Highlands College Wins Grant from the Gene Haas Foundation

Highlands College has been awarded a $15,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to support the Machining Program. The check for the grant award was presented by Mr. George Cobb, the local Haas representative, to Highlands College Machining Technology faculty member, Mr. Tony Patrick.

“It is my understanding that in the next decade there could be as many as 2 million unfilled manufacturing jobs,” said Tony Patrick, Machine Technology Instructor and Chair of the Trades & Technical Department at Highlands College. “This generous grant from the Gene Haas Foundation will help our students work with state-of-the-art machine tooling and be successful in securing a high-skilled, high-paying career in manufacturing.”

Gene Haas started Haas Automation, Inc. in 1983 and it has grown to a billion dollar company. His corporation is one of America’s leading manufacturers of CNC machines and tools. Having grown up in a strong, socially conscious family, Mr. Haas was motivated to create the Gene Haas Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to fund the needs of deserving charities. To date, the Haas Foundation donated over $38 million dollars to more than 1200 organizations. One of Mr. Haas understandable interests is the manufacturing industry – and thus the connection to the Machining Technology Program at Highlands College.

“Many of our faculty have strong relationships with the industries in their disciplines,” said Dr. John M. Garic, Dean of Highlands College. “It is because of the long-time, strong relationship which Tony Patrick has had with the Haas CNC machines and their rep, George Cobb that we came to know about the Haas Foundation and their history of grant support of manufacturing education. On behalf of all of the students, faculty and staff at Highlands College, I want to thank the Haas Foundation and Mr. Cobb for their wonderful support of our efforts.”

For any further information about this issue or any issue pertaining to Highlands College, please contact Dr. John M. Garic at 406-496-3714.