Lauren International CEO Named Rubber Industry Executive of the Year

Dec. 11, 2006

Kevin E. Gray, CEO of Lauren International, attributes success to employees

Kevin E. Gray, CEO of Lauren International Inc. has been named the Rubber & Plastics News 2006 Rubber Industry Executive of the Year. According to a column by Edward Noga, the publication’s editor, Gray was an easy choice because he is a dynamic leader in the rubber industry and is notably modest about his role in running Lauren Manufacturing’s parent company, Lauren International.

“Kevin is very deserving of this award having been dedicated to the success of Lauren since he started his career with the company,” said Lisa Huntsman, vice president of operations, Lauren Manufacturing. “His innovation and leadership have helped all employees of Lauren Manufacturing take this company to new heights.”

In selecting the recipient of the Rubber Industry Executive of the Year award, Rubber & Plastics News editors listed nomination criteria, including leaders who: make their company standout in the industry, achieve financial or other strategic goals, and foster an effective workplace environment that gets employees involved and productive.

At only 45 years old, Gray has led an accomplished career. A loyal employee of Lauren, Gray has served Lauren for more than 23 years and touched almost every aspect of the company and its subsidiaries, which include Lauren Manufacturing, Edgetech IG Inc., Lauren Mixing LLC, Lauren AgriSystems, Lauren Composites and Lauren Dairy. Prior to his role as CEO of Lauren International, Gray served as COO and president of Lauren Manufacturing and as president of Edgetech IG.

Regarding this accomplishment, Gray said humbly, “This is not my award, it’s an award that belongs to all employees of Lauren International,” he said. “It’s a wonderful honor to have my name attached to the award, but this all really speaks to the dedication of our employees and their ability to make Lauren a successful company.”

Under Gray’s direction, Lauren Manufacturing has shifted from traditional batch-and-queue manufacturing to lean operations in the past six years. The company has been doing so well ever since that it has almost doubled its revenue and received MANNY awards from Inside Business for its switch to lean manufacturing and the cost-saving benefits it brought to the company.

Outside of the office Gray is an active member of the community. For 16 years, he served as school board president of Indian Valley Schools and for 12 years as little league baseball manager throughout all levels of the Tuscarawas County Little League Baseball program.

About Lauren Manufacturing: Lauren Manufacturing is a full-service supplier of standard and custom extruded and molded sealing solutions. Lauren strives to deliver value to its customers through superior products and by combining operational excellence and exceptional customer service with unmatched speed-to-market. The Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lauren International Inc., located in New Philadelphia, Ohio. For further information, contact Lauren Manufacturing Company at 2228 Reiser Avenue SE, New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663. P: 800-683-0676 F: 330-339-1515 www.lauren.com.