The numbers are impressive enough. Honda Manufacturing of Alabama in Lincoln employs some 4,000 workers and is responsible for the produciton of four leading models, as well as every Honday V-6 engine sold worldwide. The company spends some $2 Billion annually in our state, with an overall economic impact estimated at around $ 4 Billion.

But what makes the company strongest of all, says Mark Morrison, is its people. Morrison is Manager for Corporate Affairs and Communication for HMA. He visited Rotary last Tuesday to speak more about the company.

Morrison told how recent turns of events had challenged the company, from the recession of 2008-08 to the tsunami in Japan to the April, 2011 storms. At one point the plant in Lincoln was simply shut down. There were no chips for the cars coming from Japan, and therefore nothing to produce. For some 45 days the plant and its people kept busy with other tasks such as training and retoooling.