For The RecordPROVIDED PHOTO EXCEL Industries CEO Paul Mullet announced his retirement last week. Mullet has been with Excel Industries for 45 years, serving as CEO of the company since 1991.

Excel Industries, on Jan. 18, announced President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Mullet will retire. Joseph C. Wright will join Excel Industries as CEO on Feb. 12. 

Mullet’s decision to retire comes after 45 years with Excel Industries, serving as president and CEO since 1991. He will remain actively engaged through March, assisting with Wright’s transition. Mullet also will continue to serve on the company’s Board of Directors, a role he has held since 1983. 

Mullet’s father, Roy Mullet, was a founding member of Excel Industries. Paul Mullet started as a welder at Excel in 1972, and progressed through a diverse range of roles with a variety of responsibilities within the company, including production supervisor, service manager, and VP of sales and marketing until his promotion to president. 

“Professionally and personally, now is the time for me to transition the leadership of Excel Industries,” said Mullet. “We’ve grown significantly over the last decade and we’re starting 2018 in a strong position. The entire leadership team is excited to welcome Joe as our new CEO and continue our growth trajectory.” 

By Jacquelyn Nelson

Hesston Record StaffHesston Record Graphic A BUS with 52 Hesston youth and adults, returning from Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp, were involved in an accident outside Stratton, Colorado (indicated right) that left the youth and adults stranded in in Burlington, Colorado until Tuesday. No youth were reported injured, however the driver was transported to a near-by hospital and later transferred to Denver for additional medical care.

Hesston youth arrived home safely after a bus accident in Colorado on Sunday, Jan. 21. The youth, affiliated with Whitestone Mennonite Church and Hesston Mennonite Church, were seventh and eighth grade students returning from Snow Camp at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. 

According to a release issued by youth leaders of both churches, “Just outside Stratton, Colorado, we came upon a semi that had jack-knifed in the right lane of the interstate. Without much time to react, our bus driver did his best to keep us as safe as possible on the icy roadway.  He did not swerve or hit the breaks too hard, but there was not time to avoid impact.” 

The bus collided with the truck, sending the bus sideways, blocking the interstate. 

“Vehicles behind us were able to stop without impacting the bus. But, we did see that there were other accidents and vehicles that had to go into the ditch to avoid stopped vehicles,” the release read. 

By Jacquelyn Nelson

Hesston Record StaffRECORD PHOTO PRESTIGE Printing installed a state-of-the-art ultra-violet light curing printer this month, allowing the business to produce prints 5-feet wide by 10-feet long and on nearly any surface.

Prestige Printing owner Norm Critchfield has added a significant upgrade to his print shop this month. 

Critchfield purchased a Hybrid LED UV printer which will allow him to print on nearly any surface with an area of 5-feet wide by 10-feet long. 

“The UV printing part, it is cured when it coms off. As soon as it comes past the print head, it’s cured, dried and ready to go,” he said. 

During the printing process, Critchfield said liquid ink is laid down, but UV lights, attached to the printer head, cure the ink as the head passes over the ink.  

Record StaffPHOTO PROVIDED BY NEALEE JOHNSTON THE comedy-mystery “Murder For Dummies” will premier at Hesston High on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. The second showing will be on Saturday, Feb. 3, also at 7 p.m. Actors have been in rehearsals since Jan. 1 on the play.

Hesston High thesbians will take the stage Feb. 1 and 3 in the play “Murder for Dummies” by Pat Cook.  In this comedy, character Myron Bernhart (Tanner Browne) attempts to follow every rule in the book when it comes to getting rid of his overbearing wife, Marge (Ally Weaver). 

However, like most murder plots, all does not go according to plan. 

Left with a dead body that is not his wife’s, Bernhart must then march through a parade of police and investigators. 

Director Nealee Johnston said this year’s production brings out creativity in her cast. 

Record StaffRecord Photo AMALA John took first place in the Hesston Middle School Spelling Bee on Friday afternoon. Eighth grade classmate Caleb Thompson earned second place and seventh grader Tyler Baldauf placed third in the competition.

When it came down to the final round of the Hesston Middle School spelling bee, chimpanzee was the winning word for first-place finisher Amala John. 

Spellers representing fifth through eighth grade gathered in the library on Friday afternoon to determine who would be eligible to move on the to Harvey County spelling bee. 

Students worked their way through words like Bollywood, sparsely, exasperation and marmalade to whittle away to the top three. 

In the final round, reprobate, annoyance, conspiracy, Hispaniola and chimpanzee determined the first - Amala Jon, second - Caleb Thompson, and third - Tyler Baldauf.