VHEDC COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARD
SCHWING America, Mold Craft,
Du Fresne Manufacturing and Specialty Mfg. C o.
The VHEDC Community Partnership
Award recognizes collaborative partners
that help the VHEDC to advance its
mission of ensuring a prosperous local
business economy in Vadnais Heights
and the surrounding areas. These four
manufacturing companies offered 2017
summer internships to four White Bear
Lake High School students through
the new Gen Z Connection: Skills and
Careers in Manufacturing program.
From left: Justin McPhee, VP of Engineering at Mold Craft;
Steve Moeller, Director of Manufacturing for Specialty Mfg.
Co.; Joy Vander Heiden, Senior HR Generalist for SCHWING
America; and Jim Stephan, VP of Sales and Marketing for Du
Fresne Manufacturing.
SCHWING AMERICA, a member of
the German SCHWING Group, was
established in 1974; it offers industry
leading concrete pumps, truck mixers,
batch plants, reclaimers and genuine
parts for distribution in North and Latin
America.
MOLD CRAFT, a privately-owned
company founded in 1964, has built
a reputation as a high-quality, custom
maker of injection molds for plastic and
metal parts.
Nominations for the
2019 VHEDC Business
Awards can be made
on the VHEDC website
beginning in May and
close September 1. Refer
to site for requirements:
vhedc.com
DU FRESNE MANUFACTURING,
incorporated in 1990, is an industry
leader in precision metal fabrication;
it offers design assistance, dedicated
prototype facilities, equipment,
component assembly, and project
management services.
SPECIALTY MFG. CO., a family business
founded in 1900, manufactures metal
and plastic valves that are essential
components for a wide range of
applications for industries including
medical, communications, dental,
automotive and mechanical.
Joy Vander Heiden, Senior HR Generalist
for SCHWING America, said, “SCHWING
America was proud to participate in the
Gen Z program. Local businesses sharing
resources with the VHEDC and White
Bear Lake Schools shows the strength
of our community and the desire for us
all to work together to address the skills
gap that exists in today’s tight labor
market.”
Justin McPhee, VP of Engineering at
Mold Craft, said, “In my eyes, Mold
Craft and the other three companies
were just doing what was right for
manufacturing and the community, and
what was right to provide students with
an extraordinary experience in real-life
manufacturing. I’m very proud to receive
this award on behalf of Mold Craft and
our awesome staff from the front desk to
the engineers, toolmakers and machine
specialists – all the way through to the
shipping department. At least 18 of
our 39 employees had direct hands-on
involvement with the Gen Z program.”
Jim Stephan, VP of Sales and Marketing
for Du Fresne Manufacturing, said,
“The partnership between White
Bear Lake Schools and local industry
created the Gen Z program to
engage and educate local high school
students in manufacturing for lifelong
career opportunities and provide
Northeast Metro businesses with
much needed skilled labor. Gen Z is
continually recognized statewide as a
successful model in education/industry
engagement and will hopefully continue
to grow in student/area business
involvement for years to come.”
Steve Moeller, Director of Manufacturing
for Specialty Mfg. Co., said, “It was an
honor partnering with local businesses,
White Bear Lake Area School Distict and
VHEDC to make the Gen Z Program
a reality. We especially want to thank
White Bear Lake High School’s Delroy
Nyren and Rich Wessels, and VHEDC
Executive Director Ling Becker for
their contributions. This program could
not have happened without their
extraordinary efforts.”
schwing.com
mold-craft.com
dufresnemfg.com
specialtymfg.com
vhedc.com
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