General Carbide Corp. Wins Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award
Greensburg, PA, March 7, 2011 - The Pittsburgh Chapter of The Society of Financial Service Professionals, in conjunction with the University of Pittsburgh's David Berg Center for Ethics and Leadership in the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, has honored General Carbide with the 2010 Business Ethics Award, Small Company Category. The Greensburg, PA-based manufacturer of tungsten carbide tooling for a variety of industrial applications prevailed over other entrants largely because Mona Pappafava-Ray, General Carbide's owner and president, repaid employees half of the wages or salaries they sacrificed to keep the company running throughout the recession.
"I am extremely proud of this honor," Ms. Pappafava-Ray told a luncheon gathering at the 10th Annual Pittsburgh Business Ethics Awards ceremony, held in the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh. "Producing high-quality products must be supported continually by ethical behavior throughout the organization, or the company will not thrive. Because our corporate culture emphasizes honesty in our dealings with one another, and with customers and suppliers, we have remained a leader in our field for more than 40 years. My father,
Premo Pappafava, who founded the company and passed away nine years ago, would have been so happy to see us with this award because ethics were at the heart of everything he did in business, as well as in his private life"
Ms. Pappafava-Ray proceeded to tell a story about her father playing golf with his best customer, who was about to move his ball out of the rough to get an easier shot down the fairway. "He said, 'If you touch that ball, you're out of the game.' In making that statement, he risked having the company experience financial difficulties. As it turned out, that incident increased the customer's respect for my father. When he told me the story, it confirmed the benefits of acting ethically in all aspects of life."
The Selection Process
Finalists for the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Awards were evaluated on criteria such as demonstration of executive commitment to business ethics, clear communication of ethical standards to employees, providing consistently high-quality products or services, and commitment to community and charitable involvement.
The judging team, comprised of students from the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, noted that General Carbide exemplifies an organization that displays "ethics in action." One judge commented that "the numerous and consistent stories presented showcasing ethical actions of the president/owner provide substantial support that ethical behavior is not just a vague value to endorse, but an expectation for employees, supervisors and the company itself to always achieve and promote. After reading the nomination form, I would love to work for this company because of its ethical and gracious behavior."
General Carbide will advance to compete for a national award, along with Consol Energy, which earned top honors in the large company category.
About the Society of Financial Service Professionals
The Society of Financial Service Professionals is a national network of more than 15,000 credentialed professionals in a variety of disciplines to help individuals, families and businesses achieve financial security. The Society has nearly 170 local chapters and is headquartered in Newtown Square, PA.
About The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business
The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business is the business school at the University of Pittsburgh. Ranked among the top business schools in the United States, the Katz School has approximately 200 full-time and 400 part-time MBA students, as well as 70 doctoral candidates. Established in 1960, the Katz School grew out of the College of Business Administration and became a founding member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It was among the first business schools to offer an executive MBA program.
About General Carbide Corporation
General Carbide Corporation manufactures more than 50 grades of tungsten carbide tooling for a variety of cutting and metal forming applications. The company was established more than 40 years ago and is headquartered in Greensburg, PA, near Pittsburgh. General Carbide employs more than 170 people and has annual sales in excess of $20 million.
For more information, contact Tom Shearer at 724.836.3000, x113 or 724.493.2436 (mobile). E-mail trshearer@generalcarbide.com or visit www.generalcarbide.com
