How to spend $100,000,000
June 5, 2007

1. Spending $100,000,000: We in publishing abbreviate large numbers to save space. Let’s not do that here. The University of Illinois received a $100,000,000 grant from an alumnus who wanted to further endow what already is one of the Midwest’s better engineering schools. Thomas Siebel is only 54, but he created a customer relationship management software company that was sold to Oracle in 2005 for $5.8 billion. Siebel will be involved in the structure of how the grant is used. His quote should be the new mantra for manufacturing: “We know the talent is there, the ability is there, the resources are there, and we will see if we can make some magic happen.”

2. More strength in manufacturing: If you look in little pockets around the country – and in some larger pockets as well – you find a good deal of regional strength in manufacturing. I was in Charlotte last week at the opening of Hitachi’s new distribution facility, and mayor Pat McCrory came out for the event. The Charlotte Business Journal reported last week that of the city’s top 10 businesses, five are in manufacturing – quite a coup for a city that sees itself as a banking center.

3. Neglecting manufacturing? Michigan senator Carl Levin’s op-ed piece last week is pretty clear where he sees the problems in the manufacturing sector: “The Bush Administration has not lifted a finger to support manufacturing in America while we have lost three million manufacturing jobs on its watch. That neglect has hurt the people of Michigan and undermined our economic strength as a country, and it must change.” Fine, Senator. Well put. What has Congress done about it lately?

4. But there’s no neglect here: As we’ve noted before, looking to Congress for solutions is a futile effort, so enterprising regions are finding their own solutions – and their own money. Sierra College near Sacramento has earned a $250,000 grant to train students in manufacturing, to combat the region’s “lack of labor force with appropriate skills.” In Placer County, 8,900 manufacturing workers comprise an annual payroll of nearly $600 million, said Carol Pepper-Kittredge. "By coordinating with employers, our schools can prepare young people for highly skilled and highly paid local positions," she said.

5. From the sublime: Get on this link and read a more objective analysis of CNN’s favorite “populist,” Lou Dobbs. You want to seriously harm manufacturing? Just keep listening to Lou…

Posted by Wolseley on June 5, 2007 | Comments (2)