On Thursday, October 10, Housatonic Community College (HCC) hosted the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame (AMHoF), celebrating the innovative history of American manufacturing, honoring the success of manufacturers in Connecticut and raising funds for HCC student scholarships.

A crowd of nearly 200 manufacturing and community leaders attended the evening in Trumbull, CT to witness the organization’s sixth annual induction ceremony. This year, the inductees included Ashcroft Inc., Medtronic PLC, Microboard Processing Inc., Pratt & Whitney and Sonics & Materials Inc. Joe Carbone, President and CEO of The WorkPlace once again served as Master of Ceremonies.

The evening’s beneficiary, the HCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center, provides students with access to education and workforce development training for in-demand jobs in the manufacturing sector. This premier program on the HCC campus is helping to keep manufacturing jobs in Connecticut.

“We would like to thank all of you who contributed, invested, and believed in us,” said Dorsia Franklin, a program graduate who went through the program with her daughter, Chanel. “The fact that we started out knowing nothing about manufacturing to then successfully completing the program and graduating at the top of our class surpassed anything I could’ve imagined!”

The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame was founded in 2014 by past HCC Foundation Board president Barbara Johnson, along with her husband Carl and actor and manufacturing supporter John Ratzenberger. A passionate group of volunteers continue to spearhead this event, in partnership with the HCC Foundation. Thirty Connecticut companies have now been inducted into AMHoF.

HCC Foundation Executive Director Kristy Jelenik said, “This annual celebration spotlights the incredible advanced manufacturing program at HCC which enables our students to enter a meaningful career path that offers wage-sustaining employment.” Mrs. Jelenik continued, “We are so grateful to all of our sponsors, and to our manufacturing partners around the region who support our program and employ our students, including this year’s inductees.”

Frank Gulluni, director emeritus of the Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center at Asnuntuck Community College, received the AMHoF 2019 Leadership Award. Earlier this year, Housatonic and Asnuntuck Community Colleges opened an Advanced Manufacturing Training Center in Derby High School in Derby, CT where students can now take college-level classes.

The HCC Foundation would like to thank its generous sponsors including Founding & Diamond Sponsor blumshapiro, as well as Diamond Sponsor Wells Fargo, Platinum Sponsor Hubbell, Gold Sponsors the Barden Foundation, Bridgeport Fittings, Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey, and The WorkPlace, and Silver Sponsors Ashcroft Inc., the ASSA ABLOY Group, Dworken Hillman LaMorte & Sterczala, Moore Tools, Newtown Savings Bank, People’s United Bank, Resource Development Associates, TD Bank, United Illuminating, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. and Webster Bank.

To learn more about Housatonic Community College and the Advanced Manufacturing Program, visit www.Housatonic.edu and to learn how you can support the next generation of manufacturers in our state, contact the Housatonic Community College Foundation at www.Housatonic.edu/foundation or call Kristy Jelenik 203-332-5078.

Photo credit: David Gunn Photography

Picture Above: 2019 American Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees, with representatives from Ashcroft Inc., Medtronic PLC, Microboard Processing Inc., Pratt & Whitney and Sonics & Materials Inc.

HCC Advanced Manufacturing Program graduates, mother and daughter Dorsia and Chanel Franklin.

Left to right: Past HCC Foundation Board president Barbara Johnson, HCC Foundation Board member Ellen Tower, Senator Richard Blumenthal, HCC Foundation Board member Lindy Lee Gold, and Regional Community College President Dr. Thomas Coley.

Current students in Housatonic Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program.