WMIA Honors Woodworking Industry's 2004 Innovator, Educator and Global Marketer of the Year

Bar Harbor, Maine — The Woodworking Machinery Industry Association (WMIA) announced the 2004 Innovator, Educator and Global Marketer of the Year Awards on October 19th at its annual awards dinner honoring woodworking industry leaders.

In his remarks to association members, guests and media representatives prior to dinner and the awards' presentation, WMIA President Scott Twichell said, "We are gathered together again, this year to celebrate the 17th anniversary of our Innovator and Educator of the Year Awards and the 12th anniversary of the Global Marketer Award, formerly known as the Exporter Award.

"The purpose of these awards is to acknowledge excellence within the woodworking industry, the outstanding achievements of woodworking companies and educational institutions. They are...the people who attribute at least part of their success to the efficiencies and productivity gained by using the most advanced woodworking machinery, software and services available through WMIA's members."

The 2004 award winners are:
• Innovator of the Year, Premier EuroCase (Denver);
• Educator of the Year, Georgia Tech — College of Architecture — Advanced Wood Products Laboratory (Atlanta);
• Global Marketer of the Year, Loti Corporation (Tualatin, Ore.)

Innovator of the Year

Dave Ortmayer, COO of Italpresse USA, Inc., announced Premier EuroCase as winner of the Innovator of the Year Award, saying, "Premier EuroCase manufactures store fixture displays....as well as complete furnishings for a designed space. Through its acquisition and use of the most innovative and sought-after equipment available, it now can build 1,000 products in the time it previously took to build 100. Premier EuroCase is also able to run more of the same or different parts more quickly, while at the same time eliminating setup time, downtime and waste. All the software and all of the product lines the software controls are integrated. Employees are cross-trained, encouraged to make decisions and, as a result, require no shop management."

Andy Wilzoch, Premier EuroCase's president and owner, accepted the award.