FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Commerce Secretary and Senator Coleman Convene Business Forum at Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. St. Paul, MN, 9/14/04 -- Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. was the site of a sizable town hall style meeting and business roundtable when it hosted U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans and Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman Friday afternoon.  The ìDiscussion on the Economyî was initiated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, whose leader Don Evans travels extensively nationwide to listen to the concerns of business leaders and employees.

Among the small and large manufacturing and service businesses represented were Northwest Airlines, Cargill Industries, Lockheed Martin, E.J. Ajax & Sons, Inc., and M-Pro, LLC.  Others present included the Executive Director of Minnesota Project Innovation, Pat Dillon, and Director of the Governorís office of Employment and Economic Development, Diane Knutson.

Secretary Evans began the afternoon session with a roundtable forum that provided a face-to-face with 15 CEOs and industry leaders.  He stated that the Presidentís efforts for the economy have been centered on creating the right, optimistic business environment and a ìlevel playing field.î  The Secretary said that much has already been achieved in the area of tax relief and other incentives to stimulate growth.  He acknowledged that there was work yet to do in the areas of tort reform, health care costs and protecting intellectual property rights for innovators and entrepreneurs.

Paul Wagner, Minnesota Wire & Cable Co.ís President and CEO welcomed the guests and thanked the Secretary for his visit.  ìWe know that you are here to listen hard, Mr. Secretary,î said Wagner, ìWe appreciate the chance to thank this administration for staying on course for tax relief particularly for small business, and also to express our remaining challenges with you.

Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. was specifically chosen as a host site for several reasons, including opportunities it has seized as a result of research and development tax credits for small business over the past three years.  ìThe business environment created by favorable tax policies has allowed us to re-invest in the company, including new capital equipment purchases, launching the Minnesota Defense division in 2003, hiring at all levels, and developing new capabilities and services for our customers in areas like product test and measurement,î said Joan Thompson, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

The roundtable discussion was followed by a tour of Minnesota Wire & Cable Co.ís St. Paul Production and Engineering facility, during which the Commerce Secretary was joined by Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN).  After the tour a 2:00 pm town hall meeting was convened on the production floor, at which nearly 200 employees, area business leaders and media were represented.  Secretary Evans and Senator Coleman led a lively question and answer session for almost an hour.  Minnesota Wire & Cable Co.ís diverse employees were complimented by Secretary Evans as representative of a growing economy.  He thanked them for their contribution, saying, ìYou are the lifeblood of this business, and indeed, of this country.

Several business leaders challenged the two public servants to do more to check rising costs for businesses, including finding strategies to alleviate high employee healthcare costs.  Senator Coleman also reminded the group that one of the ìpillars of a successful nationî is a robust education system.  He addressed a growing concern for a gradual decline in engineering graduates and U.S. citizens with advanced degrees.

Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. (MWCC) is a vertically integrated custom manufacturer of wire and cable assemblies for the Instrumentation, Medical, Defense, and Telecommunications industries. Its 30,000-sq.-ft. headquarters is located in St. Paul, Minnesota, with another 27,000-sq-ft. facility located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  MWCC is ISO 13485:1996 certified and its capabilities include custom tooling, cable extrusion, engineering and design, as well as shielding and cabling.

Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. continues to expand its capabilities in the design-to-delivery environment and custom wire and cable assemblies.  For more information on MWCC and its products and services, visit its web site at www.mnwire.com or call 1-800-258-6922.

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