The annual Clock Winding ceremony was held Oct. 6 at WAIโs headquarters in Madison, Connecticut, continued a long-time tradition that has never gotten old.
Introduced by WAI President Eric Bieberich, Bev Page took on the honored role of winding the stately timepiece. He well understood what this ritual meantโnot just for his organization, but for the broader wire industry. As a longstanding member of the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers of England, his talk prior to the winding of the clock covered a lot of turf.
Page, a long-time engineer whose past experience included serving as chairman of the U.K.โs Packaging Manufacturers Association, shared anecdotes of his colorful past, which included mentoring students and welcoming industry newcomers. He observed that ties formed through associations and the ongoing Wire Link Scholar program the WAI and Wire Workers share, last far longer than any one job or generation.
What echoedโa sentiment present in many past ceremoniesโwas his conviction that the clockwinding tradition goes beyond mere symbolism. That even in a digital age, the hands-on act of winding the clock connects people in ways that no virtual meeting ever could, reflecting the importance of tangible, shared experiences in the wire community.
Page captured the tradition as a unique experience, one that he hopes will not be forgotten or allowed to fade away. โYear after year, as representatives, we come to wind this clock not simply to keep it running, but to remind ourselves and each other that what was started in the aftermath of war is still alive in the everyday friendships and shared learning
we enjoy.
โIโve seen, time and again, how these exchangesโwhether between organizations or individual careersโbreed innovation, resilience and a genuine sense of belonging. Tradition isnโt about looking back; itโs about carrying forward the spirit of gratitude and camaraderie that first brought us together.โ
Pageโs comments were well received by those in attendance, which also included WAI 1st Vice President Dave Fisher.
