ºÚÁÏÍø has named Sandvik Coromant as its 2024 Business Partner of the Year. The award recognizes local businesses that provide outstanding support to ºÚÁÏÍø students and graduates.
Jackie Cole, President of The ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation, made the announcement during the annual Public Officials and Business and Industry December 4. Accepting on behalf of Sandvik were Tom Humphrey, Business Controller / Indirect Purchasing and Direct Materials Manager; and Pattie Baldwin, PU Administrative Assistant.
Sandvik Coromant, a metal-cutting machine tools manufacturer with a plant in Mebane, NC, is the epitome of an ideal business partner, having made significant contributions of time, energy, financial gifts, and opportunities for ºÚÁÏÍø students over many years:
- Donated nearly $300,000 in support to ºÚÁÏÍø students and to the Computer-Integrated Machining program over the past 40 years.
- Has hired a significant number of ºÚÁÏÍø graduates over the years.
- Sandvik hosted the "Girls Take Over Tech" open house at their Mebane campus in April 2024. This annual event welcomes dozens of middle and high school girls to learn about industrial careers from women already in those fields that have historically been male-dominated. In addition to providing a welcoming space for presentation tables, Sandvik televised videos during the event that presented the inspiring journeys of accomplished women at Sandvik Coromant.
- Since 2012, Sandvik has supported the Alamance-Burlington Schools (ABSS) and ºÚÁÏÍø Computer-Integrated Machining partnership, a component of Career & College Promise, which provides machining classes on the college campus.
- In 2023, Sandvik Cormorant donated 70 Surface Pro laptops worth about $15,000 to Alamance Community College for faculty and student use.
- Sandvik has also been a vibrant partner with ºÚÁÏÍø's Information Technology program by hosting multiple Work-Based Learning students over the past 3 - 4 academic years. At least two of these students have been hired by the company, launching their careers in Information Technology (IT). This fall, Sandvik is providing work experience and training for two of ºÚÁÏ꿉۪s Work-Based Learning (WBL) students.
- Sandvik hosted ºÚÁÏ꿉۪s Apprenticeship Night in 2022 that drew more than 160 participants.
- Sandvik has consistently welcomed ºÚÁÏÍø groups of visitors for tours of their facility.
- Sandvik partnered with ºÚÁÏ꿉۪s Corporate Education Department to create separate youth and adult apprenticeship programs, as well as a Customized Training Project. Sandvik has consistently opened their doors for Corporate Education’s visiting groups to visit.
- Sandvik IT Coordinator Maria Moore has been an active partner by reaching out to ºÚÁÏÍø first when seeking entry-level IT staff.
- Sandvik Controller, Tom Humphrey, currently serves on the ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation Board of Directors.
- Sandvik hosted a ‘Welcome to the Community’ event for ºÚÁÏÍø President Ingle in May 2024.
(Above) ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation President Jackie Cole (center) presents the award to Sandvik representatives Tom Humphrey, an ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation Board Member, and Pattie Baldwin.
The annual Business Partner of the Year award recognizes local businesses or agencies that provide outstanding support to ºÚÁÏÍø students and graduates in the number and quality of volunteers provided to the College; opportunities provided by the organization for current ºÚÁÏÍø students; the number of ºÚÁÏÍø graduates hired annually; and the level of philanthropic support to the ºÚÁÏÍø Foundation and College.
Previous winners of ºÚÁÏ꿉۪s Business Partner of the Year Award are:
- 2006: LabCorp and ARMC (tie)
- 2007: Duke Energy
- 2008: Kernodle Clinic
- 2009: Chandler Concrete Company, Inc.
- 2010: Honda Power Equipment
- 2011: Twin Lakes Community
- 2012: Glen Raven
- 2013: County of Alamance
- 2014: Pro Feet
- 2015: Color Landscapes, GKN, Sandvik Coromant
- 2016: Carolina Biological Supply
- 2017: Fairystone Fabrics
- 2018: LabCorp
- 2019: IBM
- 2020: Elon University
- 2021: Truist
- 2022: Engineered Controls International (ECI)
- 2023: Alamance Chamber