Wetmore Tool and Engineering in Chino a leader in cutting tools

Wetmore also produces more adapted shank cutting tools for the aircraft industry than any one else in the world, Kurtz said.More recently Kurtz and the company were honored with the title of the Spirit of the Entrepreneur's 2013 "Corporate Entrepreneur"award for its high standards, attention to detail and quality control.Entrepreneurs and top business leaders across the Inland Empire were recognized at the event that celebrated "The Art of Entrepreneurship" at the Ontario Convention Center on Nov. 19.Spirit of the Entrepreneur organizers received 162 nominations this year. The list was narrowed down to 27 finalists in nine categories.Runners-up in the "Corporate Entrepreneur" category were Bruce Himes, president of Western Water Works Supply Co. Inc. in Chino Hills, and Roger Orton, general manager of the Chino-based Globe Plastics Inc.

According to the Spirit Awards program guide, under the direction of Kurtz, Wetmore has transformed from producing a commodity with little concern for quality and dependability into a world-class manufacturer with ISO, or International Standards Organizations, quality.Wetmore was nominated by Bob Velker, who is the Chino Airport business liaison and community outreach manager for the San Bernardino County Department of Airports."I've been in the aerospace industry for a long time and they have become the dominant player in the production of supplying these tools to aerospace companies," Velker said. "In this small town Chino, Wetmore is high on the food chain with a major world-wide corporation like Boeing. That speaks volumes and it's all because of (Kurtz)."

Velker said one of the ingenious ideas Kurtz has had as an entrepreneur is that he treats his employees to a real-world demonstration of Wetmore's tools by hosting the company's holiday party at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino."We're brining to life planes by using the tools that his employees make," said Velker, who volunteers at Planes of Fame.The cutting tool company has about 200 employees and expects double-digit growth and product line expansion beyond its current core markets.