CISA focuses on a rebounding market at summer meeting.

The 2003 summer meeting for the Casting industry Suppliers Assn. (CISA), Chicago, was held August 10 12 in Vail, Colorado, and featured encouraging economic news for the metalcasting industry and the country as a whole from speaker David Littmann, senior vice president & chief economist for Comerica Bank in Detroit.

According to Littmann, rarely have economic and financial stars been in better alignment for GDP acceleration. Faster and more profitable growth is virtually assured in the second half of 2003 and throughout the 2004-05 period. The U.S. economy remains the premier dynamic on the world scene, but becoming more competitive and resilient to shock will require increased economic policy enlightenment and ah abrupt end to complacency.

The meeting also featured the conclusion of Solutions 21 presentations from John "Buddy" Hobart on "'Marketing and Sales Organizational and Skill Development", a continuation from the Spring meeting. CISA members were also treated to an informative presentation by Michael Considine, U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC), on business opportunities in the former Soviet countries of Eurasia and on the many ways the DOC can provide assistance. Finally, the coveted Annual President's Award for contribution and service to the organization was presented to Bill Nimmo, Hunter Automated Machinery, by current CISA president George Whitehead, FargoWear. Inc.