February 10, 2015
With support from community and industry partners, the Aiken Technical College Foundation officially has met its $2 million Putting Knowledge to Work capital campaign fundraising goal to support the construction of the Center for Energy and Advanced Manufacturing. The support will allow ATC to build the new facility completely debt-free.
The $8.5 million, 36,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing facility under construction on the ATC campus will house the college’s mechatronics, welding, radiation protection technology and nuclear quality systems programs.
“We are proud to announce the successful completion of the Putting Knowledge to Work capital campaign, and we are so grateful to the many industry and community partners who recognized the value of this important facility and made the campaign’s success possible,” ATC President Dr. Susan Winsor said. “This facility and the results of the campaign are reflections of our community’s commitment to the economic vitality of our region and the employability of our citizens.”
ATC launched the Putting Knowledge to Work capital campaign in 2012 to raise required matching funds after receiving a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Contributors to the capital campaign represent a diverse cross section of area employment sectors, including manufacturing, nuclear, health care, business and many private donor and civic organizations.
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and the Bridgestone Trust made the campaign’s largest contribution, donating $250,000 toward the new facility.
In addition to the Putting Knowledge to Work campaign, ATC also received support from the Aiken County Legislative Delegation through a $2.445 million allocation secured for the center during the 2012 legislative session.
“The Putting Knowledge to Work capital campaign was a collaborative effort among many individuals, companies and organizations in our community who came together to support the future of Aiken County,” ATC Foundation Director Mary Commons said. “We thank all those who played a role in the success of the campaign, including our co-chairs, Mr. Fred Humes and Mr. Andrew Siders; our ATC Foundation Board of Trustees; our legislative delegation; community and industry partners; and our dedicated faculty and staff.”
ATC held a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility in July 2014. The facility should be complete in August.
“A skilled and well-trained workforce is the lifeblood of a community,” said Humes, who also is director emeritus of the Aiken-Edgefield Economic Development Partnership. “This new facility not only will provide a way for the residents of Aiken County to obtain new skills or reach a new skill level but also will ensure that, for decades to come, our manufacturers and businesses will have the best possible workforce.”
The Center for Energy and Advanced Manufacturing was designed by Greenville-based McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and is being constructed by Augusta-based contracting firm R.W. Allen. The facility will contain bays (labs), classrooms, a multi-use training space and faculty offices. The building’s flexible design will allow for easy changeover between spaces to accommodate evolving training needs in the future.
“The Putting Knowledge to Work capital campaign was a collaborative effort between many individuals, companies, and organizations in our community who came together to support the future of Aiken County,” said ATC Foundation Director Mary Commons. “We thank all those who played a role in the success of the Putting Knowledge to Work campaign, including our co-chairs Mr. Fred Humes and Mr. Andrew Siders, our ATC Foundation Board of Trustees, our legislative delegation, community and industry partners and our dedicated faculty and staff.”