number and send your request to Ken Rutherford at the Gwinnett Chamber.

Buford Community Center
2200 Buford Highway, Buford, Georgia 30518

To register to attend, please click here.

Movers & Makers Awards Ceremony: March 28, 2013

(GWINNETT- METRO ATLANTA) October 25, 2012— In conjunction with Gwinnett Technical College, Partnership Gwinnett kicked off its second annual Movers & Makers Awards with a launch party event—which also offered a platform for the announcement of Delta Air Lines President, Ed Bastian, as the Keynote Speaker for the March 2013 Awards Ceremony. Previous winners and judges helped explain the awards application process to industry professionals, economic developers and metro Atlanta business leaders who attended the event.

“As a leading global carrier, Delta understands the vital importance of logistics to commerce and economic growth,” said Delta President Ed Bastian. “I am honored by this opportunity to lend my support to the Movers & Markers Awards and to the companies that are excelling in these essential industries.”

The largest event of its kind in Georgia, the Movers & Makers Awards are Gwinnett County’s annual recognition of exceptional Gwinnett-based companies that have been in business for a minimum of three years and are involved in the manufacturing or distribution of tangible products. Last year’s winners included FarraTech, Spectral Response, WIKA Instrument Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating, Rooms To Go and Hire Dynamics.

The 2013 Award categories include:

• Two “Movers” Awards honoring Supply Chain companies: Supply Chain Pioneer and Green Supply Chain;
• Three “Makers” Awards honoring Manufacturers of the Year (Small, Medium, Large); and
• One Most Valuable Provider, honoring excellent service provision.

“The companies honored with these awards demonstrate vision, innovation and a desire to grow their businesses,” stated Gwinnett County Commission Chairman Charlotte Nash. “The Movers & Makers Awards recognize this commitment and the contribution it has to the overall economic vitality of the Gwinnett community.”

Judging the 2013 Awards include:

• Michael Gerster, President, WIKA Instrument Corporation;
• Donovan True, Southeast Market Leader, Office Depot; and
• Bill Ritsch, North Metro Region Manager, Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Donovan True, Southeastern Market Leader for Office Depot commented, “As judge for the prestigious Movers & Makers Awards, I am pleased to evaluate each company on their impact in the community and discover the initiatives they have set in place to overcome the numerous challenges facing businesses today.”

Applications will be assessed based the following criteria:

• Economic impact in the community relative to the company’s peers, ability to overcome challenges, and the number of years the company has been located in Gwinnett County;
• Corporate responsibility through sponsored community involvement and civic efforts, educational partnerships and environmental and safety initiatives;
• Workforce excellence through company sponsored programs, enabling employees to balance work and family-life issues, support for employee education and employee recognition programs; and
• For the two Supply Chain Awards, nominees are considered based on their performance in either supply chain innovation or supply chain sustainability.

“Partnership Gwinnett continually strives to cultivate the hundreds of manufacturing and supply chain companies that call Gwinnett home,” stated Troels Adrian, Project Manager for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management, Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development and Partnership Gwinnett. “We designed The Movers & Makers Awards as a method to call out cutting-edge innovation and best practices within these industries, while honoring companies that contribute to the economic growth of the metro Atlanta area.”

The 2013 Awards also feature an online application process, available at moversandmakersawards.com, offering companies easier access in meeting the January 18, 2013 submission deadline. Recipients will be announced during the Awards Ceremony, held on March 28, 2013 at the Buford Community Center. All questions regarding the application process or Awards Ceremony can be directed to Troels Adrian at Troels@gwinnettchamber.org.

Where: Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Education Room
6500 Sugarloaf Parkway
Duluth, GA 30097

Cost: Free, pizza & beer provided

Partnership Gwinnett and Gwinnett Technical College invite you to join manufacturing and supply chain professionals, economic developers, and business leaders from Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta for pizza, beer, and information about how your company can compete for the 2013 Movers & Makers Awards.

Learn about:

• How your company can win. Judges and past winners will be on hand to answer your questions
• The 2013 program and venue, including our keynote speaker
• How you can help your customers and suppliers gain valuable recognition by nominating them
• Our new online nomination and application process

Don’t miss the opportunity to:

• Meet/network with like minded and inspiring business people
• Share experiences with peers who are making things happen
• Make business connections with potential partners in Gwinnett and metro Atlanta

What are the Movers & Makers Awards?

The largest local event of its kind in Georgia, the Movers & Makers Awards are Gwinnett County’s annual recognition of exceptional Gwinnett-based manufacturers and supply chain companies. Through the awards, Partnership Gwinnett seeks to honor outstanding small, medium, and large manufacturers in Gwinnett, as well as innovators in supply chain management, and will extend the opportunity for local businesses to nominate the community’s MVP (Most Valuable Provider).

Bring a Friend! If you know a manufacturer or supply chain professional who did not receive this invitation, please pass it along!

To register, please click here.

The inaugural Movers & Makers Manufacturing & Logistics Awards program was held on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at the 1818 Club.

(Gwinnett- Metro Atlanta News) March 22, 2012- Partnership Gwinnett, the community and economic development initiative driving the community’s last five years of economic success, announces the winners of its inaugural Movers and Makers Awards, honoring local Manufacturing and Supply Chain companies. Eligible companies include those that have been in business for three years in the County, and are involved in the manufacturing, processing or distributing of a tangible product.

Local Manufacturing companies honored at the inaugural event included:

• Small Manufacturer of the Year Award Winner (0-74 employees): FarraTech
• Medium Manufacturer of the Year Award Winner (75-149 employees): Spectral Response
• Large Manufacturer of the Year Award Winner (150+ employees): WIKA Instrument Corporation

Local Supply Chain companies honored at the inaugural event included:

• Supply Chain Pioneer of the Year Award Winner: Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating
• Green Supply Chain of the Year Award Winner: Rooms To Go

The Most Valuable Provider (MVP) Award honored Hire Dynamics for excellence in service to the manufacturing and supply chain industries in Gwinnett and metro Atlanta.

“We are thrilled to be recipients of the first Supply Chain Pioneer Award,” said William Rau, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating. “Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating has been fortunate to operate in Gwinnett County for the past two decades, and we are honored to be recognized as a leading supplier in the county. We look forward to continuing to expand our operations and to maintaining our economic growth in Gwinnett County for years to come.”

“Dynamic and progressive business leaders are essential to economic development, and Gwinnett is fortunate that so many of our manufacturing leaders  are big-picture thinkers – committed not only to growing their own companies but also to the growth and advancement of the community as a whole. This is especially true of those honored by the Chamber’s first Movers and Makers Awards,” says Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett Technical College.

The event will recognize these innovative companies, and feature Jonas Prising as the keynote speaker. Prising is President of the Americas for ManpowerGroup, the global workforce solutions leader.

“Communities thrive when job creation is robust, and the Movers & Makers Awards are all about recognizing the local companies that are bringing jobs and attracting talent to Gwinnett,” said Lori Boatwright, Metro Sales Executive at ManpowerGroup.  “ManpowerGroup applauds the innovative approach that Partnership Gwinnett has taken to elevate and grow the manufacturing and supply chain sectors in the region. By publicly honoring these valuable companies, as well as the talent behind their success, these efforts are contributing to the ongoing economic stability and future growth of the area.”

Companies were awarded based on the following criteria:

• Economic Impact: the company’s economic impact in the community relative to its peers, its ability to overcome challenges, and the number of years they have been located in the county.
• Corporate Responsibility: company sponsored community involvement and civic efforts, educational partnerships, and environmental and safety initiatives.
• Workforce Excellence: company sponsored programs to enable employees to balance work and family life issues, support for employee education, and employee recognition programs.
• For the two supply chain awards, nominees were additionally considered based on their performance in either supply chain innovation or supply chain sustainability.

Judges presiding over the awards included:

• J. Michael Gerster, President, WIKA Instrument Corporation (Note: Mr. Gerster recused himself from the deliberations regarding Large Manufacturer of the Year since WIKA Instrument Corporation was a contender for this award).
• Bill Ritsch, North Metro Atlanta Regional Manager, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute Manufacturing Extension Partnership
• Page Siplon, Executive Director, Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics

Presenting Sponsor of the Inaugural Movers & Makers Awards was Jackson Electric Membership Corporation, one of the largest electric cooperatives in Georgia and the nation. “Jackson EMC is proud to support local manufacturing and supply chain companies through the Movers & Makers Awards,” said Randy Dellinger, District Manager, Jackson EMC. “Our electric power cooperative is committed to helping make the communities we serve better places to live- our support of economic development efforts and honoring outstanding local companies is just one way that we contribute to the pro-business environment and growth of Gwinnett and metro Atlanta at large.”

“We congratulate this year’s impressive winners and are excited that we can provide recognition and exposure for our amazing local businesses. This will further develop their competiveness and ultimately drive existing industry expansions and job creation,” said Troels Adrian, Project Manager, Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chain at Gwinnett Chamber Economic Development. “The exceptional quality of the contenders for this year’s Movers & Makers Awards illustrates the fact that Gwinnett County is a major hub for advanced manufacturing and supply chain management – industries that utilize our excellent workforce and transportation infrastructure to compete in today’s truly global marketplace.”

For more information about the Movers and Makers Awards, please visit http://moversandmakersawards.com/.

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About Partnership Gwinnett
Partnership Gwinnett is Gwinnett’s economic and community development initiative. Led by the Gwinnett Chamber and a host of public and private partners, the initiative targets the retention and expansion of existing Gwinnett businesses in addition to the development of new business in five key market segments: Health Sciences & Services; Advanced Communications; Information Technology; Advanced Manufacturing/ Supply Chain Management; and Corporate Headquarters/Professional Services. The ultimate goal is to promote economic wealth & diversification, increase education and work force excellence, improve quality of life and heighten visibility through marketing and outreach programs for the entire Gwinnett community.  For more information on Partnership Gwinnett, the internationally award-winning community and economic development initiative, please visit www.partnershipgwinnett.com.

Project Manager, Advanced Manufacturing & Supply Chain
Troels Adrian | Troels@gwinnettchamber.org | 678.672.2567

Media Contacts
Adrienne Saputo | Adrienne@gwinnettchamber.org | 678.584.2261
Lisa Sherman | Lisa@gwinnettchamber.org | 678.584.2267