NTMA Member Titanova Earns 2012 Missouri Entrepreneur Award

NTMA MEMBER TITANOVA INC. EARNS 2012 MISSOURI ENTREPRENEUR AWARD
St. Louis, Missouri – The National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA) congratulates  St. Louis-based member John Haake, President of Titanova, Inc., for receiving the 2012 “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” at the Governor’s Conference on Economic Development, hosted by Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.  Titanova is a laser job shop that supplies material processing solutions based on diode lasers.  The company provides non-cutting laser process services such as laser heat treating, laser cladding and laser welding, serving customers in sectors from agriculture and energy to medical and aerospace.
The Missouri “Entrepreneur of the Year” award is given to an executive of a company with fewer than 100 full-time employees who demonstrates significant leadership in launching a new business, creating jobs through an innovative business concept, or developing a new technology or adopting an innovative manufacturing process.  The award cited Haake’s ability to develop and continually adapt “a high technology-based business plan to move his company into new applications and new markets.”
“We salute John Haake for this outstanding achievement,” said Dave Tilstone, President of the NTMA.  “Americans should be proud of the innovative spirit of John and so many others whose hard work provides jobs and economic activity in their communities and beyond.  Throughout the last few years, manufacturing has offered one of the few bright spots in the U.S. economy thanks in large part to the ability of entrepreneurs like John to innovate and adapt to challenging market conditions.  NTMA strives to support the growth of small businesses like Titanova that embody today’s cutting-edge, high-tech manufacturing industry.”
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About NTMA:
NTMA’s over 1,300 member companies design and manufacture special tools, dies, jigs, fixtures, gages, special machines and precision-machined parts. Some firms specialize in experimental research and development work as well as rapid prototyping. Many NTMA members are privately owned small businesses, yet the industry generates sales in excess of $40 billion a year. NTMA’s mission is to help members of the U.S. precision custom manufacturing industry achieve business success in a global economy through advocacy, advice, networking, information, programs and services.