The Manufacturer & Business Association (The MBA) educates lawmakers on issues important to small and medium-sized businesses. The MBA educates members on government and encourages engagement in multiple ways.
We are uniquely positioned to provide members with access to those who make decisions that directly affect business. The MBA provides opportunities to meet lawmakers who share the Association’s pro-growth, pro-business stance and who are players in making policy to improve the Commonwealth’s business environment.
LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION — The MBA partnered with Washington County Chamber and Pittsburgh Business Exchange for the Fifth Annual Western PA Legislative Reception. It was a chance to meet and speak with lawmakers.
During the Business Issues Forum, PA House Representatives Valerie Gaydos, Tim O’Neal, Jeremy Shaffer, Jill Cooper and Senator Scott Hutchinson served on a panel and shared insights on issues including energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and transportation.
COMMUNICATIONS — Publications were available to educate on issues and government. Readers benefited from the News You Can Use, Hill Report, and The Business Magazine’s “On the Hill.” The MBA took part in a tariff webinar with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC. The webinar was available to all Association members. The MBA also conducted a government issues survey with members and partners.
HOSTED EVENTS with LAWMAKERS — The MBA held a very timely Legislative Luncheon with Senator Gene Yaw, chair of the important Environmental Resources & Energy. A meeting was held with U.S. Senator Dave McCormick and an invited group. Senator Dan Laughlin; Tom Tredway, an MBA board member and president of Erie Molded Packaging; Congressman Mike Kelly; and, Christy Blashock of Erie Insurance were featured in a legislative panel. The PA House Republican Policy Committee held a roundtable chaired by Representative David Rowe and attended by Representatives Abby Major, Kathy Rapp and Brad Roae. PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity also was a guest at our 2025 Women’s Leadership event at the Regional Learning Alliance, Cranberry Township.
SHARED & GAINED KNOWLEDGE —The MBA takes part in government calls and gives valued legislative updates for two Pittsburgh chambers and the Butler Manufacturing Consortium. Jezree Friend continued his monthly policy calls with Northwest PA members. Those calls transitioned to include members of MBA’s Southwest PA policy calls.
The MBA was represented at educational events/calls including the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition, Buchanan’s Budget discussion, Pittsburgh Works Together program about the PJM electricity grid, and a Pittsburgh North Chamber’s legislative workforce panel.
HEARINGS, ROUNDTABLES and NOTABLE EVENTS — The MBA was represented at numerous events such as the Butler Chamber’s Legislative Breakfast. Representative Jeremy Shaffer’s North Hills Business Roundtable is ongoing. Highlights included the Senate Republican Policy Committee hearing on AI at Astrobotic, Pittsburgh. Jezree Friend attended U.S. Senator McCormick’s Inaugural Innovation and AI Summit, Pittsburgh.
MEMBER OUTREACH — A promising new direction, ISSUES & INNOVATIONS, began in 2024, and gained in popularity. It is featured in The Monthly Hill Report and is an opportunity for members to share an issue and how they solved it. Those featured were CID Associates, Inc., JV Manufacturing Company, Inc., BTA, Inc. ESOP Advisors, Waldameer Park, Inc., Humes Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Guy Chemical Company, Inc. and Western Pennsylvania Steel Fabricating.
AGENDA & LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH — 2025 was the year the AI revolution — and all it encompasses — along with energy, the PJM grid, data centers and permitting overwhelmed the legislative landscape. The MBA lobbied first to keep our business members from subsidizing data centers and their infrastructure.
The MBA gave comments to the Public Utility Commission for the Proposed Model Tariff on Large Load Users. We kept in touch with key figures, Senators Gene Yaw and Tracy Pennycuick, and Representative Robert Matzie.
Transit and transportation were another agenda item. We lobbied PA House Representatives Roman Kozak, Josh Bashline, Brian Rasel, Scott Barger and Jeremy Shaffer and the PA Senate’s Transportation committee via Senator Pittman’s Counsel, Merritt Reitzl. Anderson’s transit op-ed was also sent to several members of the PA House Transportation committee and key lawmakers.
COALITIONS — The MBA took part in coalitions and sign-on letters with federal and state organizations.
IN THE NEWS
- “The State’s Economy Needs Better Rural Public Transit” by Eileen Anderson
- “Manufacturer & Business Association Urges Trump to OK Nippon’s U.S. Steel Deal” by Jezree Friend
Rest assured The MBA’s Government Affairs team will continue to fight for you in 2026!
Jezree Friend is the vice president of The MBA.
Eileen Anderson is The MBA’s director of Government Relations.
