Cohen employee receives ISRI’s Golden Wrench Award

Pictured above, from left: Manitoba Corp.'s Brian Shine, ISRI chair-elect,
presents ISRI's Golden Wrench Award to Forrest Matheny of Cohen.

The Washington-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has presented Forrest Matheny of Cohen, Middletown, Ohio, with a Golden Wrench Award for exhibiting outstanding efforts, achievements and contributions during a career in vehicle maintenance that spans more 25 years.

“Through a strong track record of safety, training background and mentorship of others, Forrest Matheny exemplifies the meaning behind the Golden Wrench Award,” says Commodor Hall, ISRI transportation safety director. “Not only does Forrest have the credentials that exceed the award’s requirements but [also] the strong testimonials from co-workers, customers and vendors on his behalf show him to be quality, caring human being that takes safety to heart. It is with great pleasure that we honor him with this award.”

Matheny has worked at Cohen since 1993. He serves as a shop supervisor with responsibilities that include all maintenance on the company’s fleet of equipment. In addition, Matheny purchases equipment and supervises a team of mechanics.

“The ISRI Golden Wrench award to me is more than being a great mechanic, it is about being a leader,” says Todd Will, transportation manager for Cohen. “Forrest leads by example with a strong work ethic and for reinforcing core values of respect, appreciation and dedication. Forrest’s safety record has been nearly perfect for his entire career. Forrest uses his experience and knowledge to mentor and to help train our company’s younger, less-experienced mechanics, drivers and managers. Forrest lives our mission every single day and has quickly adopted ISRI’s Circle of Safety Excellence’s mantra, ‘Safely Or Not at All.’”

To be considered for the Golden Wrench Award, nominees must be nominated by someone familiar with their work history, such as a supervisor or safety director. Nominees also must be full-time employees who have been employed by the member company for a minimum of one year and whose primary responsibility is to maintain commercial motor vehicles; meet the minimum requirement of five years of verifiable employment as a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) maintenance technician; have a minimum of 40 hours qualified medium/heavy and or auto/light truck maintenance training (within the last three years); have completed National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) medium/heavy truck and or auto/light truck test completion and current certification within the last five years; and hold a current commercial driver’s license (A, B or C class).

Additionally, a member company CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) vehicle maintenance performance score cannot exceed 60 percent (CSA Threshold 80 percent) or have a record of CSA intervention letters/alert notices within the past 24 months (in any of the CSA Seven Basics).

Other criteria taken into account in determining who the award goes to are contributions to improving company vehicle maintenance, letters of appreciation, deeds of heroism on or off the job and membership in civic and fraternal organizations.

The award was presented to Matheny at ISRI’s 2017 Convention and Exposition in New Orleans. In addition to travel to and lodging at the convention, he received a crystal award and a personalized certificate.