News Release
Contact: Sara Haimowitz, [email protected], 202.688.5145
CPA and Senator Mark Wyland Push Manufacturing Growth in California
The Coalition for a Prosperous America and State Senator Mark Wyland (R-38) gathered with business and community leaders in Brea, California on Wednesday, March 19th, to explore ways to grow manufacturing in California and the U.S. Topics discussed included ways to increase American production, create jobs, balance trade and address foreign government mercantilism.
“California is the biggest manufacturing state in the nation,” said Senator Wyland. “While we have lost nearly one-third of our manufacturing jobs in the last ten years, we have tremendous opportunities, with smart leadership, to reclaim those jobs. As the Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Job Creation and Retention, I am very interested in developing a responsible and effective strategy to return these jobs to our state.”
“There is increasing recognition across the country that we need to produce more of what we consume,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. “Successful trading and producing nations do not primarily rely on services and off shored supply chains. Event attendees agreed that California and the U.S. can create good-paying jobs and produce great products that will grow the economy and our prosperity.”
Local business leaders explained the challenges they face when establishing and expanding their operations. They included Nick Ventura (Co Founder, Venley by Youth Monument), Dana Mitchell (President, Advanced Mold Technology, Inc.), Tam Nguyen (President/Owner, ALVA Manufacturing) and Bob Lane (Founder and President, laneOPX). Michele Nash-Hoff, President of Electro-Fab Sales and Chair of CPA’s California Chapter, moderated the discussion among local manufacturers and outlined the recent trends in California manufacturing.
Dan DiMicco, CPA Board Member and Chairman Emeritus of Nucor Corporation, gave the keynote presentation. He stated that the key focus of the administration should be on job creation. With that focus the US could create millions of jobs and re-employ those who lost their jobs as well as absorb new workers coming into the workforce.
“We still have not recovered from the Great Recession, which was the worst in the last half century,” said DiMicco. “America’s civilian labor force participation rate is at a new low, regardless of what misleading U3 unemployment numbers show. Washington needs to focus upon massive job creation and stop fighting about ancillary issues that don’t help the recovery.”
A large number of local organizations were event sponsors and partners, including:
City of Brea
California Manufacturing Technology Consulting
Global Innovative Systems
Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
West Orange County Regional Chamber
Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce
Fullerton Chamber of Commerce
Brea Chamber of Commerce
Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce
Cypress Chamber of Commerce
Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce
Orange County SBDC
La Habra Chamber
Riverside County Manufacturers & Exporters Association
APICS – Orange County Chapter
Industrial Metal Supply Company
Corona Chamber of Commerce
Planet Together
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals Corp.
San Marcos Chamber of Commerce
California Farmers Union
American R & D Institute
Other speakers included Pat Choate, author and economist; Greg Autry, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California; and Mike Dolan, representative of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
“I believe we have lit a spark in the Los Angeles region that will spread to the federal legislative delegation and beyond to fix trade deficit and spur smart policies to reclaim America’s position as a successful trading and producing nation,” said Stumo.
