East Central College has received what is believed to be its largest donation to date, a $250,000 gift from Ace Manufacturing and Parts Co. in Sullivan.The donation was made to the ECC Foundation’s Building for Success campaign — An Initiative for Tomorrow’s Workforce — which is raising money to help the college renovate the former Gala Center adjacent to its main campus in Union into a Business and Industry Center.The new 22,000-square-foot center will house the precision machining, industrial engineering technology and HVAC programs. The Center for Workforce Development also will be located there, as well as a welding lab for noncredit training and support of other credit programs.The college plans to name a lab in the new center after Ace in recognition of its gift. The building is expected to be completed in late September.The foundation is seeking to raise $1.2 million for the renovation project. Tax credits are available to individuals and corporations who want to contribute.Investment Kevin Ijames Sr., Ace president, said he believes the donation is an investment not only in his business, which utilizes ECC for training and when seeking skilled employees, but an investment in youth, the community and the manufacturing industry.Ijames said the new center will allow local youth and adults to receive the training necessary for manufacturing jobs in the area.Skilled workers are sorely needed for manufacturing, HVAC and industrial arts, he said.Ace employees have graduated from ECC’s associate degree programs in both precision machining and industrial engineering. Kevin’s wife, Diana Ijames, Ace public relations director and an ECC Foundation board member, said the company is extremely excited and proud to partner with ECC on the project.“This type of center is something I always hoped would happen and to see it happening is really a dream come true,” she said.ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said he’s deeply grateful for this investment in the college’s students.“We are thrilled about this commitment from Ace Manufacturing and the Ijames family,” Bauer said. “This project is based on the need to provide highly qualified, highly skilled and highly needed graduates in these career and technical programs. This commitment, the largest in the college’s history, shows that our employers share this vision.”Shannon Grus, ECC Foundation executive director, said the Ace donation is the largest gift received so far in the Building for Success drive.“This gift is truly a testament of the commitment the Ijames family has to not only ECC, but to manufacturing in our community,” Grus said. “We are so grateful for their incredible generosity and their continued support of our students, faculty, facilities and programs.”Ace also has an endowed scholarship with the Foundation that was established several years ago.Ace produces and sells clutches for heavy duty trucks and performance vehicles. The company has been in business since 1967, moving from St. Louis to Sullivan in 1979.Ace was founded by Carl Ijames and is still owned by the Ijames family. In 1987, the Ijames family acquired Rokwell Industries which does metal stamping and laser cutting. Both businesses are located in the same building in Sullivan. The company has about 125 employees.ACE