Donald Hester is the 2016-2017 chairman of the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) Board of Governors and president, chief executive officer and owner of MAJR Products Corporation based in Saegertown, Pennsylvania. MAJR is an internationally recognized manufacturer of Electromagnetic Interference / Radio Frequency Interference (EMI/RFI) Shielding Products. The company produces EMI/RFI gaskets, elastomers, fingerstock, EMI windows, board level shielding, and air ventilation/filtration panels, knitted wire mesh products, as well as water-jet cutting services to a variety of markets. For more information about the company, visit www.majr.com.
Dear Members:
On behalf of the Manufacturer & Business Association (MBA) Board of Governors and staff, thank you for your ongoing support of the MBA as we mark our 111th year of continuous business operation in the tri-state region. Longevity, such as ours, is no small feat, nor is it for the estimated 27 million entrepreneurs that are starting or running a business in America today.
This year, as we celebrate technology and manufacturing at our 2016 Manufacturing Day featuring luncheon speaker Easton LaChappelle, founder and CEO of Tomorrow Unlimited, and Annual Event keynote speaker Robert Herjavec, star of “Shark Tank,” on October 5 at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center, we want to recognize the entrepreneurs and businesses for all they do to drive such innovation and investment. These employers understand what it is like to take risks and sacrifice in order to achieve success. Many of these businesses may be small in size but play a big role in providing highly desirable goods and services, creating jobs, enhancing U.S. competitiveness and generating economic wealth that benefits us all.
Statistics show that 80 percent of all new hires over the past five years have been done by small businesses, with some estimates as high as 85 percent to 90 percent. The majority of all new jobs projected in the United States will be from small businesses, a similar pattern to what we have seen over the past five years.
We continue to see an increase in small business startups, specifically among Millenials, both in the technology area, as well as in manufacturing. I, for one, believe that technology and the ability to use it will be the key to growing these businesses long term.
More important than ever is the ability of companies to gather data quickly and move production assets to those areas of their market that are showing growth. The ability to move assets quicker is much easier for a small business than for larger corporations. The ability to use an ever-growing list of products through web technology is proving a great asset to smaller businesses, and the cost associated with those technologies continues to decrease, making them within reach of the smaller businesses.
For most small businesses, the ability to sell worldwide by using new technology for new products is key to long-term growth, as well as greater information to a larger group of consumers at reduced costs.
American enterprises and the entrepreneurs who operate them continue to flourish as more small businesses move from selling their products locally to more regional and international markets. It is critical that entrepreneurs continue to invest and implement the latest in the new technologies that are available to reach more people at a minimal cost.
Keeping and maintaining competent employees who understand we are now in a global economy is critical for all business owners. In order to grow and survive, we must keep up with what other competitors and countries are doing, what practices and policies they are using to maintain and grow their businesses both in the United States and worldwide.
In this year’s Annual Report, we’ll hear from Mr. Herjavec on what he has to say about the state of small business and entrepreneurship today, the ingenuity and drive of 20-year-old inventor LaChappelle, as well as take a look at why this election year is so important for businesses owners, especially in our membership region. We’ll also explore some of the many resources that are geared toward small businesses through the MBA.
The Manufacturer & Business Association offers a variety of products and services, from education to human resources support. Several classes and training certificates are available in dozens of different subjects from computer skills to production and supervisory skills, while a number of different programs are offered specifically to help smaller businesses navigate the sea of regulations and ongoing red tape.
At the MBA, improving the ability of local companies to compete both regionally and worldwide continues to be our primary goal. We look forward to being the cog that helps propel such innovation and growth for years to come!
Sincerely,
Don Hester,
Chairman
