AWS Honors 2007 Image of Welding Award Winners at FABTECH Int'l & AWS Welding Show in Chicago.

Stories of Winners Show Their Dedication and Resourcefulness in Challenging Times

MIAMI -- The American Welding Society (AWS) and the Welding Equipment Manufacturers Committee (WEMCO) announced today the recipients of the 2007 Fifth Annual Image of Welding Awards. Issued in seven categories, these awards recognize individuals and organizations that have shown exemplary dedication to promoting the image of welding in their communities.

Each award winner will be honored at the Image of Welding Awards Ceremony taking place at 11:15 am on November 12, 2007, at the FABTECH International and AWS Welding Show in Room S504abc. The Show will run from November 11 through November 14 at the McCormick Place Conference Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The stories of these winners speak to their dedication to the future welding industry as well as their courage and resourcefulness when faced with tough challenges. One such example is the time when AWS' Houston Section (winner for the "Section" category) came to the aid of the devastated Sabine Section during the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. When the welding recruiting environment became too difficult due to the growing shortage of skilled welders, Bucyrus International Inc. (winner for the "Large Business" category) partnered with local educational institutions to find solutions, recruit students and build careers. When Robert Sandelier (winner for the "Educator" category) reached retirement age, rather than departing from his greatest passion of teaching welding he decided to instruct nighttime welding classes while continuing his efforts to raise awareness about the diverse and lucrative careers within the industry. The qualities that these individuals and companies demonstrate through their continued efforts are instrumental in raising the image of welding and strengthening the industry.

Following are all of the 2007 Image of Welding Award winners and their stories:

* The Individual Category award is presented to Carl Occhialini in Detroit, WI. More than forty-five years ago Carl Occhialini, 62, started working as a Certified Welder, a job that began as source for funding his college education and turned into a lifelong career. Shortly after graduating from Boston Technical Institute, where he earned his degree in Machine Design, Occhialini joined Lincoln Electric Company. During his 40-year tenure at Lincoln, he served in several roles of increasing responsibility, including technical sales representative for Seattle and Chicago, and district sales manager for Indianapolis and Detroit. He also became an AWS Certified Welding Inspector and continued to elevate his role at Lincoln, now managing the company's automotive division in Detroit. Occhialini spends much of his time as a technical speaker and advocate of the welding industry. He travels across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Japan, to speak to students and professionals about the industry and its diverse career paths, and remains an active member of The Society of Automotive Engineers. Occhialini has served for more than 35 years as a distinguished member of AWS' Detroit section and continues to chair several AWS committees.

* The Section (AWS local chapter) category award is presented to the AWS Houston Section. As one of AWS' most active Sections, the Houston Section is committed to encouraging students and others to get involved in the field of welding. Chartered in 1937, the Houston Section has since grown to be the largest domestic section in AWS with more than 1,900 members - twice the size of the second largest section. It hosts one of the most comprehensive AWS Section Web sites (www.awshouston.org), where members can download scholarship applications, register on-line for seminars, participate in events and find local resources. Annually, this Section awards students with AWS Section scholarships, which are partially funded by an annual golf tournament, a Fall Social and 20% of the Section's corporate sponsorship, which also contributes to its educational fund for educational seminars and student needs. In addition, during the aftermath of Hurricane Rita, the Houston Section organized a relief committee comprised of members and officers who gathered food and supplies, and traveled to the devastated AWS Sabine Section to offer their support. They utilized trucks, chainsaws, and other equipment to perform clean-up operations on the homes and property of hurricane affected AWS members.

* The Large Business (200 or more employees) category award is presented to Bucyrus International Inc., based in South Milwaukee, WI. With a 125-year history and approximately 3,000 employees worldwide, Bucyrus designs, manufactures, and markets draglines, electric mining shovels, and rotary blast hole drills used by the world's surface mining industry. As the demand for metals and coal and oil sand energy grew over the past two years, Bucyrus added hundreds of welders and machinists to support business. In anticipation of this, Bucyrus completed a $135 million expansion and renovation project that included 110,000 square feet of welding space containing over 55 welding stations. Like several manufacturing companies, Bucyrus struggled to find skilled welders to keep up with demand, and partnered with Milwaukee Area Technical College and the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County to create a Welder Training Program that included an intensive, 12-week, 480-hour course called the "Express Ramp." Bucyrus also worked to inspire Waukesha County Technical College to create a degree specifically for students who are interested in welding as a career. Another organization that Bucyrus collaborated with is the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership, which assisted Bucyrus in its goal to identify and develop potential candidates for employment. Additional awareness activities include a reach-out to local and statewide organizations, high schools, and technical schools to make Bucyrus known as one that offers challenging, well paying careers. There is an open-door policy in place in which a student may tour the facility, and speak directly with Bucyrus representatives.

* The Small Business (less than 200 employees) category award is presented to Greiner Industries, Inc., based in Mount Joy, PA. Established in 1976, Greiner Industries has grown to an approximate 200-employee business with steel fabrication, machining, cutting, rolling and coating services. They possess over 200 acres and 266,000 square feet of indoor fabrication work area and approximately 40 acres of outdoor work area. Owner Frank Greiner visits local vocational training schools in Mount Joy annually to encourage students to choose welding as a career. He hosts about ten plant tours each year for students, during which he discusses career opportunities in welding as well as traditional work environments. He also encourages students to try out their welding skills and has presented employment opportunities to worthy candidates. Always keeping the image of welding in mind, Greiner prides themselves on their extensive industry certifications, safety, trade activism, as well as their modern facility with the latest in welding and fabrication equipment. "Students see the emphasis on quality and safety when touring Greiner," said Joseph Kane, AWS Certified Welding Inspector and nominator of Greiner for this award. "Greiner is one of the best quality-minded shops I have ever been in. Students are taken through a shop that cares about quality and safety, which contributes favorably to the image of welding, especially as these students are making career choices," continued Kane.

* The Distributor (welding products) category award is presented to the Sutton-Garten Company, based in Indianapolis, IN. Founded in 1918, the Sutton-Garten Company is one of the oldest gas and hard goods distributors in the United States. From its birth as a small distributor and repair shop, the company evolved into a well-respected staple of the Indiana welding market. Despite its modest 22 employee head-count, all of whom average 15 years at the company, Sutton-Garten boasts a 2,000 square foot showroom and demonstration area, a 5,000 square foot warranty repair and rental facility, and their most recent addition, an 8,000 square foot warehouse and customer training facility. As the company continues to thrive, one of Sutton-Garten's main interests is to support the future of welding. The company works closely with local Indianapolis high schools and provides supplies and equipment at a reduced price. They also donate money for trophies and materials to the Mid-West Team Welding Tournament. In addition, Sutton-Garten holds welding certification classes at their facility to encourage welders to advance their skills and career level.

* The Educator category award is presented to Robert Sandelier, teacher at both Camden County Technical School in Pennsauken, NJ, and Cumberland Vocational School outside of Vineland, NJ. "I love to watch my students, many of whom have never welded a day in their life, succeed through my program and go on to find financial security, whether they go into business for themselves, join a union or work for a company," said Sandelier, 60, as he reflects on his 36-year tenure as a welding instructor. "They come back and thank me, and that means a lot," he continued. Welding has been a part of Sandelier's life since he could remember. He began welding at age five in his father's shop and enjoyed it so much he never stopped. After his father passed away, he ran the business while taking up teaching during the day. He later sold the business after becoming involved in teaching at night. Sandelier is now retired, but continues to teach night school so he can encourage more people to enter the welding field. He also spends more time with his family at their vacation cottage in Maine. Sandelier is a lifelong resident of Clayton, New Jersey, and holds a bachelor's degree in physical education from Pershing College, now part of the University of Nebraska. He has a wife, Dona, two daughters, Stacey Kashey and Christa Sandelier, and an infant grandson, Daniel Robert Kashey.

* The Educational Facility category award is presented to Sheet Metal Workers Local #33 Cleveland District, Joint Apprenticeship & Training Program in Ohio. Local #33 is made up of seven prior unions formed in 1988, and currently represents over 4,500 members throughout all but a few counties of Ohio and West Virginia. Local #33 is committed to the welding profession, and is an advocate of its benefits and careers to students. The group just completed a self-funded $6 million state of the art training facility to train apprentices and to provide advanced training for journeymen. The training program ranges from blueprint reading, computerized drafting, HVAC and safety classes to welding and sheet metal fabrication. Serving as an impressive recruitment vehicle, the training facility also houses the Local #33 office and provides a first class meeting and banquet facility.

About AWS: The American Welding Society (AWS) was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, and led by a volunteer organization of officers and directors, AWS serves more than 50,000 members worldwide and is composed of 22 districts with 200 sections and student chapters. For more information, visit the Society's website at http://www.aws.org and click on "pressroom."

About WEMCO: WEMCO is a standing committee of the American Welding Society. The committee is comprised of executives from welding industry suppliers to promote the welding equipment market. Enhancing the image of welding as a critical industry is amongst their priority programs. For more information on WEMCO membership and benefits, visit the committee's Web site at www.aws.org/wemco.