AGMA congratulates Bison Gear for 50 years of membership
Staff
General DPNThe American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) recognized Bison Gear & Engineering Corp. with a special 50 Year Membership Award at its recent annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona. Bison Gear Executive Vice President George Thomas and Chief Learning Officer Sylvia Wetzel were on hand to receive the award.
In presenting the award, it was noted that Bison Gear was founded in early 1960 and quickly joined AGMA in May of that year. In 1987, Bison Gear was acquired by the father-and-son partnership of Norman and Ronald Bullock. As chairman of Bison, Ron Bullock has opened the company to the global market, expanded Bison’s overall product line and established a research and development center. In the past 20 years, Bison Gear’s sales volume has more than quadrupled. Bison Gear currently supplies power transmission equipment to the global marketplace and its products are used on all seven continents.
The AGMA presentation further noted that Ron Bullock is a long-time supporter of AGMA and former AGMA board member. Bullock is recognized as an especially visible advocate for manufacturers, having served on the National Association of Manufacturers board of directors and chaired its small business committee. Most recently, he served as chair of the Illinois Manufacturers Association.
“Celebrating 2010 as Bison’s 50th Anniversary year, it is especially gratifying to receive this 50 year membership recognition from AGMA,” said George Thomas, executive vice president of Bison Gear.
In line with AGMA’s own objectives, Bison Gear also has an especially strong commitment to educating the manufacturing workforce. The company has worked with local manufacturers, industry, government, educators and communities in order to create the Manufacturing Skills Standards Council, which provides a path for young adults, adults and displaced workers to acquire the core skills needed by manufacturing companies.
“Bison is proud to be associated with another strong educational-focused organization like AGMA,” said Sylvia Wetzel, Bison Gear CLO, who also serves as a Trustee of the AGMA Foundation. “We support the AGMA Foundation’s mission of training and education in the gear industry and to that end we are actively working to create awareness of the Foundation’s scholarship program for graduate engineers and have included information on the scholarship program on the Bison Gear website.”
