Industry support for the PTDA Foundation reached record heights again in 2015, surpassing all expectations with a final total of nearly $345,200. This was more than 13% higher than the funds raised in 2014, demonstrating an increasing commitment from the industry in reaching the future industrial distribution workforce.
According to Brian Short, 2015 PTDA Foundation Fund Drive Chair (NSK Americas, Ann Arbor, Mich.), “Power transmission/motion control distributors and manufacturers have repeatedly stated that finding new employees to fill the pipeline of retiring Baby Boomers is their biggest challenge, along with developing ways to transfer knowledge from retirees to those of incoming talent. The funds raised for this initiative are working to alleviate that burden. As we are in the second year of a three-year commitment by the Harold C. Schott Foundation, our funders have continued to support the work ICP is doing with their hard-earned dollars in 2015.” Short is now serving the PTDA Foundation as vice president for the Board of Trustees.
Barbara Ross, director rotary seals, Garlock Sealing Technologies (Palmyra, N.Y.) the newly appointed 2016 Fund Drive Chair and past president of the PTDA Foundation Board of Trustees, said the 2016 Vanguard campaign was kicked off at the recent PTDA 2015 Industry Summit in Chicago, Ill. She said, “The 2016 Vanguard contributors are the leaders of our industry. They are companies and individuals who want to give back to an industry that helped them succeed and to help insure the industry’s continued success. We are off to an amazing start with a lot of new givers. I am optimistic that we will surpass last year’s number.”
2015 Fund Drive Highlights:
• Contributors included 144 companies from within the power transmission/motion control industry.
• Fifty-six contributors increased their contributions in 2015 over 2014.
• There were 29 new contributors in 2015.
