Gilchrist Foundation Awards 2022 Scholarships

By fluentdesigns Uncategorized 0 Comments

June 20, 2022

The Gilchrist Foundation has awarded four scholarships from the 2022 applicants.

Congratulations to the recipients. We wish them well and are pleased to assist them with their education. They are as follows and their sponsoring companies;

Kyndal Shannon, Hercules Bolt

Issayana Camacho, Kanebridge Corp

Myles Prodoehl, Valley Fastener Group

Maxton Blackburn, Hanger Bolt & Stud

Robbie and Gina Gilchrist established the Gilchrist Foundation Fastener Scholarship in 2000. Their goal was to return something to an industry that was very good and supportive to them. The Gilchrist Foundation invites any person wanting to further their education to apply for the scholarships. Applicants can be full time or part time students working in the industry or children of working fastener people. The Foundation has awarded 76 scholarships since its beginning!

About Gilchrist Foundation: Providing scholarships and leadership opportunities for persons engaged in or pursuing careers in the fasteners industry.

Origins of the Foundation:

In 1972 Robbie Gilchrist graduated from high school and took a summer job in the fasteners industry. He intended to go to college, but the summer job lasted 13 years until he ventured out to start his own fastener distributorship.

In 1985 Gilchrist refinanced his house, borrowed from friends and took out a Small Business Administration loan to start Capital Fasteners Inc. in High Point, North Carolina.

Robbie met his wife, Gina, while she was also working in the fastener business. As the fledgling company grew, Gina established her own career outside the industry to provide a household income while Robbie built the distributorship.

After great success, Gilchrist sold the thriving enterprise to Questron Technology, Inc. in 1999 after expanding the business to include branches in Chesapeake, VA, and Jacksonville, FL.

Robbie Gilchrist never did receive a four year college degree, but he and Gina decided to assist future students by forming the Gilchrist Foundation. Scholarships are awarded to those who are already engaged in the fastener industry to continue their education. Children of fastener industry employees who intend to go into the fastener business can also benefit from the foundation.

As Robbie states: “We genuinely wanted to give back and give from the heart; we have enjoyed tremendous success and opportunity in the fastener industry, so it is only fitting for us to allow others to benefit.”

For additional information visit the foundation web site: www.gilchristfoundation.com