Gov. John Engler, President of NAM, to Speak at MidAtlantic Employers' Association; Gov. Engler to Discuss the Central America and Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and Related Topics.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. -- Former Michigan governor and current president of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), John Engler will speak at a round-table breakfast briefing at the MidAtlantic Employers' Association (MEA) in Valley Forge on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 at 8:00 AM. Gov. Engler will share with the public and MEA members, a large constituency of which is manufacturers, his and NAM's position on free trade, legal system reform, asbestos, telecommunications and transportation, among other topics.

"Ninety percent of the U. S. manufactured goods trade deficit comes from countries with which we do not have trade agreements," Engler wrote recently. "I have told business leaders and journalists as I travel the country that CAFTA-DR is truly a no-brainer."

According to Engler, members of NAM are asked to encourage their senators and representatives to demonstrate the same level of bipartisanship on CAFTA-DR as they have on energy legislation, another topic on the July 19 agenda. Both the CAFTA-DR and the energy legislation have the potential to reduce costs of doing business in the U.S. in the hopes of reviving the nation's manufacturing sector.

Named president of NAM in October 2004, Engler spearheaded NAM Campaign for Growth and Manufacturing Renewal, a program that advocates policies that seek to level the international playing field and reduce the cost of doing business at home with special attention to high health care and litigation costs. The campaign emphasizes that manufacturers are driving innovation and productivity growth in the economy, providing the bulk of U.S. exports and offering rewarding careers for highly-skilled workers.

Engler is the former three-term governor of Michigan. He has a reputation as a lifelong advocate for reducing the size of government as a means to boosting economic growth and job creation. As governor, Engler signed 32 tax cuts into law--saving Michigan tax payers $32 billion, and helped to create more than 800,000 new jobs during his tenure, taking Michigan's unemployment rate to its lowest level ever. A top priority of Engler's administration was improving education, with a focus on high standards, accountability and strong local control to help student test scores to rise.

Prior to becoming Michigan's 46th governor in 1991, Engler served for 20 years in the State Legislature, including seven years as State Senate Majority Leader. In February 2005, President Bush appointed Engler to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations to provide advice on U.S. objectives and bargaining positions before trade agreements are adopted.

The cost of the breakfast briefing is free to members. Others should contact MEA via phone at [phone] or visit MEA on the Web at www.MEAinfo.org. The briefing is sponsored by MEA, NAM and the Manufacturers Association of Berks County (MABC).

The MidAtlantic Employers' Association (MEA) is a non-profit association of manufacturing and service organizations founded in 1903 and counts approximately 700 employers in the MidAtlantic region among its membership. MEA is a clearing-house and catalyst for its members to pool and share information and expertise about human resources management and employee productivity. In addition, the Association provides professional and technical services in areas such as Compensation Research; Employee Benefits; Training and Development; Human Resource Management; Total Quality Management, and Environmental and Safety Management.

The National Association of Manufacturers is the nation's largest industrial trade association, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NAM has 10 additional offices across the country. Visit the NAM's award-winning website at www.nam.org for more information about manufacturing and the economy.

The Manufacturers Association of Berks County's 360 members employ 65,000 workers in Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon and Lehigh Counties. The Association's mission is to provide training in a "real world" atmosphere, among working peers. The Manufacturers Association currently offers 50 courses each year to provide progressive learning.

Editor's Note: Photo of Governor John Engler is available upon request.