Austin, TX – The following statement in response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address may be attributed to Fred Shannon, chairman of the Texas Association of Manufacturers

“President Obama is right to acknowledge that manufacturing is key to a strong American economy. As the largest exporter of manufactured goods, Texas is critical to the engine that will propel the much-needed U.S. economic recovery.

“To ensure manufacturers in Texas and across the U.S. are able to deliver the nation into an enhanced and sustained economic recovery, policy must match the rhetoric, and it is imperative that we have access to reliable, affordable energy, a ready workforce with skilled workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and smart incentives to fuel American innovation, research and development.

Austin, TX – Texas manufacturers will gather Feb. 14-15 in San Marcos for the 2012 Texas manufacturers Summit, an annual conference geared toward education and discussion of the environmental, energy, workforce, tax policy and other issues impacting one of the pillars of the Texas economy.

The summit includes breakout sessions across three tracks: policy, business of manufacturing and innovation, including a must-attend panel discussion of the ever-evolving energy sector in Texas and how a number of generation sources play pivotal roles in generating power for the state’s energy needs.

“The cornerstone of the Texas economy is manufacturing,” said Fred Shannon, chairman of the Texas Association of Manufacturers (TAM). “Manufacturing contributes roughly 13 percent of the Gross State Product and employs more than 838,000 Texans.”

Austin, TX - The Texas Association of Manufacturers (TAM) marked Manufacturers’ Day today at the Capitol by urging lawmakers to think long-term when addressing the budget shortfall and to maintain an environment that has allowed manufacturing to anchor the Texas economy.  TAM also announced its 2011 legislative priorities, which are rooted in the Association’s policy principles designed to protect and grow high quality manufacturing jobs. 

“The long-term viability of the Texas economy depends on manufacturers’ ability to continue to invest here and grow jobs.  We need sound public policy designed to fortify our economy, attract new opportunities, and protect high quality manufacturing jobs,” said Luke Bellsnyder, executive director of TAM.  “TAM urges lawmakers to embrace future-minded policy that maintains our competitive edge, sustains a broad-based, low-rate tax system, and supports a predictable regulatory environment.”