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SUMMER UAUTY RST CLOTH Perspective THAD WILLIAMS Memorial Day was Family Fun Day in Clinton and Geneva. I was in Clinton and wit nessed almost 5,000 Associates and their families having a great time. From the accounts I have received, the festivities in Clinton and Geneva were a “whopping” suc cess. Our thanks go to the Team members in Clinton and Geneva who planned and organized Fun Day — congratulations for a job well done. The real strength of our Company stems from the pride our Associates have in themselves, in their Company and in their community. Our Associates are proud to be a part of a Com pany whose Mission Statement recognizes them as our “most valuable asset” and asks for their participation in striving to become the “preferred supplier” in all of our markets. Our prod ucts are diverse, but our Associates have a common sense of pride which makes them distinct. Regardless of whether they live in the Carolinas, in Alabama, New York or elsewhere, our Associates are not only involved in their jobs, but m their communities. I am proud that our Associates at all levels have leadership roles in our communities. I commend these individuals for con tributing their time and talent to make their communities a bet ter place to live. Whether you are serving as an elected official or as a volunteer, or participating as a member of a civic club, you are giving something back and that improves the quality of life for all of us. The volunteer work being done by many of our Associates in the field of education deserves special men tion. Education is extremely important to us as a Company, to our communities and to our Associates. Not only do we as a Company need more proficient Associates to operate sophisticated equipment, our Country needs a more literate society to overcome the suspicions and misunderstandings which cause distrust and public unrest. Fun Day in Clinton gave me the opportunity to see how many young people are in the families of our Associates. We need to do everything we can to encourage our young people to stay in school, get themselves an education and thereby better their chances for a quality life. I also applaud our Associates who, on their own initiative, have taken advantage of our Education Enrichment Program. This program, together with our emphasis on operator and management training, combines to offer our Associates greater opportunities in the increasingly complex manufacturing en vironment which keeps us competitive in the world market. It is never too late to learn, and, if you have not availed yourself of additional educational opportunities, I hope you will do so. Clinton Receives An Award And Celebrates A Safety Success Jim Raleigh, President Clinton Mills Sales, receives the A.T.M.I. National Award for “The Most Improved Safety Record” from Neil H. Hightower, President, Thomaston Mills, Inc. and past president of A.T.M.I. Jim Raleigh, President of Clinton Mills Sales, received an award on behalf of Clinton Mills from the American Textile Manufac turers Institute for the most improved safety record. Neil H. Hightower, President, Thomaston Mills, Inc. and past president of A .T. M. I., presented the award to Raleigh at A .T. M. I .’s annual convention. With the company’s continuing emphasis on safety and safety awareness among all Associates, this award is a significant achievement on a national scale. The pride in this recognition is rightfully shared throughout the organization. Every Associate has contributed to the reduction in the number of medicals and lost time accidents. The company has focused on safety programs involving inspec tions by safety committees, incentive awards for good safety performance, and increased Asso ciate involvement in all phases of accident prevention. A banner, “First In Safety Na tional Winner” will be raised at each Clinton location to symbolize the company’s continuing commit ment to plant and Associate safety. The first banner raising ceremony was conducted by Lydia Plant Manager Joe Nelson and the Lydia Safety Committee Team. Joe Nelson, Lydia Plant Manager and members of the Lydia Safety Team mark Clinton’s National Safety Award at a banner raising ceremony. Stone Manufacturing PRAISES CLINTON In a recent tour of Stone Manufacturing’s Columbia plant, Clinton management and staff were pleased to receive very positive comments from Stone representatives. Stone officials stressed Clinton’s reputation for productive partnerships with emphasis on product development, deliveries and problem solving. Stone’s Director of Planning, Scheduling and Inventory Control, Sherri Franklin, stressed that “The partnership we have established with Clinton Mills is something we can go forward with. We are grateful to have a strong vendor relationship with Clinton.” The group, consisting of Stone and Clinton people, discussed the importance of quality and on time deliveries in the apparel market and the particular requirements Stone has of fabric producers and suppliers. During the tour, the group observed thousands of yards of Clinton fabric be ing cut and transformed into boxer shorts for distribution throughout the country. Ed Staggs is the Plant Manager for Stone’s Columbia operation. Josh Hamilton, Clinton Vice President of Operations, stated that while “our company has lots of flexibility in its production capabilities, we must look at the run length.” Stone’s Vice President of Manufacturing Gil Fickle praised the partnership saying “we hope as Stone’s business grows, Clinton’s will also.” Gil Fickle Ed Staggs Steve Wright, Joe Nelson and Albert Smith “The partnership we have established with Clinton Mills is something we can go forward with. We are grateful to have a strong vendor relationship with Clinton.” Sherri Franklin