SparkForce Names 2025 Award Recipients
By Staff Report | October 23, 2025
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Future of Industry Awarded to Grayslake Community High School D127
SparkForce, The FMA Foundation, held its annual Awards Gala in Mount Prospect, Ill. on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. Presented by AMADA AMERICA, INC., the Awards Gala recognizes those who are passionate about manufacturing and are committed to securing the industry’s future by developing a robust skilled workforce. The SparkForce board of directors proudly presented three awards honoring its most outstanding contributors.
Alro Steel, a distributor of metals and performance plastics headquartered in Jackson, Mich. received the Impact on Industry award for its philanthropic spirit, strategic investments, and people-first culture, exemplifying what it means to be a true partner in workforce development. Other Impact on Industry nominees included Georgia Trade School and Laser Precision, LLC, a Weller Metalworks Company.
Carlos Borjas, Group President at Reliance, Inc., received the Power of Industry award in recognition of his unwavering commitment to FMA and the metals manufacturing industry. Anthony Barnes of Alro Steel and Eric Borman, Progressive Metal Manufacturing Company, were named as other Power of Industry nominees.
Grayslake Community High School District 127, a leader in hands-on learning and career exploration in northern Illinois, received the Future of Industry award for its successful, student-centered, and sustainable Summer Manufacturing Camp program. Other Future of Industry nominees were McHenry County College and Walters State Community College. Congratulations to all of the award winners and nominees!
The creativity of student and professional artisans was on display during the evening’s Art Auction. Many of the items were designed and made by participants of SparkForce-funded Summer Manufacturing Camps. Guests also enjoyed a look back at the impacts SparkForce programs have made over the last year, as well as networking and dancing.
The generosity of the metal manufacturing industry and SparkForce’s supporters knows no bounds, and the event raised over $145,000 that will help advance the foundation’s mission of attracting, developing, and engaging the next generation’s manufacturing workforce!
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Staff Report
The Fabricators and Manufacturers Association is where thousands of manufacturing professionals unite — individuals, businesses, students — under a common purpose: grow the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industries. To do it, we've built a workforce lifecycle that supports individuals and businesses at every point in their development. Ensure they flourish. Get better at what we do, give back to our community. Expand our skills, our businesses, and our careers. Pave the way forward, with fresh ideas and technologies.
Side by side, we move metal fabrication forward.
FMA unites thousands of metal fabrication and manufacturing professionals around a common purpose: to shape the future of our industry, and in turn shape the world.
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