Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Sonny and Kathy Porter, shown here, have made Kimball their hometown since 2009. The Porter's live, work and play right here in Kimball and wouldn't have it any other way. They are active in many community events and organizations, have expanded their local business and their family while here.
After arriving in Kimball in 2009, Sonny and Kathy Porter proved their commitment to community growth and development through their service to Kimball and their local business. They both admit that they love this small town.
The Porters, parents of Zack and Natoria and proud grandparents to 14-month-old Braxton, were both born and raised in Cheyenne, Wyo.
The family has previous ties to the Kimball community, as Kathy's grandmother, as well as other family members, homesteaded here.
Kathy has childhood memories of the home west of town where she played with her sister in the house their Grandma Walker (an artist) had painted murals on the walls. Those early memories and the family connections played a part in their relocation here.
The couple have been in the contract manufacturing business since 1988 working part time and then full time in 1995. They created and began their business, Perfect Turning, Inc., in 1997 and in 2005 they received their Federal Firearms license.
They machine parts for the railroad industry, security gates, aircraft repairs, and for the missile bases at several different Air Force bases.
They do gunsmithing and custom firearms and sell other manufacturer's products through their firearms business, Autolok Industries.
"We customize pistols too," Sonny said. "Our latest build is a Rock Island .45 cal 1911 that will be auctioned off at the Pheasants Forever banquet on March 12. We machined the slide, added a compensator, match grade trigger, tuned recoil springs, press check window, VZ grips, and personalized it with the Pheasants Forever logo."
In the tradition of staying extremely busy and active, the couple have also purchased a handheld boring tool business in 2012, called Borzit Systems, Inc.
"We machine all of the parts for that, assemble the tools and ship them from here and then sell them all over the United States, Canada, and as far as the United Kingdom and Australia," Kathy added. "At our current rate of expansion we expect to be five to six times larger than we first came to Kimball. We expect our gun manufacturing business to take over a larger portion of the contract manufacturing along with online sales, retail servicing and we plan to build an indoor gun range. We have participated in the Plains Historical Society for their Farmer's Day gun raffle, the GigaByte project, and the Dead Eye Shooters (4-H BB Gun Shooters)."
The couple enjoys drag racing, airplanes, bowling and gun collecting and Kathy is drives a rear engine dragster in the Super Pro/Super Comp class.
In addition to their hobbies, their community involvement keeps them always on their toes. Both are members of the Kimball Rotary Club, where Kathy will serve as President-elect beginning this coming July. She also currently serves on the Kimball Hospital Board of Trustees.
Sonny currently serves as the President of the Kimball Lions Club and is on the Board of Public Works for the City.