Highlights of the 2007 Annual Awards Banquet (Courtesy of UMA website)
BUSINESS EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR HONORED AT 102nd ANNUAL UMA BANQUET

Business leaders from across Utah met at the Little America Hotel on Saturday, November 3, 2007, in the Utah Manufacturers Association’s 102nd Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet to elect the 2008 UMA Board of Directors and to honor the 40th UMA Business Executive of the Year since the inception of this coveted award in 1969.

Receiving the honors before 650 top business and political leaders for the 2007 Utah Business Executive of the Year was Susan D. Johnson, President of Futura Industries in Clearfield, Utah. The tribute read at the gala banquet on November 3 included the following about this year’s outstanding business executive.

Receiving the honors this year was Susan D. Johnson, President of Futura Industries in Clearfield, Utah. Our tribute was read at the gala banquet before an audience of 650 top business and political leaders. Here are some highlights from our tribute given on November 3 in recognition this year’s outstanding business executive:

Susan served at the helm of two other outstanding companies—Savage Industries and Daw Technologies—before taking the reigns at Futura in January 1995. Over the years she has guided this nationally-recognized aluminum extrusion business to great heights, advancing production and lean manufacturing efficiency. Susan has demonstrated admirable concern for employees and safety in the workplace at Futura, and this achievement has been recognized by the Governor and the Department of Workforce services: Futura has been voted one of “Utah’s best places to work” for eight consecutive years. For the past two years, Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has also heralded Futura Industries as a Utah Manufacturer of the Year.

Futura can boast of having an outstanding safety record, with only one-quarter of the national average for injuries in their industry; they have only 2.6 injuries per 200,000 hours worked. Susan Johnson also opened a medical clinic at the plant for employees and their families, proving that even small manufacturers can provide daily health care to employees.

Futura has high-performance to match its employee morale. The company has a 17% average annual revenue growth rate accompanied by a 25% average annual profit growth rate. Operating income as a percent of revenue at Futura is roughly double that of the extrusion industry as a whole.

In addition to recognizing the 2007 UMA Board of Directors, UMA President Tom Bingham, acting as emcee for the evening, and UMA Chairman Curtis Broadbent, presented plaques to retiring UMA Board members: Ben Morin, Moroni Feed Company; Brent Johnson, Sapa Industrial Extrusions; Vic Mahoney, Pepperidge Farms; and Alex Boulton, Brush Resources.

The 2007 UMA Board of Directors represents a broad array of business executives that cuts across the spectrum of manufacturers in Utah. UMA represents nearly 800 member companies in Utah and virtually all types of manufacturing in the State.

New board members added for 2008 who will help guide the Utah Manufacturers Association throughout the coming year include Dean Adam, Tesoro Refining; Blake Robertson, Sapa Industrial Extrusion; David Bailey, Moroni Feed Company; and Doug Murdock, Brush Resources. They were elected to a three year term to begin January 1, 2008.

Entertainment at this 102nd formal dinner was provided by Bridges an outstanding collection of entertainers who bridged the gap between the musical ages and delighted the audience. As is the tradition at the UMA Awards and Installation Banquet, the highlight of the evening was the distribution of the famous “Utah Product Boxes” given to each couple at the conclusion of the evening. Boxes this year were full to overflowing with products from more than 70 donors.

The evening was made possible by the generous sponsorship of dozens of companies from throughout the state. Thanks to all the sponsors, donors and most of all to UMA members who attend this gala event and support UMA throughout the year.

GOLD SPONSORS
American Express
Chevron
EnergySolutions
Questar
Industrial Supply
Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Merit Medical
Rocky Mountain Power
Tesoro Petroleum

SILVER SPONSORS
L-3 Communications
Swire Coca-Cola
Zions Bank

BRONZE SPONSORS
Autoliv
Big-D Construction
Corporate Express
Wells Cargo

EVENT SPONSORS

American Pacific Corporation - Entertainment

Brush Resources Inc. - Entertainment

Fairchild Semiconductor - Tickets/Program

Kennecott Utah Copper - Wine Service at Dinner

Kimberly Clark - Entertainment

May Foundry & Machine Company - Social Hour

Nucor Steel - Centerpieces

Packaging Corporation of America - Utah Products Box

Workers Compensation Fund - Event Sponsor

SPECIAL PRIZES IN RANDOM
UTAH PRODUCTS BOXES

Amcor Precast - Gift Certificates

Carver Sheet Metal - (2) Cash Prize

Daily Foods - (30) Packages of Big Buy Precooked Bacon

Little America Hotel - Getaway Experience

Martin Door Manufacturing - (2) Martin Door Garage Door Opener

Moroni Feed Company - Turkey Certificates

Parsons, Behle & Latimer - Apparel

UTAH PRODUCTS BOX CONTRIBUTORS

Admiral Beverage - Xzude Sports Energy Drink

Alexanders Digital Printing - Spiral Notebook

Alpine Innovations - Spudz

Bridgepoint Systems - Carpet Spotter Bottle

Bridgerland Applied Technology College - Gift

Business Performance Group - Certificate

Chevron - Gas Card

Coeur d’Alene French Baking Company of Utah - Round Loaf of Sourdough Bread

Corporate Express - Gift

Cream-O-Weber - Milk Certificate

Davis Applied Technology College - Gift

EnergySolutions - Body Lotion/Flashlight

Frito-Lay - Frito-Lay Snack

Huish Detergent - Detergent Sample

Industrial Supply - Batteries

Kimberly-Clark Corporation - Pocket Pak Tissue

L-3 Communications - Gift

Malt-O-Meal - Strawberry Cream Mini Spooners

Maxfield Candy Company - Mrs. Fields Chocolates

Mineral Resources - Electrolytes

Moog Inc. - Salt Lake Operations Gift

Mountain America Credit Union - Gift

Orbit Irrigation - Fan Spray/Sweeper Nozzle

Packaging Corporation of America - The Product Box

Pepperidge Farm - Cheddar Goldfish

Pepsi-Cola Company of Salt Lake - SoBe Life Water

Presto Products - Reclosable Storage Bags

ProLogistixs - Pocket Knife

Resource Manufacturing - Lunch Box/Cooler

Salt Lake Community College - Gift

Salt Lake Tooele ATC - Gift

Schiff Nutrition Group - Tigers Milk Bar

Select Health - Pencil

Shasta - Shasta Cola with Lime

Stampin’ Up - Stamp Set

Strong and Hanni Law Firm - Golf Balls

Sweet Candy Company. - Raspberry Sticks

Swire/Coca-Cola - Coke Zero, Coca-Cola Classic

Taffy Town, Inc. - Taffy Town Gift Box

Tesoro Petroleum - Company Gas Card

The Boeing Company - Gift

The Enterprise - 4 Week Trial Subscription

Thread and Ink - Gift

Utah College of Applied Technology - Pen

Vancott - Gift

Wells Fargo Bank - Gift

Wells Fargo Insurance Services. - Gift

Wonder Bread/Hostess - Cake Hostess Twinkies

Workcare - Hand Sanitizer/Lip Balm

Workers Compensation Fund of Utah - Fan

Worksite Solutions - Post-it Pen

Xlear, Inc. - Nasal Spray/Toothpaste

Zions Bank - $2.00 Bill