[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 3, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S5249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING KENTUCKY SMALL BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR, TOM CLOPTON

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Tom 
Clopton of Cave City, Kentucky, who has been selected as the Kentucky 
Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business 
Administration.
  Tom is the President and CEO of Tekno, Inc., a manufacturing company 
in Cave City. He started the company in 1989 with nothing more than a 
home computer and his personal savings. Today Tekno is a premier 
designer and manufacturer of material handling, factory automation, and 
specialty machinery systems for industrial applications.
  Tekno's success is remarkable. Annual sales have grown from $354 
thousand in 1989 to nearly $13.2 million in 1995. Revenues have 
increased nearly four thousand percent in just seven and a half years. 
This remarkable growth has resulted in Tekno being ranked as one of 
America's fastest growing privately owned companies for three 
consecutive years, 1994-1996.
  Not only have Tom's business and managerial skills fostered the 
growth of a productive company, his ingenuity and engineering skills 
have enabled him to acquire 13 patents from the U.S. Patent and 
Trademark Office. In addition, he has patents pending in both Canada 
and Mexico.
  And as any good boss will do, Tom attributes much of his success to 
his employees. He knows that happy employees are productive employees 
and he makes every effort to ensure that Tekno provides a pleasant 
working environment. In return, his employees take pride in their job 
and are quick to volunteer for extra hours when urgent tasks need to be 
completed.
  And finally, I want to say that Tom's dedication and commitment to 
his customers, employees and community sets an example for every small 
business. I am happy that Tom is being recognized for all of the good 
work he has done. I congratulate him on this significant accomplishment 
and wish him many future years of success.

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