Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts visited Alliance on a rainy Friday morning for a tour of Perrin Manufacturing East of the city. Ricketts proclaimed October as “ManufacturingMonth” and announced a statewide tour in celebration of Nebraska’s second largest industry. Governor Ricketts was joined by Department of Economic Development (DED) Director Courtney Dentlinger, the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, Box Butte Development Corporation Chelsie Herian, Perrin’s Dan Koch, and the Nebraska Manufacturing Advisory Council. Eagle Radio spoke with Ricketts, you can hear that interview below along with a question from Kay Bakkehaug of Alliance Times. Nebraska Senator Col. Tom Brewer was also in attendance, and you can hear his recorded thoughts along with Nebraska Chamber President Barry Kennedy.
Ricketts says, “Nebraska is a state known for growing things and making things…Throughout the month we’ll be celebrating our manufacturers who are making world-class equipment and growing great job opportunities across our state. There are 97,000 Nebraskans employed in our manufacturing industry. Whether it’s assembling cargo doors for Kawasaki’s first American aerospace division in Lincoln, welding livestock headgates at Pearson’s in Thedford, or constructing center pivot irrigation equipment at Valmont in McCook, Nebraska’s manufacturers contribute $13 billion annually towards growing our state.”
Dentlinger said, “Exposing young people to careers in our state’s second largest industry is essential in order to recruit new talent into Nebraska’s workforce”.
“Manufacturing is Nebraska’s second largest industry and the Nebraska Chamber’s largest sector based on membership,” said Chamber President Barry Kennedy. “The average manufacturing job in our state pays nearly $14,000 more a year than what the average Nebraska worker earns. Nebraska’s future earnings growth and economic expansion depend heavily on our manufacturing sector.”
Great how this governor remembers western Nebraska.