Press release submitted on behalf of AMBA.
Grand Rapids, MI – The American Mold Builders Association (AMBA), Indianapolis, IN, proudly presented Roger Fox, Accede Mold & Tool, Rochester, NY, with the 2024 Mold Builder of the Year Award and United Tool and Mold (Liberty, SC) with the 2024 Tooling Trailblazer of the Year Award during the AMBA Conference 2024, March 19-21, 2024, Grand Rapids, MI. The awards, sponsored by Progressive Components, include a $5,000 endowment to each winner for continuing education in mold building, to be presented to the educational institution of the recipient’s choice.
This year’s industry awards were complimented with the inaugural 2024 Emerging Leaders Rising Star Award, which was won by Nick VanderZwaag, Legacy Precision Molds, Inc. The AMBA Emerging Leaders Rising Star Award was established by the AMBA to honor the accomplishments of those who are either new to the U.S. mold manufacturing community or new to their current roles. This year, the award is sponsored by Gesswein and Mastip.
Roger Fox has been a leader, innovator and a true ambassador for the U.S. mold building industry for decades. After starting his career in mold building in the garage of his family home when he was 21 years old (under the tutelage of his father), Fox leveraged his mechanical curiosity and a fascination with manufacturing processes to progress from moldmaker to shop supervisor to VP of manufacturing to GM, and then to owner in 2012, when he purchased the business from his father. Today, he is celebrated not only for the traditional core values that have allowed his company to achieve its success, but for his leadership, dedication to excellence and focus on mentorship. With a deep appreciation for precision manufacturing, he strives to promote careers in mold building to students of all ages. Whether through internal apprenticeship programs and manufacturing day events or through high school career fairs, robotics programs, technical trade colleges and more, extreme mentorship and servant leadership are more than top-of-mind – they are part of his DNA!
United Tool and Mold was awarded the 2024 AMBA Tooling Trailblazer of the Year Award,
established to recognize AMBA member accomplishments that have resulted in a notable impact in education. This company was recognized for its extreme involvement with local high schools and technical colleges – volunteering on multiple advisory boards, participating in career showcases and conducting plant tours to students, as well as to teachers and administrators. As a community leader that has continually shined a light on mold manufacturing and the opportunities that are available through local award sponsorships, a robust apprenticeship program and alignment with local community centers, United Tool and Mold truly exemplifies what it means to develop and empower the next generation of mold manufacturers.
Nick VanderZwaag is the first winner of the Emerging Leaders Rising Star Award and was recognized both for his outstanding professional growth and his leadership displayed in the workplace. In addition to the execution of company-wide projects, such as spearheading the initial certification of the company’s first Quality Management System, ISO 9001, he has continually demonstrated key characteristics that exemplify emerging leadership in U.S. mold manufacturing. Examples include the integrity displayed in his work, a willingness to collaborate and connect with others, continued, proactive follow-through on projects, a pursuance of outside professional development and a continual desire and willingness to increase responsibility.
For more details on all three awards, including honorable mentions of other nominated 2024 Emerging Leaders, visit AMBA.org.
