From left to right: Aquathin Corp. founder Mitchell Lipshultz, President Bush, and Aquathin President Alfred Lipshultz '74.

A University of Kentucky alumnus has been honored by President Bush, U.S. Commerece Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and Director General Israel Hernandez for his company's excellence in exporting. Alfred Lipshultz, president of the Aquathin Corporation and a 1974 graduate of the UK College of Arts & Sciences, traveled to the White House to receive the Presidential E Star Award. Also present was his father and company founder Mitchell Lipshultz.

Alfred Lipshultz is a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board. His wife Debbie also attended UK, where she served as one of the first Wildcat mascots. The Lipshultz family recently initiated the Mitchell and Harriette Lipshultz and John and Lenora Scircle and Aquathin Corporation Endowed Scholarship and Faculty Retention Fund in Arts and Sciences.

“Exports create good high paying jobs and Aquathin is at the forefront of innovation and competitiveness," said Gutierrez.  “I commend Aquathin for contributing to last year’s record of more than $1.6 trillion, a 12.6 percent increase over the previous year, in goods and services exported.”

The Presidential E Star Awards are awarded for continued superior performance in increasing or promoting exports. Only previous recipients of the E Award are eligible. The period of consideration covers the most recent three years of export operation; it does not overlap any portion of the period covered by the E Award; and the level of performance must exceed that for which the E Award was given.  Since the inception of the E Award program in 1961, fewer than 300 companies have been honored with the E Star Award.

“Aquathin received the President's E Award in 1990 from George H.W. Bush and Secretary of Commerce Robert Mosbacher and is proud to receive the E Star Award today from President George W. Bush and Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez for recognition of our continued growth and support of American exports,” said Alfred Lipshultz.

Aquathin Corporation is a manufacturer of state of the art water purification, filtration and treatment systems, holding seven patents, and serving residential, commercial, industrial and laboratory markets in the U.S. and abroad.

Allison Elliott -- UK Public Relations