South Georgia Technical College nominates Goldens’ Foundry as medium Manufacturer of Year for Georgia

March 7, 2018
South Georgia Technical College Business and Industry Services Director Michelle McGowan is shown above with Goldens’ Foundry Plant Manager Bill Vanness and Goldens’ Human Resources Manager Teresa Aspinwall in front of the plant sign.
South Georgia Technical College Business and Industry Services Director Michelle McGowan is shown above with Goldens’ Foundry Plant Manager Bill Vanness and Goldens’ Human Resources Manager Teresa Aspinwall in front of the plant sign.

South Georgia Technical College nominated Goldens’ Foundry in Crisp County as a medium manufacturer from this area to be recognized at the Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week Luncheon at the Georgia International Conference Center in Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday, April 12th. Sumter County’s Café Campesino, Golden Gourmet Meals, LLC, and Leatherbrook Holsteins, LLC, were each nominated by South Georgia Technical College as Small Manufacturers of the Year and will be recognized as well.

Each year, South Georgia Technical College and the other 21 technical colleges in the state submit area manufacturers from their region to be considered for top honors at the Georgia Manufacturers of the Year luncheon in Atlanta. Each manufacturer nominated is in an elite group.

“We are pleased to have Goldens’ Foundry, Café Campesino, Golden Gourmet, and Leatherbrook Holsteins represent our seven county service area as part of the Manufacturing Appreciation Week recognition,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford.

“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.

Governor Nathan Deal is slated to be the keynote speaker at the luncheon in Atlanta. Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Matt Arthur will attend the event along with other technical college and community leaders from throughout the state. One manufacturer from the Large (500+ employees), Medium (151 – 500 employees), and Small (0 – 150 employees) divisions will be recognized as the top manufacturer for 2018 in Georgia.

Goldens’ Foundry and Machine Company, LLC (GFMCO) in Crisp County was nominated by SGTC as a Medium Manufacturer. The company produces cast, machined, and assembled gray and ductile iron components. Bill Vanness is the Plant Manager and Matt Murphy is in Human Resources.

Café Campesino is a small manufacturer in Americus. It was founded in 1998 and is celebrating 20 years in business in 2018. The light manufacturing, coffee roasting company has a financial impact within Americus and Georgia of $10 million annually.
Its mission and purpose is to partner with small-scale coffee farmers, connect communities, and inspire conscious consumption … one great cup of coffee at a time. Bill Harris is the company founder and CFO and Tripp Pomeroy is the CEO.

Golden Gourmet Meals, LLC, is also a small manufacturer in Americus, Georgia. Ed Shattles is the General Manager of the plant that produces 10,000 meals daily during its four day work week, which equates to approximately 2.1 million meals annually. The facility has invested $10 million in capital equipment and has an annual payroll of $1.7 million.

Leatherbrook Holsteins, LLC, is the third small manufacturer in 2018 recommended by South Georgia Technical College. Owner Adam Graft has been in operation for 10 years in Sumter County and produces milk for much of the state. The company has grown from 17 to 100 employees in 10 years. It uses 4000 acres to produce feed for 7000 cows. The cows are milked three times a day. This company has an $80 to $82 million annual impact on the community and state of Georgia and has invested approximately $30 million in capital improvements in 10 years.

Individuals from each of the four local manufacturing firms will be the guests of South Georgia Technical College at the MAW Luncheon in Atlanta on April 12th. They will also be spotlighted in the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Appreciation Week program agenda. SGTC President Dr. John Watford and Wally Summers, Vice President of Economic Development at South Georgia Technical College and the members of the SGTC Economic Development team selected and nominated these four manufacturers.

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