The Perry County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting on December 19 for the first local student-led manufacturing facility, Commodore Manufacturing. Commodore Manufacturing is 100% student-led and operated; the business plan was created by students in the business pathway and the HIRE Manufacturing students are responsible for the customer interactions, quality, production, marketing, payroll, and safety components of the business. JASPER Vice President of Logistics, Luke Bawel, spoke to the crowd, which included school officials/administration, local and state elected officials, Perry County business leaders, as well as representatives from Waupaca Foundry and JASPER.

JASPER® and Waupaca Foundry has partnered with Perry Central to design an educational pathway for manufacturing careers, providing real hands on experience which is accredited by the state to provide high school and college credits. Commodore Manufacturing has adopted JASPER’s lean principals, including a Management Board which tracks trainings and orders. Commodore Manufacturing is currently a supplier for Jasper Innovative Solutions and Bawel shared that he foresees the student-led business partnering with other JASPER divisions in the future.