Winners of the Governor’s Exporter of the Year and Award of Excellence awards named

LAWRENCE, KS – Winners of the Governor’s Exporter of the Year and Award of Excellence awards were announced this evening at the Team Kansas banquet in Lawrence, Kansas. Team Kansas, an economic development group comprised of business leaders, economic development professionals and state officials, held their annual awards banquet following the day-long International Trade Day conference conducted by the Kansas Department of Commerce. The awards were presented by Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. along with Team Kansas officials.

The 2018 Governor’s Exporter of the Year award, which is presented annually to a single Kansas company in recognition of its excellent performance in international trade and outstanding international marketing, was presented to Schroer Manufacturing Company of Kansas City, Kansas. Commonly known by its Shor-Line trade name, the company is an international leader in the manufacture and sale of veterinary medical and related animal care equipment. With an extensive distributor network and affiliated operations in the UK and China, Shor-Line has a strong international presence.

Other Finalists for the Governor’s Exporter of the Year award include:

Extru-Tech (Sabetha)

Knit-Rite (Kansas City)

McFarlane Aviation (Baldwin City)

NorthWind Technical Services (Sabetha)

This year marks the 30th anniversary of this prestigious award.

The 2018 Governor’s Award of Excellence, the highest award given to a business by the state, was bestowed upon McFarlane Aviation, Inc. of Baldwin City. McFarlane Aviation, Inc. is a family-owned manufacturer of replacement parts for Cessna, Piper, Grumman, Beechcraft and Ag-Cat airplanes, as well as experimental, homebuilt and LSA aircraft. In addition to producing high-quality replacement airplane parts, McFarlane distributes a variety of general aviation products and accessories.

Other Finalists for the Excellent award include:

Boot Hill Distillery (Dodge City)

Liquid Art Winery & Estate (Manhattan)

Standard Motor Products (Independence)

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital (El Dorado)

“We value the entrepreneurs and businesses across our state that risk their capital to innovate and grow their dreams into successful businesses right here in Kansas,” said Governor Colyer. “Our goal is to help businesses of all sizes to be successful, whether by providing resources and workforce services or protecting Kansas businesses against burdensome rules and regulations.”