Woodcock Township , PA - August 2005

By Keith Gushard

Tech Tool and Molded Plastics winning the Winslow Award at the 37th annual Greater Meadville Area Day was something its president didn’t expect.

“Dad, if you’re looking down, thanks for all your guidance,” Scott Hanaway said as he choked back a tear in accepting the award on behalf of the firm Thursday night at The Country Club.

“We have a great crew,” he said in his brief acceptance speech. “It wouldn’t be possible without them.”

The Winslow Award, given by the Meadville Area Industrial Commission, honors an individual, group, business or industry that has made a significant contribution to economic growth in the greater Meadville area.

It was started by MAIC in 1969 to honor Dr. Harry C. Winslow, an area physician and business leader, on his 85th birthday. His business interests included being chairman of the board of the former First National Bank of Meadville; a founder of WMGW-AM; and a vice president and director of Conneaut Lake Park.

Tech was founded in 1973 by Bill and Eva Hanaway. Bill passed away in 1998. Sons Scott, Mark, Doug and Rusty operate the business.

Scott told the Tribune afterward that he credits his brother, Mark, its director of marketing, with involving the firm in business and industrial organizations as well as the community.

“Mark’s done a lot of participation (on behalf of the firm),” Scott said. “More companies ought to participate.”

“The people we have are very caring,” he told the Tribune. “It’s the environment we built and the team we put together.”

Mark agreed.

“Our business is a family,” he said. “It’s our culture throughout (the firm).”

In naming Tech as this year’s Winslow recipient, Clark Hoff-man, MAIC president, said the firm has had a distinguished history of economic prosperity and dedication to its employees, business colleagues and the community at large.

Tech has been on the cutting edge of technology and training through the years. It’s grown to a 54,000-square-foot facility with the world’s most advanced equipment and one of the highest skilled workforce in the industry, Hoffman said.

In the past seven months, it has reduced delivery time to customers by 30 percent while simultaneously improving product quality and reducing total cost, he said.

Since the 1980s, it’s had 15 apprentices graduate from its educational programs with many of them receiving better than perfect scores on regional skills contests, outstanding vocational technical student recognition and Pennsylvania Skills Certification.

“Each award stands as a testament to the devotion our award recipient has toward providing educational services to the community,” Hoffman said.

Tech has won other numerous awards over the years, too.

It has been recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s Best Places to Work four years in a row. In 2001, it earned the Manufacturer of the Year award from the Meadville Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce for its standard of excellence to both the chamber and the community.

In March 2004, it was honored at the National Tooling and Machining Association’s national convention for its active role and membership in the organization for 25 years.

It was named Gannon University Small Business Development Center’s Manufacturer of the Year in June 2004.

In May this year, it was the honored by the Small Business Administration as the region’s 2005 Family-Owned Small Business of the Year, rising above companies in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

“The company’s unrelenting fidelity to this community is evident in these formal recognitions, but also in the fact that you will almost surely spot at least one company representative at every community event,” said Hoffman.

Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com