PBN names inaugural Manufacturing Awards winners

TWELVE WINNERS have been chosen in Providence Business News 2014 Manufacturing Awards program, including Hope Global President and CEO Cheryl Merchant (pictured above) as the honoree in the Leadership & Strategy category. The dinner feting the winners will be held April 24 at Bryant University. / COURTESY HOPE GLOBAL
TWELVE WINNERS have been chosen in Providence Business News 2014 Manufacturing Awards program, including Hope Global President and CEO Cheryl Merchant (pictured above) as the honoree in the Leadership & Strategy category. The dinner feting the winners will be held April 24 at Bryant University. / COURTESY HOPE GLOBAL

(Updated, 2:11 p.m.)
PROVIDENCE – Cheryl Merchant, president and CEO of Hope Global, the Cumberland-based manufacturer of woven, braided and knitted narrow fabrics for industrial and specialty textile applications, has been named the winner in the Leadership & Strategy category of Providence Business News’ first Manufacturing Awards program.
Merchant earned the recognition for her continuing success in evolving the company initially known as Hope Webbing, a Rhode Island maker of cotton webbing, into an international manufacturer of shoelaces, parachute cords, weather stripping and lanyards, among many other products, for industries that include the automotive and footwear sectors.
Earlier this month, Merchant was named the New England Businesswoman of the Year and received the award at Bryant University’s annual Women’s Summit on March 14.
Merchant is among 12 winning individuals and companies that will be recognized at a dinner to be held Thursday, April 24, at Bryant University’s Bello Center.
Other winners in PBN’s newest recognition program are:

  • Blount Fine Foods, for Overall Excellence, more than 150 employees
  • Groov-Pin Corp., Overall Excellence, 50-150 employees
  • Evans Capacitor Co.. Overall Excellence, fewer than 50 employees
  • G-Form LLC, Emerging Manufacturer
  • Ametek SCP Inc., Exporting Excellence
  • Gannon & Scott Inc., Green Manufacturing Excellence
  • Igus Inc., Lean Manufacturing Excellence
  • Coto Technology Inc., Product Innovation & Design
  • The Plastics Group of America, Excellence in Safety Performance & Record
  • Banneker Industries Inc., Supply Chain Excellence
  • Hexagon Metrology Inc., Workforce Development & Productivity Excellence

Presenting sponsor for the initial PBN Manufacturing Awards program is RIMES, the R.I. Manufacturing Extension Service. Partner sponsors include BlumShapiro, Bryant University’s John H. Chafee Center for International Business, Executive Development Center and the Graduate School of Business, Hope Global and USI Insurance Services. The media partner is AM790.
For information about attending the PBN Manufacturing Awards dinner on April 24, click HERE.

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