The Catalyst Awards are awarded annually, since 2005, by Southwest Michigan First to honor companies in Southwest Michigan as “Catalysts for Economic Success” that have contributed to our region’s economic development efforts.
2011 Winners
For 2011, we honored 11 companies and our Community Partner of the Year, Schupan & Sons, for partnering in the creation of jobs and making private investment in Southwest Michigan.
The companies and their contributions were announced on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, at a ceremony held at the Southwest Michigan First offices in downtown Kalamazoo. Southwest Michigan First Chief Executive Officer, Ron Kitchens, presented the awards to each recipient.
Honorees were each presented with 'The Catalyst,’ a beautiful hand-blown glass sculpture created exclusively for this event by local artist Judith Konesni of Tidal Wave Glass.
2011 Catalyst Award recipients include:
- Albemarle Corporation
- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.
- Bunting Bearings, LLC
- CeeTox, Inc.
- Harold Zeigler Auto Group
- Imperial Beverage
- Maine Plastics, Inc.
- MANN+HUMMEL USA, INC.
- Stryker Corporation
- Tekna, Inc.
and... - Schupan & Sons, Inc. – Community Partner of the Year