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Business Enterprise Awards
The Chamber chooses two Members each year as recipients of its Business
Enterprise Awards; one business with 1 to 20 employees and one business with 21
or more employees. Awardees demonstrate a commitment to
the overall health and productivity of the Saline area, have staying power, give
customers the best possible service and/or product, follow ethical and fair
business practices, and contribute to the betterment of the community through
volunteer involvement. They are the best of the best in the Saline area.
Nominations for the 2007 Business Enterprise Awards were accepted from the
Saline Area community from June 18th through September 5th. The Business
Enterprise Awards Selection Committee met on September 7th and announced this
year's honorees: JAC Products, Inc. (more than 20 employees category)
and Bemis Farms Preschool (20 or less employees category).
The 2007 Business Enterprise Awards event was held October 25th at
Stonebridge Golf Club, sponsored by KeyBank.
Featured guest speaker was Bill Martin, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at
the University of Michigan.
2007 Business Enterprise Awards
Honorees
JAC Products, Inc.,
located at 225 S. Industrial Dr. in Saline, is privately owned and is a leading
manufacturer and supplier of custom designed, state-of-the-art roof racks, cargo
management systems, step rails, and other functional exterior trim to automotive
original equipment manufacturers (“OEM”) in the
United States and European markets. The Company also manufactures and supplies
removable racks and rack accessories for the European aftermarket. JAC’s
products are worldwide and the company’s market position is significant in the
domestic OEM and European markets. Manufacturing facilities are located in the
United States, Germany, England, Sweden, and Portugal. Each business unit is QS 9000, ISO 9001, ISO
14001, ISO/TS 16949 certified assuring customers on-time delivery of quality
products.
Under the leadership of President and CEO George Hofman and Director of
Corporate Human Resource, Dennis Kaye, JAC boasts an impressive customer list
including Ford, General Motors, Daimler Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Saab, BMW,
Nissan, Toyota, Lexus, Mercedes, Subaru, Kia, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Renault,
Peugeot, and Porsche. They recently received several awards including Toyota
Quality Alliance Gold Award, Nummi Supplier of the Year, Honda Supplier Launch
Award, Ford Silver World Excellence Awards for Quality, Delivery, & Cost, Cami
President’s Award Supplier of the Year, Subaru Silver Award for Supplier
Excellence, PACWE Award for Design Innovation, and SEMA DCX Design Innovation.
JAC Products has earned a reputation as
an outstanding corporate citizen in the Saline area. They are committed to
community involvement with participation and financial support of the annual
Holiday Parade, Celtic Festival, Summerfest, Firefighters Chili Cookoff,
Firefighters Ball & Casino Night, Saline Police D.A.R.E. Program, Saline High
School Yearbook, Washtenaw United Way, Children’s Hands On Museum, and numerous
Chamber activities.
Bemis Farms Preschool
is a quality
childcare provider serving the Saline area for over thirteen years. Under the
ownership of Priscilla King and Tammie & Andrew King and with the direction of
Genevieve Thompson, they provide outstanding, flexible, and year-round programs
for children six weeks to twelve years of age in a secure educational
environment. Located on eighteen acres of farmland they offer unique
opportunities to interact with nature. They are also in their fifth year of
providing child care for the Lincoln Consolidated Schools in three of their
elementary buildings.
The staff at Bemis Farms are dedicated and committed to the loving care
of young children. Lead teachers are all degreed and provide ongoing training
to all staff. They partner with the Michigan 4C Association and their T.E.A.C.H. program in providing
Early Childhood Associate Degree Scholarships. They also work with the local
schools to provide co-op opportunities for students as well as hosting various
training workshops for staff and parents at the
University of
Michigan.
For
the past twelve years Bemis Farms is proud to have earned accreditation from the
highly-acclaimed National Association for the Education of Young Children. They
are also active members of the Early Childhood Directors Association,
Washtenaw
County
School Age Child Care Association, Nature Action Collaborative for
Children, and the Saline Area Chamber of Commerce. Bemis administrators also
serve on the steering committee for the Early Childhood Directors Association.
Volunteers can be found at numerous community events including functions at
Saline
Area
Schools, Saline Community Fair, the Celtic Festival, and numerous
Chamber events. They strive to teach children a sense of community and giving
by working with families to donate to many area organizations. Items made by
their children are shared with the Saline Area Library,
Glacier
Hills
Retirement
Center,
Washtenaw
County Relay For Life, and their artwork is on display at many area
businesses.
Staff
members are part of a group called Soldiers Angels and this year they sent
Christmas cards, correspondence, and home-baked cookies to soldiers serving in
the war on terror. In honor of their support they received an American flag
that was flown on a mission over
Afghanistan.
Other
programs they have contributed to include People to People Student Ambassadors,
4-H, Saline Police D.A.R.E. Program, Saline Area Historical Society, Saline
Fiddlers,
Lincoln Education Achievement Foundation, and Child Care Network.
This past year they donated $2000 in-kind scholarships to Child Care Network.
Bemis Farms is proud to be honored as the recipient of the SACC 2007
Business Enterprise Award and look forward to continuing their commitment to
providing a loving, caring environment for children that promotes learning,
creativity, and sound character building.
Past Business Enterprise Award Recipients
American Aqua, Inc. and Brecon Village/Evangelical Home-Saline
(2006)
Carol's Hallmark and Briarwood Ford (2005)
Pack & Mail Plus and Bridgewater Lumber Company (2004)
Quickprint, Inc. and Bank of Washtenaw (2003)
Rhoades Doehrer & Associates, PLLC and
Mac's Acadian Seafood Shack (2002)
Aero Corporation and Visteon Corporation (2001)
Garry M. Deo, O. D., K & F Electric Company and Saline Reporter (2000)
Tom Mac's Photography and Saline Community Hospital (1999)
Saline Picture Frame Co. and McNaughton & Gunn (1998)
Benny's Bakery and Busch's (1997)
Saline Flowerland and R & B Machine Tools (1996)
Saline Salutes
Each year the Chamber sponsors Saline Salutes, a special evening to honor
recipients of three prestigious awards: Citizen of the Year, Lifetime
Achievement, and George A. Anderson Vision. Nominations come from individuals in
the Saline Area School District and are chosen by a selection
committee comprised of community leaders and past recipients. Nominations for
the 2008 honorees were accepted December 6th through February 11th.
Award Recipients must live, work, or volunteer in the Saline Area School District. Citizen of the Year is a person
chosen because they have contributed a significant
amount of time to the community in a volunteer capacity. Lifetime Achievement is
presented to someone in appreciation of their many years of service to the
community. The Vision Award is designated for someone who works or serves in a
volunteer or advisory capacity to a Saline area government entity. A
Youth of the Year award is also presented by the Saline Youth Council.
Click
here for a Nomination Form & Selection Criteria.
The 2008 awards were presented April 18th, 5:30pm at Saline High School.
The event was sponsored by Mercantile Bank, Law Office of Patrick M. Carmody
Jr., and Susan Gates of Prudential, Snyder & Company Realtors, and included entertainment,
a strolling buffet with dessert, and awards program.
2008 Honorees
Betsy Marl, Citizen of the Year
Taylor Jacobsen, Lifetime Achievement Award
Scot Graden, George A. Anderson Vision Award
Andrew Schantz, Youth of the Year
Past Award Recipients
Citizen of the Year
Karen Ragland (2007)
Walt Byers (2006)
Scot Graden (2005)
David Rhoads (2004)
John Herrygers (2003)
Mary Laidlaw (2002)
Pat Everett (2001)
Bob and Pam Phillips (2000)
Bixby Project Group (1999)
Tom Kirvan (1998)
Susan Keezer (1997)
Cheryl Hoeft (1996)
Dorothy Vogel (1995)
Mary Ann Fogle (1994)
Jim Hill (1993)
Wayne Clements (1992)
Ken and Barb Sturms (1991)
Sandra Nadig (1990)
Lifetime Achievement
Lyle Wahl (2007)
Phyllis Martin (2006)
Rena Girbach (2005)
Bob Kwiecinski (2004)
Peg & Johnny Long (2003)
Betty & Bob Redies and Saline Community Fair Volunteers (2002)
Tom Collins and Saline Community Hospital Auxiliary (2001)
Allan Grossman and Bernice (Woodie) Merchant (2000)
Meredith Bixby (1999)
Jo Steiner and Dale Rothfuss (1998)
Paul Tull and Margaret Chatterton (1997)
Bob McNaughton (1996)
Janet Desautels (1995)
Pat Roesch (1992)
Art Miller (1991)
George A. Anderson Vision
Art Trapp (2007)
Mary Lirones (2006)
Saline Area Schools Historical Preservation Committee (2005)
Phyllis Martin (2004)
Howard & Kelven Braun (2003)
Craig Hoeft (2002)
Bill Lavery (2001)
Wayne Clements (2000)
Mary Hess (1999)
Rick Kuss (1998)
Pat Little (1997)
Gretchen Driskell (1996)
Herb Payne (1995)
David White (1994)
Youth of the Year
Elizabeth Foley (2007)
Colin Roberts (2006)
Ann Chou
(2005)
Jennifer Harris
(2004)
Tyler Fuller
(2003)
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Saline Area
Chamber of Commerce
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141 East Michigan Avenue
Saline, Michigan 48176-0198
(734) 429-4494
Fax: (734) 944-6835
salinechamber@aol.com |
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