MACON—Atlanta-based YKK AP America Inc., a designer and manufacturer of high-quality windows, doors and architectural products for the residential and commercial building industries, recently signed on as the inaugural Gold member of the new Mercer Corporate Partners Program with an annual gift commitment to support the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business, the School of Engineering and the Center for Career and Professional Development.
YKK AP recently opened its new Macon Advanced Manufacturing Facility (located in the I-75 Industrial Park) and chose to partner with Mercer as a sign of its increased commitment to the Macon-Bibb County business community and the potential to grow Mercer’s relationship with YKK AP’s employees in their Macon, Atlanta and Dublin locations.
Mercer has a distinguished history of developing corporate relationships with long-time partners such as Truist, Gulfstream Aerospace, Georgia Power, Trane Technologies and GEICO. These and other generous corporate partners have been tabbed as legacy members of the Mercer Corporate Partners Program.
YKK AP has agreed to be the inaugural member in a newly created program that provides partnership avenues for member businesses beyond just participating in Mercer career recruitment events.
President and CEO Oliver Stepe
“At YKK AP America, we are proud of our global reach, and we celebrate our local roots in Georgia,” said President and CEO Oliver Stepe. “Our investment in our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Macon is a sign of our confidence in and commitment to the local communities in which we live, work and employ local talent to design and manufacture industry-leading architectural products. We view relationships with educational partners like Mercer University as key to achieving our business goals and our company’s purpose to build a better society through architectural products. We are pleased to support the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business, the Mercer School of Engineering and Mercer’s Center for Career and Professional Development as we help to kick off the new Mercer Corporate Partners Program.”
Senior Associate Vice President for University Advancement and co-chair of the Mercer Corporate Relations Council Allen London said they are delighted to have YKK AP America as the inaugural member of the new Mercer Corporate Partners Program
“The 21st Century American corporation views partnerships with colleges and universities as critical to their long-term success, and not just from a talent acquisition perspective,” London said. “Companies are seeking university partnerships as a value-add to their workforce development programs, community relations efforts and work-life balance initiatives. Universities provide so many resources to a community, and Mercer has proven to be a tremendous civic partner to all of the cities where the University has a presence and with the firms in these areas, especially in Macon and Atlanta.”
As a Gold-level member of the Mercer Corporate Partners Program, YKK AP will be provided the highest access level at Mercer career events, membership in the University’s Enterprise Learning Partnership program—which provides special admission and tuition benefits to select Mercer degree programs—and other special student/faculty access with the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business and School of Engineering, including dedicated recruitment events, company representation on advisory boards, membership in The Executive Forum and participation in capstone projects.
Dr. Laura Lackey, dean and Georgia Kaolin Chair of Engineering, and Dr. Julie Petherbridge, dean of the Stetson-Hatcher School of Business, said that as the leaders of the two Mercer academic units benefitting from this partnership agreement, they are thrilled to welcome YKK AP into the Mercer family.
“Our relationships with local and regional corporations like YKK AP are critical to the success of our students,” said Dr. Lackey.
“Providing our business and engineering students special access to these corporate partners means they will be exposed to the latest in manufacturing technologies and business practices,” added Dr. Petherbridge. “We cannot think of a better way to prepare them for the world of work and their future endeavors.”
YKK AP America Inc. will celebrate the ribbon cutting of its new Macon facility on Tuesday, April 30, at 10 a.m., at 100 YKK AP Way in Macon. The new Mercer-YKK AP partnership will be mentioned by Stepe in his remarks at the ceremony.
For more information on YKK AP America, visit ykkap.com or contact Raymond Shelton at
(470) 755-1196. For more information on the Mercer Corporate Partners Program, visit corporate.mercer.edu or contact London at London_A@mercer.edu or (478) 301-4169.
About YKK AP America
YKK AP America Inc. is a leading manufacturer of award-winning commercial facade systems and residential windows and doors. Its purpose is to build a better society through architectural products. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, all building products are manufactured in the company’s world-class production facilities located in Dublin, Ga., Macon, Ga., and Lakeshore, Ontario. Together with its subsidiary brand, Erie Architectural Products (Erie AP), the company serves architects, glazing contractors, homebuilders, and resellers across the country. YKK AP America Inc. is a subsidiary of YKK AP Inc., a global architectural products company based in Tokyo, Japan. For more information, visit ykkap.com.
