Have you ever pictured what it would be like to win something comparable to an Academy Award? Who would you thank if you were recognized on a stage in front of hundreds of smiling faces?  

Movie and television stars make it look so easy, right? I recently saw a 20-year-old video of Steve Carell accepting a Golden Globe for his Michael Scott role in “The Office.” He began by saying he had nothing prepared but that his wife had written a short speech for him, which she pressed into his hand as he left his seat. As he read it aloud into the mic, audience laughter quickly followed. First, a compliment as to how beautiful she was that evening. Then a tribute to her for giving him his wonderful children, despite the agony it cost her in labor. Then, a lavish thank you for her unwavering support of his career. You get the idea. She who writes the script controls the message! 

Winners of the annual AFS/Casting Source “Casting of the Year” (COTY) Contest don’t exactly get to make acceptance speeches, although some have given excellent paper presentations at the AFS Metal Casting Congress. But the absence of ceremony doesn’t mean there’s no glory in the winning. In fact, OEMs and their foundries recognized in the COTY competition are publicly showcased at the Congress event and celebrated in both Casting Source Magazine and Modern Casting Magazine, both published by AFS. We actually write feature articles about most of them, and I think our readers are inspired by the stories. 

Personally, I’m in awe of all the entries and the winners, whose casting specimens exhibit great feats of engineering prowess and ingenuity. And the industry notoriety is theirs alone to promote to their markets however, wherever, and for as long as they choose! In other words, bragging rights are pretty awesome and powerful. 

The 2025 contest is now officially open for entries, and we’ve printed an entry form for you to copy or tear out on page 21 of this issue. Please give it a good hard look and a good long think. I know there’s a lot of talented design, problem-solving, and solid foundry–manufacturer collaboration happening out there. Why not examine the best of what your team has produced and enter your casting project this year? You and your foundry partner could win Best All-Around Casting, Newcomer/Rookie of the Year, Best Example of a Casting Conversion, Achievement in a Small Foundry Business, or Best Innovation/Prototype.
The deadline to enter is January 31. Get more information at castingsource.com/casting-competition. I can’t wait to see what everyone sends in! Just let me know if you need help with a speech.