ASHWAUBENON – An executive with a Sturgeon Bay custom heavy equipment manufacturer received an award for his role in promoting the manufacturing industry to youths and educating students on its possible career paths.
Jake Schulz, vice-president of production for Therm-Tron-X, Inc., was named the 2024 Visionary Award winner in the Manufacturer category by the NEW Manufacturing Alliance as part of its 13th annual Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards ceremony, held Oct. 29 at the Resch Expo in Ashwaubenon. It was one of 11 awards given during the event to manufacturers and educators across Northeast Wisconsin that are working together to help youths explore manufacturing careers.
“It’s certainly an honor, and humbling to be recognized, for sure,” Schulz said to the Advocate. “We just work really hard at providing the best opportunities and exposing high school students to all the opportunities available in manufacturing.”
Schulz was nominated for the award by Lauren Bauman, a Northeast Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship (NEWYA) program coach for Door County’s five high schools and Algoma High School. Bauman cited Schulz’s and the company’s efforts to get students interested in exploring manufacturing careers, such as leading Manufacturing Day tours at the facility and having the company provide equipment and fabricators who serve as instructors to local schools to supplement their classes.