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March 4, 2010

Papé Material Handling Honored

Papé Material Handling Inc., recently became the first recipient of Washington State Jail Industry Board’s (JIB) 2009 Civic Champion Award. The award recognizes Papé’s commitment to social investment and its support of Yakima County’s Department of Corrections. In addition, Ken Pollard, Papé Material Handling’s general manager for Wenatchee, Yakima and Tri-Cities branch locations, received the Washington Correctional Association’s 2009 Citizen’s Award.  

Papé Material Handling’s Yakima branch made a commitment to the Yakima County Jail to donate a forklift and to service and maintain it for 3 years.  The forklift is used in an education program that helps inmates get the training required to find employment once they’re released. Pollard coordinated fulfillment of the request for equipment and staff donations from JIB on behalf of the Yakima Valley Justice Center, which is located across the road from the Papé Material Handling Yakima branch. 

“We saw this as one of the best opportunities to make a positive impact in the community,” said Pollard, a Papé employee for more than 35 years. “I was very surprised and honored to receive the Citizen’s Award. I’m proud of Papé because they help us do great things like this.”

Dean Mason, executive director of JIB, initially contacted Pollard to discuss the jail’s need for a forklift, a lack of adequate funding and Papé’s close proximity to the jail.  He says that, by all accounts, the training program has become a huge success.

“It was amazing to me that Ken immediately understood the need and promised to take our request to the company leadership,” said Mason. “Ken not only understood our desire to obtain a forklift, he intuitively recognized the importance of incarcerated individuals receiving training that has the potential to end the cycle of those individuals returning to jail time and again.  From the first conversation on, Ken demonstrated his belief that he worked for a company that cared not only for its business transactions and customers, but also for the health and safety of the community as a whole. Papé stood behind that belief and commitment.”