Boeing Executive Jack Jones, Workforce Expert Fred Dedrick Headline SC Salute to Manufacturing
February 27, 2013
Best Practices in Manufacturing Program to precede luncheon;
11 finalists vie for honors based on world-class manufacturing performance
SOUTH CAROLINA – February 27, 2013 – Boeing South Carolina Vice President and General Manager Jack Jones, the executive with overall leadership responsibility for Boeing’s 6,000-employee South Carolina operations and 787 Dreamliner facilities in North Charleston, has been named featured speaker at the 2013 Salute to Manufacturing Luncheon on March 21st at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, SC.
Mr. Jones will address an expected gathering of hundreds of manufacturing industry, business, civic and political leaders from across the Palmetto State at the annual luncheon, at which three companies will be honored from among eleven statewide finalists for the 2013 Silver Crescent Awards for Manufacturing Excellence — the most prestigious award a South Carolina manufacturer can receive.
Before joining the Boeing South Carolina team in March 2011, Mr. Jones served as vice president of Boeing’s Everett (WA) Delivery Center, overseeing Airplane-on-Ground, Paint, Pre-Flight and Delivery operations for a variety of Boeing wide-body models assembled there. He has also served as Director of 747 and 767 Manufacturing, and as Everett site Fuselage Responsibility Center Director, since beginning his Boeing career as an Industrial Engineer in 1980. Married with one son, he holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Washington.
New to the 2013 Salute to Manufacturing Awards program is a space-limited Best Practices Forum open to only 125 manufacturing executives, industry partners, 2013 award finalists and past Silver Crescent Award winners. The Best Practice Forum will feature high-impact presentations on sustainable innovation by executives from Sage Automotive, innovation in education and manufacturing by GE Power and Water, long-term commitment’s impact on profitability by Bridgestone-Firestone, and more, along with a private breakfast, intimate executive networking opportunities, and question-and-answer session. A limited number of Forum tickets are available online at www.SaluteToManufacturing.org.
Also headlining the Best Practices Forum will be Fred Dedrick, Executive Director of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions (NFWS), who will share innovative public/private initiatives from across the country designed to provide workers with the skills they need to advance in manufacturing careers while helping employers remain economically competitive.
The former Deputy Secretary in the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, where he was responsible for the state’s nationally acclaimed workforce development programs, Dedrick has previously served as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board, and as Director of Economic Development for Greater Philadelphia First, a regional business leadership organization. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School.
Presented annually by The Silver Crescent Foundation, the 2013 Silver Crescent Awards are co-sponsored by the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA), Scott and Company CPAs, and by SC Biz News, LLC. Tickets to the luncheon are $50, and are available online at www.silvercrescentsc.org. Sponsorship packages inclusive of tickets are also available, as are luncheon tables of eight. Seating is limited, and interested attendees are encouraged to secure tickets immediately.
The Silver Crescent Award for Manufacturing Excellence recognizes the most excellent small, midsized and large manufacturing operations demonstrating superior performance in 7 Crescents of Excellence — citizenship, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, environmental stewardship, innovation, financial performance and commitment to longevity in South Carolina. A national panel of expert judges reviewed all applications to select finalists and determine winners. Finalists for honors include:
- Aaron Industries, Inc., Clinton
- BMW Manufacturing Co., Spartanburg
- Boeing, North Charleston
- Cytec Industries, Inc., North Augusta
- Holcim (US) Inc., Holly Hill
- Itron, West Union
- Nucor Steel, Mt. Pleasant
- PropertyBoss Solutions, Greenville
- Shaw Industries – Plant 8T, Central
- Southern Weaving, Greenville
- Spartanburg Meat Processing Co., Inc., Spartanburg
We encourage as many manufacturers, as well as suppliers-partners to manufacturers, to attend the Best Practices Forum and luncheon program and to mingle with our state’s top manufacturing executives, said Halsey. By being in attendance, they will benefit from networking with top manufacturing executives, and learn some of the innovative programs and capabilities of the state’s leading manufacturers. It’s a great opportunity for Palmetto State businesses.
To learn more about the Silver Crescent Awards and the Salute to Manufacturing Luncheon, visit www.SaluteToManufacturing.org or contact Sharon Halsey at (803) 657-6183.
