FINKL STEEL’S CEO NAMED ‘MAN OF THE YEAR’
Illinois Institute of Technology’s Manufacturing Technology and Management (MTM) program will honor Bruce C. Liimatainen, Chairman and CEO of Chicago’s A. Finkl & Sons Co., as “Man of the Year,” at a special banquet May 9, 2003.
Liimatainen has been instrumental in helping Finkl, the world's leading supplier of forging die steels, plastic mold steels, die casting tool steels and custom open-die forging, successfully transition the more than century-old company from an old-line forge shop to a modern, quality-based specialty steel operation.
“There’s no question Mr. Liimatainen deserves this special recognition for his outstanding leadership at Finkl,” said Keith McKee, director of IIT’s MTM program. “He has set a new benchmark of success when it comes to applying modern manufacturing technologies.”
Starting at Finkl as a project engineer in 1977, Liimatainen was promoted to company president in 1988 at the age of 32. A registered professional engineer, Liimatainen is an IIT graduate and holds the distinction of being the youngest member ever of the American Iron and Steel Institute. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the IIT Board of Trustees.
Since 1996, MTM has held the annual award dinner to draw attention to noteworthy accomplishments in the world of manufacturing. The dinner will also recognize MTM graduates of 2002.The dinner will be held at the Renaissance Oak Brook Hotel, located off I-88 near the Oak Brook Shopping Center. The reception starts at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. For more information about the dinner and reservations, visit: http://www.mtm.iit.edu/events.html.
About Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois Tech, is a private, technology-focused, research university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, science, architecture, business, design, human sciences, applied technology, and law. One of 16 institutions that comprise the Association of Independent Technological Universities (AITU), Illinois Tech offers exceptional preparation for professions that require technological sophistication, an innovative mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit.
