Ray Witt to Receive the 2003 AFS Peter L. Simpson Gold Medal
For IMMEDIATE Release/February 3, 2003
Contact: Lynn Moskal, lmoskal@afsinc.org
800/537-4237 x 223
Des Plaines, Illinois - In anticipation of the 107th Casting Congress, April 26-29, in Milwaukee, the American Foundry Society (AFS) has announced the 2003 Gold Medal recipients. Ezra L. Kotzin, vice president engineering services (retired), American Foundry Society, will receive the Thomas W. Pangborn Gold Medal and Ray H. Witt, chairman, CMI Management Services, Inc., will receive the Peter L. Simpson Gold Medal.
Kotzin is being awarded the Pangborn Gold Medal "for recognition of over 60 years of dedicated service, leadership and the willingness to share his lifetime of experience for the benefit of the metalcasting industry." The Pangborn Gold Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions in education and sharing of knowledge within the industry.
Kotzin began his foundry career in 1942 at Buffalo Metals, Buffalo, New York, as a metallurgical engineer recently graduated from the Univ. of Rochester. After stints at several Buffalo area foundries, he joined the Bonney Floyd Co., Columbus, Ohio, in 1957 as a metallurgist where he took part in one of the first production successes of castings for nuclear applications (submarine and power plant). In 1964, Kotzin joined American Colloid Co., Chicago, which was followed by a brief stint at Howard Foundry Co., Chicago, before joining AFS in 1970 as vice president of engineering services. He remained with the Society until his retirement in January 2002.
"It is a privilege to be a foundryman and to have worked with people dedicated to the art and science of metalcasting," said Kotzin.
Witt is being awarded the Simpson Gold Medal "for future thinking leadership and innovation in technical and management methods as well as boundless support and service to the metalcasting industry." The Simpson Gold Medal is awarded for outstanding contributions in promoting public esteem or service that reflects credit on the metalcasting industry.
Witt began his foundry career at Lake City Malleable Iron Co., Cleveland, in 1949, which was followed by a stint at Cadillac Malleable Iron Co., Cadillac, Michigan. In 1957, Witt began his own firm, Ray H. Witt Industries, in Detroit. In 1960, he founded another firm, Cast Metal Industries, Inc., into which Ray H. Witt Industries was merged in 1974.
In 1983, Cast Metal Industries changed its name to CMI International, Inc. to better recognize its activities. In 1999, CMI International was sold to Hayes-Lemmerz International. At its apex, CMI International consisted of five foundries, three machining and assembly centers, two polymer molding complexes and a technical center.
Since 1999, Witt has been chairman of his consulting firm, CMI-Management Services, Southfield, Michigan. Witt is a past president of AFS, the Ductile Iron Society, the Foundry Educational Foundation and the Iron Casting Society. In 1997, he was named the Master Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Michigan.
As the metalcasting industry's highest honor, the AFS Gold Medals are bestowed annually at the AFS Casting Congress to industry leaders who have made the greatest difference through outstanding technical, engineering, research, management, service and education contributions. There are six medals in all-William H McFadden, Joseph S. Seaman, John H. Whiting, John A. Penton, Peter L. Simpson and Thomas W. Pangborn-but each one is not awarded every year. The AFS Board of Awards makes its selection based on nominations from the metalcasting industry.
The 2003 Gold Medals will be presented at the Annual Banquet of the 107th AFS Casting Congress.
Headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, AFS is a not-for-profit technical and management society that has existed since 1896 to provide and promote knowledge and services that strengthen the metalcasting industry for the ultimate benefit of its customers and society.
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