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Chairman’s Message

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Dear Members:

As the 2015-2016 chairman of the Manufacturer & Business Association Board of Governors, it gives me great pleasure to share with you the Association’s accomplishments and goals for the coming year. It has been a very productive time for the MBA thanks to the active participation of our Board, member companies and professional staff.

As we mark this, the Association’s 110th milestone anniversary, know that we remain committed to the organization’s core mission — applying our talent, tools, training and services to help you, our members, achieve a higher level of success in your business operations.

Presently, the MBA partners with more than 4,500 businesses in Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio, providing a host of membership benefits, from HR planning and legal services to computer training, energy consulting, insurance and employee benefits. The Association is also very much a leader in the area of professional development, including our regionally recognized Certified Supervisory Skills training, delivering the knowledge and skills that employers need to compete in today’s business world.

Developing and maintaining a high quality work force is one of our most essential functions. Here, at the Association, we believe that a skilled and growing labor pool is critical to attracting and retaining business, as well as fostering a healthy, vibrant community.

The MBA supports short- and long-term work-force needs by backing a slate of dynamic initiatives and programs that connect talent, opportunity and education. These diverse programs include, but are not limited to, Americans for the Competitive Enterprise System, Junior Achievement, the Your Employability Skills (YES™) Certificate Program, Patrick R. Locco Scholarship Awards, American Manufacturing Tribute Bike Tour, as well as Career Street (see Page 18), a growing resource for businesses to create experiences such as internships, job shadows and company tours for local students.

One of our most exciting initiatives to date has been the foundation of the Erie Regional Manufacturing Partnership. A group of 20 manufacturers, including my own company, have banded together to address the critical issue of work-force development and the shortage of skilled workers. Each company has made a significant financial commitment of both money and personnel to explore, develop and execute a private sector-driven solution.

I’m proud to report that the group is currently implementing a strategy that includes the development of an apprenticeship program and working closely with a consortium of work-force development agencies and business organizations, including the Association and the Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership. We are working together to develop permanent solutions that will help our young people take advantage of skilled jobs within their community. These are not just jobs but rather challenging careers with the potential for growth in both income and skill levels. The 20 members of the Erie Regional Manufacturing Partnership are committed to make this happen.

The Association, in collaboration with the Erie Central Career and Technical School and Erie County Technical School, also has taken further steps to bridge the growing skills gap by launching Employer-Student Connection. This website portal acts as an entry point for students to see what technical training they need for good jobs. Additionally, the MBA is a staunch supporter of the Project Jobs initiative in conjunction with the Erie Chamber. Project Jobs is designed to educate Erie County jobseekers on what positions are currently available while also giving employers a platform to share their employment and training needs in the long term. In fact, the MBA Board of Governors recently passed a resolution to support and assist the Rural Regional College during its formative stage this year because of its potential to fill a large gap for employers.

We believe our success is tied to an intelligent, skilled work force that will help drive our industry and innovate for the future. With the support of our members and Board, I am proud to say that the MBA’s journey toward excellence and a well-trained work force will continue, and we are in a position to meet any challenges that come our way.

Sincerely,
Bill Hilbert Jr.,
Chairman

Learn more in the May 2015 Business Magazine.