Feb. 6, 2017—Three employees from Axalta's Mount Clemens, Mich., facility received awards from Michigan State University Extension’s 4-H Tech Wizards program.

The Tech Wizards program focuses on building healthy mentoring relationships between caring adult role models and youth as they interact through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related topics and activities.

For the past three years, Gary Weaks (OEM operations quality manager for North America), Karen Putinsky (quality technician) and Kris Wright (chemist) mentored students at Mount Clemens Community Schools. For their efforts, 4-H awarded Putinsky and Wright with the Mentor Award and Weaks received the prestigious Mentor of the Year Award. 4-H also presented a Friend of 4-H Award to Jakob Schroeder, Mount Clemens plant manager on behalf of Axalta.

“Mount Clemens 4-H Tech Wizards has been tremendously impacted by not only the financial support Axalta has given the program, but also by the support it has shown to its employees as they continue mentoring in the youth program,” said Lisa Kelley, program coordinator 4-H Tech Wizards. “Kris, Karen and Gary are wonderful, dedicated mentors. Their consistent involvement with Mount Clemens Community Schools has provided a welcoming, learning environment for these students. The youth are excited when they come to 4-H Tech Wizards knowing that the mentors always bring fun projects to work on, which usually include a new power tool or chemistry experiment.”