South Georgia Tech nominates four companies as 2018 Georgia Manufacturers of Year

April 13, 2018
Shown above (l to r) are: SGTC’s Paul Farr, GDED’s Candace Head, Café Campesino’s Tripp Pomeroy and Lee Harris, One Sumter’s Mary Beth Bass, Jane and Adam Graft of Leatherbrook Holsteins, Golden Gourmet’s Ed Shattles, SGTC’s James Frey, Golden Gourmet’s Norman Graves, SGTC’s Wally Summers, GDOL’s John Shaw, SGTC President Dr. John Watford, SGTC’s Bob Stinchcum, Sumter County Payroll Development Authority’s Barbara Grogan, and Don Porter of Georgia and a member of the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors. Not shown are SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Su Ann Bird and Bill Harris, Jr. of Café Campesino.
Shown above (l to r) are: SGTC’s Paul Farr, GDED’s Candace Head, Café Campesino’s Tripp Pomeroy and Lee Harris, One Sumter’s Mary Beth Bass, Jane and Adam Graft of Leatherbrook Holsteins, Golden Gourmet’s Ed Shattles, SGTC’s James Frey, Golden Gourmet’s Norman Graves, SGTC’s Wally Summers, GDOL’s John Shaw, SGTC President Dr. John Watford, SGTC’s Bob Stinchcum, Sumter County Payroll Development Authority’s Barbara Grogan, and Don Porter of Georgia and a member of the South Georgia Technical College Board of Directors. Not shown are SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Su Ann Bird and Bill Harris, Jr. of Café Campesino.

ATLANTA, Ga – Sumter County’s Café Campesino, Golden Gourmet Meals, LLC, and Leatherbrook Holsteins, LLC, as well as Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Company of Crisp County were nominated by South Georgia Technical College to be recognized at the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week Manufacturers of the Year Governor’s Award Luncheon at the Georgia International Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia, recently. They were among an elite group of the top manufacturers in Georgia.

Governor Nathan Deal was the keynote speaker at the luncheon. Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Matt Arthur also spoke at the event and informed the top manufacturing leaders about the value of a technical college education.

“The Technical College System of Georgia is doing an outstanding job of helping Georgia to be a great place to do business,” said Governor Deal. “This is the fifth consecutive year that Georgia has been selected as the number one state to do business in. Businesses and manufacturers want to know that they are going to be able to find qualified workers. The Technical College System of Georgia and Quick Start are working together to help Georgia provide those qualified workers.

“This is my last time as Governor of Georgia to be with you at this event. I thank each of you for your support of me and my team and for your part in making Georgia the number one state for business. Each manufacturer here today is a winner. All of you are an important part of the fabric of manufacturing in our state and I am honored to help recognize your accomplishments,” said Governor Deal.

South Georgia Technical College nominated four local manufacturers as Small Manufacturers of the Year for Georgia in 2018. The four companies included: Café Campesino, Golden Gourmet Meals, LLC, and Leatherbrook Holsteins, LLC from Sumter County and Goldens’ Foundry and Machine Company of Crisp County. A Small Manufacturer category is for companies with less than 150 employees.

“We are pleased to have Café Campesino, Golden Gourmet, Leatherbrook Holsteins and Goldens’ Foundry in our seven county service area and we appreciate the value that they bring to our communities,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. “It was our pleasure to nominate each of these companies as Manufacturers of the Year in Georgia.

“Each of these companies and their employees are assets to be commended for their role in manufacturing. We salute these companies and the individuals who oversee these operations for their entrepreneurial spirt. We are proud to partner with them on various training and educational opportunities. The economic impact that they provide to our area is tremendous and we appreciate them for their contribution to the economic development of this region as well as to Georgia and the surrounding states,” said Dr. Watford.

Bill Harris, Jr., Lee Harris, and Tripp Pomeroy from Café Campesino as well as Ed Shattles and Norman Graves from Golden Gourment, and Adam and Jane Graft from Leatherbrook Holsteins from Sumter County and George Boyd, Sr., Bill Vanness and Marcus Payne of Goldens’ Foundry from Crisp County attended the Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week luncheon with South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford, SGTC Vice President of Economic Development Services Wally Summers, SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Su Ann Bird, Director of Economic Development Services Michelle McGowan and Paul Farr, and Bob Stinchcum from the SGTC Economic Development Services department as well as SGTC Dean of Enrollment Management Julie Partain, SGTC Athletic Director and Lady Jets head coach James Frey, and Valerie Hines, SGTC webmaster. Other representatives from the Americus and Crisp County service area included: Mary Beth Bass of One Sumter, Barbara Grogan of the Sumter County Payroll Development Authority, Don Porter of Georgia Power, John Shaw of the Georgia Department of Labor, Casey Beane of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, and Candace Head, Regional Coordinator of Georgia Department of Labor Region 8. Also attending from Crisp County were: Christy Bozeman of the Cordele IDC, Anna Hurt, Regional Project Manager of the Georgia Department of Economic Development and Dickie Dowdy Crisp County IDC Board Member.

Each of the manufacturers nominated were spotlighted in the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week program agenda and highlighted as part of a video presentation. The co-hosts of the MAW luncheon were the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Sponsors of the event included: Georgia Association of Manufacturers, Georgia Power, Georgia Tech Manufacturing Extension Partnership, HA+W- Certified Public Accountants and Aprio.

Pratt & Whitney of Columbus was recognized as the Large Georgia Manufacturer of the Year. MIBCO of Greensboro won the medium category and Metcam, Inc. located in Forsyth County, won Small Manufacturer award for the 150 or fewer employee’s category.

This is the 24th year celebrating Manufacturing Appreciation Week in Georgia.

Shown (l to r) are South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford, SGTC webmaster Valerie Hines, Crisp County IDC’s Christy Bozeman and Board member Dickie Dowdy, SGTC’s Dean of Enrollment Management at the Crisp County Center Julie Partain, Goldens’ Foundry’s Marcus Payne, GDED’s Anna Hurt, Goldens’ Foundry’s Bill Vanness, GDCA’s Casey Beane, and SGTC’s Director of Business and Industry on the Crisp County Center campus Michelle McGowan. Not shown is Goldens Foundry’s George Boyd, Sr.

Shown (l to r) are South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford, SGTC webmaster Valerie Hines, Crisp County IDC’s Christy Bozeman and Board member Dickie Dowdy, SGTC’s Dean of Enrollment Management at the Crisp County Center Julie Partain, Goldens’ Foundry’s Marcus Payne, GDED’s Anna Hurt, Goldens’ Foundry’s Bill Vanness, GDCA’s Casey Beane, and SGTC’s Director of Business and Industry on the Crisp County Center campus Michelle McGowan. Not shown is Goldens Foundry’s George Boyd, Sr.