Improving Opportunities for Small Businesses in the United States.
On January 11, 2012, small business owners met in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington DC. The forum, “Insourcing American Jobs” hosted by President Barack Obama, was to encourage entrepreneurs across the United States to bring jobs back home, to create jobs and opportunities and to improve the economy.
For several years, the country has been struggling with a lack of jobs, due in large part, to American businesses moving their operations to cheaper locations and job markets outside of the country. The purpose of this forum was to understand how American businesses could make changes that will help Americans.
The second panel members, from right to the left, were John Heppner, President and CEO of Master Lock Company, in Oak Creek, Milwaukee. Mary Murcott, Chief Executive Officer at the Novo1 in Fort Worth, Texas. Harry Moser, founder of Reshoring Initiative based in Chicago, Illinois, and Bruce Cochrane, President and CEO of the Lincolnton Furniture Company of North Carolina.
Karen G. Mills, an Administrator at the U.S. government’s Small Business Administration (SBA), was panel moderator.
According to Mills, President Obama announced earlier in the morning that the Administration would ensure that those large and small companies that are willing to manufacture in the United States have all the tools they need to grow their business at home. She continued by saying that those tools include accesses to financing which small businesses have been struggling to get over the past several year—as well as loan guaranties provided by the SBA. Mills mentioned the renewal of what she called the Small Business Innovation Research Grant that has been approved for the first time by Congress on December 15, 2011 to support entrepreneurs.
Cochrane talked about the operation of American businesses in China and the challenge that his business has been facing in China. He continued by mentioning the importance of the SBA in improving the application process for loans by reducing paper work.
Murcott explained how her company works with entrepreneurs to let them know how the can operate 15 percent cheaper in the United States than they do abroad, if they take all the costs into account. She mentioned that a lot of folks do not want to talk about costly mistakes they made by taking their businesses overseas.
According to the Business Journal, Heppner “reinforced Master Lock’s desire to bring jobs back to Wisconsin, citing a more competitive overall cost structure, greater control and the ability to provide better service to customers. Heppner also addressed key challenges, including improved access to skilled labor in North America.”
Heppner talked about the importance of training the younger generation as soon as possible to fill the skills gap that entrepreneurs have been facing. His company participates on university Boards of Directors, to help build programs that prepare students to fill industry needs.
On January 11, 2012, small business owners met in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington DC. The forum, “Insourcing American Jobs” hosted by President Barack Obama, was to encourage entrepreneurs across the United States to bring jobs back home, to create jobs and opportunities and to improve the economy.
For several years, the country has been struggling with a lack of jobs, due in large part, to American businesses moving their operations to cheaper locations and job markets outside of the country. The purpose of this forum was to understand how American businesses could make changes that will help Americans.
The second panel members, from right to the left, were John Heppner, President and CEO of Master Lock Company, in Oak Creek, Milwaukee. Mary Murcott, Chief Executive Officer at the Novo1 in Fort Worth, Texas. Harry Moser, founder of Reshoring Initiative based in Chicago, Illinois, and Bruce Cochrane, President and CEO of the Lincolnton Furniture Company of North Carolina.
Karen G. Mills, an Administrator at the U.S. government’s Small Business Administration (SBA), was panel moderator.
According to Mills, President Obama announced earlier in the morning that the Administration would ensure that those large and small companies that are willing to manufacture in the United States have all the tools they need to grow their business at home. She continued by saying that those tools include accesses to financing which small businesses have been struggling to get over the past several year—as well as loan guaranties provided by the SBA. Mills mentioned the renewal of what she called the Small Business Innovation Research Grant that has been approved for the first time by Congress on December 15, 2011 to support entrepreneurs.
Cochrane talked about the operation of American businesses in China and the challenge that his business has been facing in China. He continued by mentioning the importance of the SBA in improving the application process for loans by reducing paper work.
Murcott explained how her company works with entrepreneurs to let them know how the can operate 15 percent cheaper in the United States than they do abroad, if they take all the costs into account. She mentioned that a lot of folks do not want to talk about costly mistakes they made by taking their businesses overseas.
According to the Business Journal, Heppner “reinforced Master Lock’s desire to bring jobs back to Wisconsin, citing a more competitive overall cost structure, greater control and the ability to provide better service to customers. Heppner also addressed key challenges, including improved access to skilled labor in North America.”
Heppner talked about the importance of training the younger generation as soon as possible to fill the skills gap that entrepreneurs have been facing. His company participates on university Boards of Directors, to help build programs that prepare students to fill industry needs.