Georgia-Pacific Names Winner of Great American Worker Contest

After a nationwide search to find America’s greatest and most hard-working heroes, Georgia-Pacific Professional recently named James Bennett of Harlingen, Texas, as the winner of the 2011 Brawny Industrial Great American Worker Contest.

Bennett, an engineering manager at Cardone Industries, was selected as the national winner because of his leadership in streamlining processes, educating and mentoring his co-workers and his complete dedication to his job. In addition to being named the Brawny Industrial Great American Worker, Bennett is also a winner of a new 2011 Ford F-150 truck.

The contest, which ran from January through June, called for supervisors, co-workers, family and peers to submit a short nomination about someone who excels in their workplace and demonstrates the qualities of a true great American worker.

“Mr. Bennett is a hard worker and role model in his workplace and community – values that we embrace and support,” said Ken Smith, vice president at Georgia-Pacific Professional. “We are proud to call him the 2011 Brawny Industrial Great American Worker and hope that he inspires others to follow his leadership and contribute positively to their workplace and the communities where they live.”

On Monday, Sept. 19, 2011, Georgia-Pacific Professional hosted a ceremony for Bennett at the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce, where he was awarded a new 2011 Ford F-150 truck. Friends, family and co-workers, along with several members of the Georgia-Pacific Professional team, attended the event and honored Bennett for his achievements.

“I am reminded of all the hard work that goes into the production and manufacturing of goods and services in this country, and I am honored to be named the Brawny Industrial Great American Worker and represent the many dedicated workers who labor each day,” Bennett stated.

In addition to naming a national Great American Worker, Georgia-Pacific Professional also recognized three individuals who excelled in the categories of work safety, worker productivity and community involvement – all of which are key elements that make up a Great American Worker. Each category winner was awarded a $3,500 cash prize.

The work safety category winner was Kenneth Kresen, a truck driver for Dayton Freight in Cicero, Ill. Kenneth Mounts, owner of Calibrated Controls Inc., in Escondido, Calif., was named the category winner for worker productivity. Chris Ronnebaum, vice president of Field Operations at Hawkeye Construction in Baltimore, Md., was the community involvement category winner.

The individuals who nominated the Great American Worker grand-prize winner and each of the category winners were also awarded a $1,000 cash prize.

Several industry experts participated in the judging portion of the contest. These individuals were asked to assist as judges based on their experience and knowledge in the manufacturing and industrial supply industries, and included editors from Industrial Supply magazine and ReliablePlant.com.

“We would like to thank all of the individuals who participated in this year’s Brawny Industrial Great American Worker contest, including our celebrity guest judges,” continues Smith. “Georgia-Pacific Professional is dedicated to creating personal relationships with its customers, and we look forward to hosting another contest in 2012.”

For more information, visit www.brawnyindustrial.com or www.gppro.com.