Allison K Giddens, Win-Tech, Inc. (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 342)
The multitalented Allison Giddens, President of Win-Tech, joins John Ray to discuss how her firm serves the aerospace industry, the shortage of machinists and solutions to that problem, women in manufacturing, why adequate cybersecurity is so vital for manufacturers, and much more. “North Fulton Business Radio” is produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.
Win-Tech, Inc.
Win-Tech is an AS9100-Certified Aerospace Machine Shop located in Kennesaw, Georgia, making parts per customer specification. Win-Tech serves to provide special tooling and precision machining for a wide range of industries and applications. In pursuit of this goal, they subscribe to the following principles:
• Meet or exceed our customers’ expectations and all other relevant requirements;
• Achieve continual improvement of our overall operations;
• Establish measurable objectives to facilitate and drive improvements
Whether producing single pieces or high volumes, they give each project their full attention. Their quality control process conforms to what many contractors and companies still refer to as MIL-I-45208A.
Close tolerance manufacturing is their specialty. Their precision measuring and gauging equipment includes a CMM, digital optical comparator and a wide range of height gauges, micrometers, thread plug and ring gauges, along with gauge blocks and standards, all independently calibrated on a periodic basis and traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Allison K Giddens, President, Win-Tech, Inc.
Allison Krache Giddens worked for small business manufacturer Win-Tech, an aerospace precision machine shop, for 14 years, before buying the company in 2020. She and her business partner, John Hudson now serve as Co-Presidents, and the company is now both veteran-owned and woman-owned.
She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia, a Masters in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, a Masters in Manufacturing from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Finance from the University of Georgia. She also holds certificates in Google Analytics and a Certificate of Cybersecurity Risk Management from Harvard online. Allison is actively involved in local workforce development and industry groups, including Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation Board, Georgia Department of Education’s CTAE Advisory Board, the Cobb Chamber of Commerce, and LiveSAFE Resources.
Allison founded the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and currently serves as Vice-Chair. She is the recipient of the Georgia Manufacturing Alliance’s 2016 Frontline Leadership Award and the August 2016 Georgia Tech MEP Face of Manufacturing. She was recognized as a 2017 Woman of Excellence by Metalforming Magazine and a 2018 liveSAFE Resources Woman of Achievement and was chosen as a member of the 2019 UK Department of Trade delegation to “STEM the Gap” where she met several colleagues “across the pond” and continues to foster friendship and shared resources to encourage others to enter manufacturing.
Allison was honored by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Cobb Executive Women as the 2019 Woman of Distinction and received the Chairs Award from the Leadership Cobb Class of 2019 for her volunteer work. She also led efforts that resulted in Win-Tech being named a 2020 Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year. In 2021, she serves as the volunteer Industry Credentials Chair for Georgia Department of Education CTAE (workforce development) initiative.
Most recently, Allison received the August 2020 “Another Level Blue Devil” recognition from Marietta High School for involving MHS students in an Advanced Manufacturing Virtual Internship (AMVI), created as a response to the pandemic and the inability to bring students on-site. In January 2021, she partnered with Parallel, Inc. and industry colleagues to bring AMVI to the neurodiverse community. Allison runs The Dave Krache Foundation, a non-profit that helps pay sports fees for local kids in need. She was honored as an MLB Atlanta Braves 2019 Community Hero.
Just for fun, she has performed stand-up comedy at the Atlanta Punchline. She lives in a suburb outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her ever-patient husband and their two energetic cats.
Questions and Topics in this Interview:
- Manufacturing as an industry in Georgia
- Cybersecurity focus in the industry of manufacturing
- Encouraging women to consider a career in the manufacturing industry
- Workforce development
- Virtual internship creation as a result of the pandemic
North Fulton Business Radio” is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.
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