Heidtman Employees Honored at Service Awards Dinner
08/14/2013 - The Heidtman Steel awards dinner was held 12 June 2013 at the Toledo Club in downtown Toledo.
The dinner honored northern region employees with 20 or more years’ tenure. A western region service awards dinner was held earlier in the year.
Individual awards are given for every five-year anniversary, starting with 20 years of service (attained in the previous fiscal year). Twelve people were honored for celebrating 20 years with the company. Three people celebrated 25 years of service, with another 3 people attaining 30 years. One person met the milestone of 40 years of service.
The evening culminated with the tables being turned on CEO John C. Bates, Sr. At the end of the award presentations, he was asked to take a seat while he was honored for his 50th anniversary with the company. He was then presented with the Allan W. Bates Lifetime Achievement Award, an award that he had initiated for longevity and service to the company. John’s award was presented by president Tim Berra and CFO Mark Ridenour.
Traditionally, this award comes with a celebrity style roast and then a presentation highlighting one’s contributions to the company. John was no exception. Not only was John celebrating 50 years with the company, but he is also celebrating his 70th birthday this summer. A video presentation was shown, with a "James Bond" theme that depicted John as "Agent 5070." The video first roasted him, then paid tribute to his accomplishments, vision, and leadership over 50 years with Heidtman Steel and 70 years of life.
In accepting his award, John elaborated on how blessed and humbled he was to be surrounded by the best people in the industry, and that he considered all Heidtman Steel employees as his family. He further told of how much he still enjoys working in the steel industry, to such an extent that he even gets speeding tickets on his way to work in the morning. John ended his comments with an invitation for all employees to join him in 50 years when he celebrates his 100th anniversary with the company.
Individual awards are given for every five-year anniversary, starting with 20 years of service (attained in the previous fiscal year). Twelve people were honored for celebrating 20 years with the company. Three people celebrated 25 years of service, with another 3 people attaining 30 years. One person met the milestone of 40 years of service.
The evening culminated with the tables being turned on CEO John C. Bates, Sr. At the end of the award presentations, he was asked to take a seat while he was honored for his 50th anniversary with the company. He was then presented with the Allan W. Bates Lifetime Achievement Award, an award that he had initiated for longevity and service to the company. John’s award was presented by president Tim Berra and CFO Mark Ridenour.
Traditionally, this award comes with a celebrity style roast and then a presentation highlighting one’s contributions to the company. John was no exception. Not only was John celebrating 50 years with the company, but he is also celebrating his 70th birthday this summer. A video presentation was shown, with a "James Bond" theme that depicted John as "Agent 5070." The video first roasted him, then paid tribute to his accomplishments, vision, and leadership over 50 years with Heidtman Steel and 70 years of life.
In accepting his award, John elaborated on how blessed and humbled he was to be surrounded by the best people in the industry, and that he considered all Heidtman Steel employees as his family. He further told of how much he still enjoys working in the steel industry, to such an extent that he even gets speeding tickets on his way to work in the morning. John ended his comments with an invitation for all employees to join him in 50 years when he celebrates his 100th anniversary with the company.
