The Power of Industry, Impact on Industry, and the Future of Industry Awards were presented at the inaugural Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs® (NBT) Awards Gala on Thursday, October 24, in Fox River Grove, Illinois. Over 150 donors, colleagues, and friends gathered at Avanté Banquet Center to celebrate and honor the award finalists for their contributions in building a skilled manufacturing workforce for the future. Proceeds of the gala support the growing summer manufacturing camp and scholarship programs of the NBT foundation.

The Unveiling of Three Industry Awards

Power of Industry: Vivek Gupta, president of Texas ProFab Corporation, a precision sheet metal fabricator and finisher, located in Carrollton, Texas, was awarded the Power of Industry Award acknowledging his passion for advancing the future of the fabrication and manufacturing industry. In 2010, Vivek and his family established the U.K. Gupta & Family Scholarship Endowment fund with NBT. To date, the endowment has funded over 13 scholarships totaling $25,500. He commits his time and efforts to support programs that encourage the next generation to pursue careers in manufacturing, and his generous donations to NBT help ensure a pipeline of skilled workers for the advanced manufacturing industry of tomorrow.

Impact on Industry: Miller Electric Mfg LLC, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, and wholly owned by Illinois Tool Works (ITW) received the Impact on Industry Award. Miller was recognized for its commitment to the metals manufacturing industry through its leadership involvement with NBT, its financial support of the summer manufacturing camp program, and the dedicated support of philanthropic efforts the company embraces. Over the past several years, Miller’s generous support of NBT has been extensive, including an annual gift of $10,000 to support summer manufacturing camps in Wisconsin, participation at GOLF4MFG®, equipment donations to schools that host NBT camps, and allowing time for employees to serve on the boards of FMA and NBT, among other charitable organizations.

Future of Industry: Itawamba Community College (ICC) was presented with the Future of Industry Award in recognition of hosting an NBT summer manufacturing camp program for the past nine years, as well as its innovative approach to solving the skills gap by educating the educators. ICC, located in Belden, Mississippi, has a tradition of academic excellence combined with a friendly, caring atmosphere. Student campers are exposed to modern manufacturing while learning about the available careers and salaries the industry offers. The camp for teachers helps technical educators learn how to mentor their students to encourage them to choose a manufacturing career.

One-of-a-Kind Art Caught Bidders’ Attention

A Metal Art Auction showcased the talents and creativity of professional and student metal-working artisans from across the country. One-of-a-kind art pieces stirred the interest of the gala attendees in the live auction.

A few of the offerings included a beautifully-crafted set of Double Shear Candleholders composed of steel and bronze created by American modernist metal sculptor Albert Paley. Also available was exquisite metal art jewelry hand-crafted by Kay Minto, whimsical garden art from the artist and creator Fred Conlon at Sugarpost, and hand-crafted projects from students at the summer manufacturing camp at Madison College — Portage campus.

Foundation Director Ed Dernulc thanked the Presenting Sponsor of the NBT Awards Gala, Amada, for their generous support and continuous efforts to recruit skilled labor to manufacturing.

“To see the outpouring of support from donors and colleagues who share a passion for manufacturing is truly humbling. NBT believes that a successful future for manufacturing lies in the hands of companies with the foresight to invest in opportunities that promote manufacturing career options and support those students seeking skills training. NBT’s mission is to create these opportunities for companies, schools, and the students pursuing a manufacturing career path laid out before them. By making those connections, NBT is building a continuous process for filling the pipeline of skilled labor for manufacturing.”

Additional Gold and Silver sponsors CNA, Turner, Huntington Bank, Mitsubishi Laser, and Triton College helped make the night an unforgettable success.