PRADCO Fishing Dedicates Quality Control Test Tank & Area to Longtime Employees

More than 100 PRADCO employees, former employees and friends gathered on July 30 for the dedication of the Irvin-Hopson QC Tank at PRADCO-Fishing’s headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The 6,800-gallon tank, which is vital for lure development and quality control testing, was dedicated to two longtime former employees, Carolyn Irvin and Keiko Hopson, who had the same length of tenure at PRADCO.

“It’s amazing that they each had careers of 45 years at PRADCO. While Keiko has passed away and Carolyn has retired, their legacy will live on with this dedication,” said Bruce Stanton, general manager of PRADCO-Fishing. “Their names and the story of their lives will continue to impact others as they utilize the Irvin-Hopson QC Tank and area.”

Leading up to the dedication, the area was cleaned and freshly painted and decorated with signs representing PRADCO’s lure brands, photos of Irvin and Hopson and a plaque designating the Irvin-Hopson QC Tank. In addition, the tank was painted teal and yellow, their two favorite colors.

“Keiko and Carolyn were both well-loved team members during their time at PRADCO,” Stanton said. “Keiko had an incredible personality and was full of joy. She served on second shift for many years and was a mentor to so many people. Carolyn was an equally great mentor and trained many folks on the finer aspects of quality control. She also contributed greatly to the bowling community in Fort Smith and was a huge supporter of youth participation and events.”

Carolyn Irvin and Keiko Hopson both played a major role in quality control during their years at PRADCO. Irvin actually started when the company was still called the Plastics Research and Development Company and manufactured products that ranged from refrigerator parts to fishing lures. Hopson served roles in shipping, receiving, molding and painting, but her eye for detail ultimately led her to becoming a quality control specialist.