MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - The Bush administration tapped a California businessman Thursday to become manufacturing czar during a speech at a factory in a state hit hard by job losses.
Commerce Secretary Don Evans said the administration would nominate Al Frink, co-founder of a rug and carpet company, as assistant commerce secretary of manufacturing and services.
Evans made the announcement at Ariel Corp., which employs 460 people at its natural gas compressor plant about 40 miles northeast of Columbus. Ohio manufacturers have lost 190,000 jobs in the last four years.
Frink, who co-founded Fabrica International in Orange County, Calif., said he hopes to help American manufacturers continue to lead the world in quality, productivity and innovation.
Bush announced last year that he was creating the new position to focus on the struggling manufacturing industry. But the administration came under fire last month after the top choice, Anthony Raimondo of Nebraska, was criticized for cutting U.S. jobs and shifting work to China.
