Brasscraft Manufacturing Co., a leading provider of branded rough plumbing products, announced it has awarded the 2019 Robert M. Zell Award to Rohit Bhagat from its Novi headquarters. A longstanding tradition within the company for nearly 30 years, the Zell Award recognizes employees who exemplify the founder’s legacy, inspire trust with customers and advance its culture of excellence.

Bhagat, manufacturing engineer, has been a Brasscraft Mfg. Co. employee since July 2015. He joined the company after completing his master’s degree at State University of New York. In 2019, Bhagat was critical in supporting several product development and continuous improvement initiatives.

“What is unique about the Zell Award is that it is entirely peer-nominated,” said Tom Assante, president. “Rohit received several nominations, which speaks to both his contributions and the way he works with others. He truly embodies the spirit of the award and the culture we aim to promote in our company.”

The Zell Award nomination process begins each year in the fall, when the company seeks nominations from its more than 750 employees. An anonymously assigned committee individually reviews each nomination to collectively determine a recipient they believe best lives the company values. Winners are announced at the company’s annual celebration ceremony and receive an engraved plaque and monetary award.

“I will always cherish the memory of winning this award. It is really special to see my name recognized alongside the other winners and know it will be at Brasscraft forever!” said Bhagat. “I truly have a strong peer support system both here and outside of work, and I appreciate everyone for challenging, supporting and believing in me.”

In addition to Bhagat’s recognition, the company presented a Zell Team Award to its logistics team in Taiwan and certificates of nomination to an additional 39 employees at corporate and manufacturing locations across the United States.