Jay Phillips is Processing Manager at Valley Iron Inc. in Fresno, Calif. From 2002 through 2012, he also served as Operations Manager. In his current position, Jay is responsible for the day-to-day sales and operations of all plate processing. He manages and oversees the oxy-fuel, plasma, and water jet cutting equipment, including maintenance, compliance, and facility safety.

Jay’s interest in metal fabrication and manufacturing began in high school when he was in the Regional Occupational Welding Program and worked part-time at Paso Robles Welding.

When he began college at Fresno State, Jay began working part-time at Valley Iron, a business established in 1958 which has grown to be one of the largest independent family-owned metal service centers in northern and central California. Valley Iron offers a diverse inventory and has the capability to process flat rolled products in carbon, stainless, and aluminum.

Jay has been an active member of both the FMA and NBT boards since 2016 and has served in many capacities to the benefit of both boards during his tenure.

His focus on service extends beyond the operations in Fresno, Vacaville, Oroville and into the communities they serve, supporting the local high school robotics teams, contributing to projects at California State University, Fresno State, and several area junior colleges. Valley Iron also supports many community organizations. Jay enjoys volunteering for Boy Scout Troop 392 and offers the welding merit badge to scouts. He also provides shop tours to youths interested in the metal fabrication and manufacturing trades.

Jay stated, “It has truly been a pleasure to serve and a joy to contribute to the NBT Foundation. During my first term on the NBT board, Ed Youdell presented the President’s Challenge, which was to personally contribute a financial donation to the NBT Foundation. My wife and I believed in the metal manufacturing industry and the opportunities provided by the Foundation. Afterall, manufacturing and the steel business proved to be a successful and rewarding career for myself. The next year, I asked the owners of my company, Valley Iron Inc., to match our contribution and they agreed to follow suit.  My wife and I have also served NBT annually by evaluating scholarships for students who are interested in a career in the metal fabrication and manufacturing industry.  We have enjoyed serving and contributing to the foundation that provides opportunity for the next generation of entrepreneurs in the industry.”

Jay Phillips has been nominated for the Power of Industry award in honor of his contributions to advancing the metals manufacturing industry through his long-term involvement with FMA, NBT, and Valley Iron.

Jeff Schroeder has been employed at Illinois Tool Works (ITW) since 1990. ITW is a Fortune 200 company with over $14 billion in revenue that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. Welding, one of seven segments within ITW, has several US based manufacturing businesses including Miller Electric Mfg. and Hobart Filler Metals.

In his current position as segment director, Jeff works with each of the businesses within the welding segment and helps implement the ITW business model. This includes working with the business leaders and their teams on identification of end market opportunities; identifying and positioning their value proposition; and organizing and aligning their operations to provide world class manufacturing, which includes best in class deliveries, cost, and quality.

Jeff was elected to the Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) Board of Directors in 2019 and currently serves as the Board Chair. Jeff’s involvement with NBT has been instrumental in expanding the summer manufacturing camp program at Appleton Technical Academy (ATECH) and the inclusion manufacturing camp at VPI, both located in Appleton, Wis.  To show his support, Jeff frequently visits the camps and participated in a news interview conducted by WBAY in Appleton that generated valuable recognition for the inclusion camp program and the NBT foundation. Jeff is also a personal donor to NBT in support of NBT’s mission and vision.

Jeff Schroeder has been nominated for the Power of Industry award for his leadership of NBT and his personal commitment to expanding the summer manufacturing and inclusion camp programs to effectively showcase the careers available in manufacturing to the next generation.

Lisa Wertzbaugher is the Owner/Principal at Wertzbaugher Consulting and specializes in finance, sales, and strategy support for small and mid-size businesses. Lisa has over 15 years of progressive business development and sales experience, providing clients with consulting in areas such as sales, marketing, finance, and business operations.

Wertzbaugher Consulting primarily assists companies in developing and deploying growth strategies. Lisa’s experience includes development and execution of revenue strategies, national account management, sales and finance reporting, contract negotiation, and portfolio planning. Lisa spent 10+ years in the medical device industry working in sales, marketing, product development, and international business prior to working in manufacturing since 2013.

In addition, Lisa and her husband own Wertzbaugher Services, a fabricating and welding shop that also offers freight hauling in the Iowa City, Iowa area.

Lisa has been very involved with the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA) through the years, joining the FMA board of directors in 2017, where she continues to serve as a director. Lisa was appointed to the FMAC board in 2018 and serves as a member of the TPA Council and the TPA Advisory Board. She is a regular contributor to The Tube & Pipe Journal. Lisa frequently presents as a speaker, panelist, and session facilitator at FMA’s Annual Meeting and other industry conferences, workshops, and events.

Lisa is a steadfast supporter of Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT), giving of her time, talent, and personal treasure in support of NBT’s mission. She also is the Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission for her county and is a volunteer advisor for her County Fair Board on finance strategy.

Lisa Wertzbaugher has been nominated for the Power of Industry Award for her leadership and dedication to the manufacturing industry and continued involvement in NBT. Through her work, Lisa has made a profound impact on manufacturers throughout the industry by influencing positive change for their businesses, while at the same time championing the mission of NBT to attract the next generation of manufacturers to the industry.

The Nestlé company’s history began in 1866 with the foundation of the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. Around the same time, Henri Nestlé invented a breakthrough baby food in 1867, and in 1905, the two companies merged to form what was then known as the Nestlé Group.

In the 1980s, Nestlé began a shift towards health and wellness and in 2000 began the Sustainable Agricultural Initiative Nestlé (SAIN) to promote collaboration with farmers. The SAIN project was followed by the launch of the Nestlé Cocoa Plan and Nescafé Plan to help develop sustainable supply chains. In 2017, Nestlé stepped up their sustainability aims by committing to recycling packaging and net zero emissions.

Nestlé believes that young people are the future and are the entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow. The Nestlé Needs YOU initiative aims to help young people gain access to apprenticeships, traineeships, and job opportunities – empowering them with skills they need to thrive.

Nestlé is also bringing businesses together in support of youth. The Global Alliance for YOUth initiative has helped millions of young people find jobs, thrive in the workplace, or start a business. Led by Nestlé, the alliance of 25 like-minded companies provides training, nurtures young entrepreneurs, and offers first job opportunities with a goal of providing opportunities and a platform for young people.

Nestlé USA became involved with Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT) in 2022. The emphasis of the Nestlé Needs YOU initiative fit perfectly with NBT’s summer manufacturing camp and inclusion camp programs. A beneficial partnership was formed as Nestlé USA became the national sponsor of NBT’s summer manufacturing camp program, as well as a sponsor of the inclusion camp program.

Nestlé USA has been nominated for the Impact on Industry award due to their ongoing efforts and support to attract the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. Their dedication to identify, nurture, and provide skills to qualified individuals continues to benefit the communities they live and work in, manufacturers, and students who will become tomorrow’s manufacturing workforce.

Peddinghaus Corporation has been serving the metalworking industry for over 110 years, beginning in 1903 when Paul F. Peddinghaus founded the company in Gevelsberg, Germany. The company started with 23 employees producing products like drop-forged anvils and hammers. Today the company has headquarters in Bradley, Ill., operations in the U.S., Germany, and Spain, and employs 200 workers worldwide.

Peddinghaus has pioneered many "firsts" in the structural steel industry, including tandem drill and saw systems, automatic coping systems, plate processing systems, and CNC layout marking systems. Peddinghaus continues to develop the world's leading CNC machinery by investing in a world class team of engineers.

Even though Peddinghaus is a modern, mid-sized corporation, they never forget that they are a family company. Peddinghaus has more than just a business culture, they have a family culture that starts with the commitment of the skilled craftsmen who build their machines and ends with customers all over the world.

Peddinghaus’ recognition of the need for a skilled workforce has led to the company’s involvement in the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA) and its foundation Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs (NBT). Peddinghaus is the long-standing active company member of FMA since joining the association in 1970. Beginning in 2013, Lyle Menke, CSO of Peddinghaus at the time, spent many years as a dedicated board member to FMA, culminating in his service as the FMA Board Chair from 2017 to 2018.

Peddinghaus recognizes that the skilled craftsmen who build their machines need to be nurtured and recruited, and to that end, has been a staunch supporter of NBT programs. To help attract the next generation of manufacturers, the company directly supports the summer manufacturing camp program to showcase welding careers to future potential manufacturers.

Peddinghaus Corporation has been nominated for the Impact on Industry award for their dedication to the steel industry and their continued involvement with both FMA and NBT. The company’s dedication to world class enhancements in the industry and the future workforce touches the lives of those in the manufacturing industry and beyond.

VOSS Industries began business in 1951 as a small shearing facility in the Flat Rolled Carbon steel market.  With mill contacts from buying steel for the Maritime Commission, Paul Voss and a handful of others opted to buy coils from the domestic steel producers.

After growing in size and staffing, VOSS changed gears to be a toll processing company for the robust automotive industry by providing pickling and slitting services along with JIT delivery options.  By becoming a toll processor, the base of their business would no longer compete with other service center companies in the market.  In addition, capital investment could be focused on state-of-the-art equipment and trained staffing. Today, two VOSS locations operate 5-7 days per week servicing automotive, appliance, and other flat rolled applications in the Detroit and Louisville, KY regions.

VOSS has been a member of the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA) since 1997. The company is also an active and long-time member with the Association of Steel Distributors (ASD), now known as the Association of Metal Processors and Distributors (AMPD).

VOSS Industries has been involved with the NBT Foundation since 2016 with annual donations of pickling services from both locations totaling almost $40,000 in market value to the Processors Auction, and online auction established by FMA’s Outside Processors Council, now part of the AMPD, to benefit NBT scholarships. Additional monetary and prize donations have also been provided for other NBT silent auctions.  VOSS, like so many other companies in the metals industry, see the benefits of training and educating the next generations to enable our industry to grow and prosper.

It has always been the philosophy of VOSS Industries that employees are a company’s most important asset, and their belief is that well-trained and motivated employees utilizing the best equipment can produce superior quality and service.

VOSS Industries has been nominated for the Impact on Industry award for their long-standing dedication to the steel industry and the customers they serve, as well as their philanthropic ties to FMA/NBT and NBT’s fundraising efforts.