Progress Inc., Hartford Teacher Win Manufacturing Awards

A Newington manufacturer and a Hartford teacher were honored with manufacturing awards at the Oct. 11 Made in Connecticut: 2023 Manufacturing Summit.

Progress Inc. was awarded the Technology Innovation Award, with company president Fred Krol accepting the award from TD Bank regional vice president Steven Litchfield.

Litchfield cited the company’s important role in Connecticut’s defense industry supply chain, “providing engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing services to many key players.”

“Fred and Ethan Krol understand that innovation in an increasingly digital supply chain must be accompanied by robust cyber, procedural, and physical security practices to safeguard the integrity of the systems and products that protect our nation,” Litchfield said.

“Progress Inc. is a leader for others to follow in this crucial, but often overlooked, aspect of innovation.”

‘Passion, Commitment’

Hartford Public High School teacher Joseph Farrah was awarded the Pathway Award for Excellence in Manufacturing.

Litchfield noted Farrah’s “passion, teaching, and commitment to bringing opportunities to all students, with an emphasis on those following the Engineering and Green Technology Pathway.”

“His classroom responsibilities cover everything from basic engineering and manufacturing principles, to elective courses in automation and robotics, to teaching a new senior class focused on advanced manufacturing,” Litchfield said.

“Last year, he successfully helped coach 17 students into internship placements at Pratt & Whitney and all completed their internships with high evaluation scores.” 

Export Awards

The summit also featured the Connecticut District Export Council‘s annual awards, with 19 companies recognized for their achievements expanding their market reach.

Council chair Amy Bosco, director of global business development at Beekley Medical, and Meridian Finance Group’s Jenny Lezon Norris presented the awards, with an introduction by Shipman & Goodwin’s Alfredo Fernández.

Export award winners:

• ACMT, Inc.
• Amodex Products, Inc.
• AtlasXomics, Inc.
• Beekley Medical
• Boost Oxygen, LLC
• Control Station, Inc.
• Crescent Manufacturing
• Du-Lite Corporation
• Element 119 LLC
• Environmental Products Corp.
• Goodway Technologies Corp.
• Guardian Environmental Tech
• IronYun, Inc.
• KUB Technologies, Inc.
• Preferred Utilities Manufacturing Corporation
• Sound Analytics LLC
• Specialty Cable Corp.
• The Woodstock Academy
• Whelen Engineering Co. Inc.

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The Made in Connecticut: 2023 Manufacturing Summit was produced by CBIA and affiliates CONNSTEP and ReadyCT and made possible through the generous support of TD Bank with additional support from RSM, Bank of America, Grant Thornton, and Shipman & Goodwin LLP.