Rep. Ted Poe Honored at UH for Support to Manufacturers After ‘05 Hurricanes

As the residents and businesses of the Gulf Coast region recover from the ravages of Hurricane Ike, support from local, state and national leaders is critical. That's why the University of Houston's College of Technology on Thursday will present an "Excellence Award" to U.S. Rep. Ted Poe for his support of local manufacturers dealt blows by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

"If anybody knows how important it is to buoy members of the local manufacturing industry affected by the brutality of Mother Nature, it's Congressman Poe," said David Walker, director of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center Gulf Coast (TMACGC). "We greatly appreciate Congressman Poe's support to provide manufacturing assistance for companies impacted by storms. Without it many businesses would not have been able to reopen or return to work."

The "Excellence Award" will be presented to Poe, R-Humble, by College of Technology Dean William Fitzgibbon and Professor Enrique Barbieri, who heads up the college's engineering technology department, at 4 p.m., Thursday at UH's A.D. Bruce Religion Center.

TMACGC received $800,000 in 2006 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to offer aid to manufacturers affected by Hurricane Rita. The center sent engineers to conduct free on-site assessments and technical assistance, training, consulting services and recommendations regarding operational efficiency.

"TMAC not only plays an important role in enhancing the competiveness of our manufacturing enterprise, but, as its work in the storm aftermath demonstrates, it also can contribute to the recovery of manufacturers from natural disasters," Fitzgibbon said.

TMACGC is one of the partner institutions in the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC), an affiliate of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program of NIST. For more information about the center, visit www.tmacgc.org.

WHAT: "Excellence Award" presented to U.S. Rep. Ted Poe by the University of Houston College of Technology, Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center Gulf Coast
WHEN: 4 p.m. Oct. 23
WHERE: University of Houston A.D. Bruce Religion Center
WHO: UH College of Technology Dean William Fitzgibbon and Professor Enrique Barbieri


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