Cook County Board Honors TMA

CHICAGO - Ninety years ago, the owners of eight Chicago area business owners joined together to create a strong voice that would uniquely represent small manufacturers and enhance their impact nationwide. The Cook County Board of Commissioners recognized the ongoing significance of the Schaumburg-based Technology and Manufacturing Association (TMA) last month when the board unanimously passed a resolution honoring the nonprofit organization founded in 1925.

Not only does TMA offer an array of services such as health care programs and pension funds to its 1000 members and their 30,000 employees, it provides training to fulfill the growing career vacancies now created by a retiring Baby Boomer generation. "TMA has served as a valued source of employee learning and development for member companies and has evolved into a leader in hands on training and workforce development by continually expanding the scope of TMA's educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of its members and manufacturing

students of all walks of life," the resolution said.

The resolution's sponsor was Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore of the 4th District, who recognized the unique work TMA is doing to create job training opportunities for residents of his district. "TMA is and continues to want to be a leader in the industry in representing manufacturing as well as training a skilled workforce.," Commissioner Moore said during the county board presentation. "I look forward to working with TMA to create job opportunities for those within my district."

In addition to assisting TMA members with employee training, TMA works with the Chicago faith based organization Bethel New Life to teach an average of 30 manufacturing students the skills they need for good paying jobs, as well as with the Safer Foundation, which focuses on skill training for those in re-entry programs.

While reaching out to expand manufacturing job opportunities into local high school and community colleges, TMA hosts a world-class skills training center in its new Schaumburg headquarters. "TMA is honored to have been recognized by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and looks forward to 90 more years of serving manufacturers in the Chicago area," said TMA President Steve Rauschenberger.