AccuTemp Announcement Differentiates Northeast Indiana Workforce from the World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 10, 2012

AccuTemp Announcement Differentiates Northeast Indiana Workforce from the World

AccuTemp Embraces Vision 2020s mission for Northeast Indiana to develop, attract and retain talent

Fort Wayne, IN - AccuTemp Products, Inc. has announced that 20 of its employees that took the prestigious Foodservice Equipment Industry Certification program examination passed on their first attempt. As a result, 40% of AccuTemp's employees at the world headquarters located in Northeast Indiana now have this accreditation-more than any other foodservice equipment company their size in the world.

At most companies, one or two motivated individuals prepare for the NAFEM CFSP Exam on their own time. With the help of Talent Initiative funding, WorkOne Northeast was able to work with AccuTemp to offer this advanced foodservice industry training to their entire corporate and support staff.

This type of regional collaboration between the private sector and workforce development and economic development organizations is unprecedented in Northeast Indiana and it continues to grow through the efforts of the Vision 2020 initiative and the mission it set forth for Northeast Indiana at the end of last year-to develop, attract and retain talent.

"AccuTemp's use of Talent Initiative funding through WorkOne Northeast is exactly the type of collaboration we need to achieve Northeast Indiana's mission of developing, attracting and retaining talent and securing our region's place as a top global competitor," said John Sampson, President & CEO of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. "Our talent drives our businesses and that is the primary reason we have focused our efforts on creating a demand-driven workforce. By meeting the needs of companies like AccuTemp, our economy and our regional employment will continue to grow."

Scott Swogger, President & CEO of AccuTemp (a newly minted CFSP himself) added, "As a rapidly growing business in Northeast Indiana, our goal is also to assist the community in which we operate by improving our ability to attract, hire and retain the most talented individuals in our area of the country. This investment, with the help of WorkOne Northeast and the Talent Initiative, will ensure our continuing success into the future as well as assisting the success of our community through the creation of highly trained and professionally certified individuals."

AccuTemp's 75-percent first time pass rate greatly exceeds the typical 45-percent pass rate for those taking the exam. In fact, 12 of the 20 scored in excess of the 90th percentile on the exam. Getting a passing grade on this examination is required to earn the prestigious Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP) designation with the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM).

"We are very proud of our employees. This level of participation, personal commitment and their impressive level of success are a testament to the quality of our Fort Wayne-based labor force," said Swogger. "Having the majority of our personnel CFSP certified will ensure that we understand the needs and challenges of our diverse foodservice customer base. I am proud to say there isn't another foodservice equipment company our size anywhere, with this many CFSP accredited employees."

Certificates were presented to all 20 employees earning their CFSP designation at a special awards presentation held on February 10, 2012 at AccuTemp's North Clinton Park Corporate Headquarters in Fort Wayne, Indiana. AccuTemp employees that passed the November 4, 2011 CFSP Exam include: Scott Swogger, Larry Cooper, Gary Seitz, Larry Wolf, Travis Airgood, Terri Babcock, Sharon Bryers, Jill DeArmond, Gary Frauhiger, Paul Gerding, Dalia Hessert, Tami Krause, Alyssa Lee, Linda Lee, Doug Myers, Rob Niman, Michael Teders, Angie Wagner, Stan Wenta Jr. and Don Peaks.



About AccuTemp Products, Inc.
AccuTemp Products, Inc. is a leading supplier of steam-heated commercial cooking and warming equipment to the foodservice industry. Founded in Fort Wayne in 1993, AccuTemp Products, Inc. is a privately held company known for the development of innovative new technology including: a steamer with a vacuum cooking compartment capable of producing steam at temperatures below 212-degrees F, the first boilerless steamer and steam-heated flattop griddles.

AccuTemp has earned awards and recognition for their advanced cooking equipment, including a 2001 Gas Foodservice Equipment Network (GFEN) Blue Flame Award; a 2002 Foodservice Consultant International (FCSI) Award for Distinguished Development; 2005 Electric Foodservice Council (EFC) Manufacturer of the Year; a 2007 TECHPOINT MIRA Award for Indiana Advanced Manufacturing Company of the Year; and another GFEN Blue Flame Award in 2010 for the development of their gas heated Evolution boilerless steamer. For more information, visit www.AccuTemp.net.

About NAFEM & CFSP
The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM) is a trade association with more than 550 foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers, providing equipment and support services worldwide for food and beverage preparation, cooking, storage and service. The Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP) certification program was created by NAFEM in 1987 to recognize industry professionals' commitment to continuing education and personal growth. Since its inception, there have been roughly 1,300 CFSP designations earned and maintained under the program. Of that number, less than 500 certifications are held by equipment manufacturer personnel. For more information, visit www.nafem.org/education-certification/cfsp.

About WorkOne Northeast
WorkOne Northeast is one of 12 Regional Offices of WorkOne Indiana, providing support services to both employers and employees in eleven Northeast Indiana counties, including Allen County and metro Fort Wayne.  WorkOne is charged with helping Northeast Indiana citizens improve their job skills and find the job to match those skills. WorkOne Northeast also offers Employer Services that includes help with candidate search, employee training and certification, plus an employer support toolkit that includes training grant opportunities. The Talent Initiative (TI) is a regional program funded by a $20 million dollar grant from the Lilly Endowment, with the goal of expanding the talent pipeline need to support growth of high quality jobs in northeast Indiana. For more information, visit www.WorkOneNortheast.org.

About the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership
The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership was formed in 2006 to help build a globally competitive economy in Northeast Indiana. It is a public-private partnership focused on generating business leads and building regional capacity through product development and effective regional collaboration. In 2010, the Partnership launched Vision 2020 to bring the region together around five key areas for economic growth: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. Through its combined efforts in business development and capacity building, the Partnership supports its 10 member counties: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells and Whitley counties. For more information, visit www.NEIndiana.com..

About the Talent Initiative
The Talent Initiative , established by a $20 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., is a 10-county regional program in Northeast Indiana focused on accelerating education and training initiatives in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The primary goals of the Talent Initiative are to increase the base of highly skilled workers to meet the needs of the defense/aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, while increasing job quality and reversing the current decline in regional per capita income. The Talent Initiative receives operational oversight from the Northeast Indiana Fund, a supporting organization of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership. For more information, visit www.TalentMadeHere.com.

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