This year marks the NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s 14th annual Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards. The Alliance works collectively to attract, develop, and retain the highly-skilled workforce critical to the manufacturing industry in northeast Wisconsin. Since its inception in 2006, the Alliance has grown to over 300 members, manufacturers partnering with educational institutions, workforce development boards, chambers of commerce, economic developers, and nonprofit agencies.
The Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards celebrates industry and education partnerships in the region. Over the past 14 years, over 475 schools, manufacturers, and community partnerships have been nominated. This is just a small snapshot of examples that exemplify the strong partnerships between manufacturers and education.
The Awards program was first envisioned by John West, president of Fox Valley Metal Tech and NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s (NEWMA) Board member. In 2012, he presented to the Board the idea of having an Awards program. He thought the Alliance could bring attention to the best-in-class collaborations; others would then learn how to replicate it in their business or school. Also, an Awards dinner would create a venue where people that normally do not meet would have the chance to connect. Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) has sponsored the event each year. A special thank you to WEDC and A to Z Machine. A to Z Machine has made the awards given to the winners, with the assistance of high school students. This is another great example of manufacturers working with schools!
The Fall 2025 Awards dinner was held on October 28th at the Resch Expo. In an effort to continue with the tradition of spotlighting best practices, this Excellence Awards publication was created. Proceeds from the sponsorships will be directed to the NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s Scholarship Fund, Inc. In total, the Alliance has given over $500,000 in college scholarships.
Congratulations to all of the award winners and nominees!
Special thanks to NorthCoast Media Group for filming the Excellence Awards video.
