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At the Alliance for Industry and Manufacturing’s (AIM) annual Making Manufacturing Matter Awards dinner Steve Kase was recognized for his contributions to the World Business Chicago’s 1,000 Jobs Initiative and to many other organizations represented that evening including the TMA (Technology and  Manufacturing Assoc.) and IMA (Illinois Manufacturers Assoc.).

The 2015 manufacturing honorees were selected from the Chicago Cook and collar counties. The winners were selected based on their reputation for manufacturing leadership, innovation, employment and training, and industry and community involvement.

“These are people and companies with demonstrated commitments to ‘pay it forward’,” said Ms. McDonough, President of AIM and the evening’s event chairman.

According to World Business Chicago, Steve is an essential connector at all levels of the industry, with current leadership roles with the Alliance for Industry and Manufacturing, the Technology and Manufacturing Association, the Illinois Manufacturing  Excellence Center, and World Business Chicago. Acting as the nexus among these organizations, Steve consistently drives common understanding and collaboation to achieve industry growth objectives.

Governer Rauner kicked off the evening with a strong message that he is working to making it easier to be a manufacturer in Illinois.  He later tweeted that it is “critical to bring manufacturing jobs back to Illinois”.

 Manufacturing Matters: ASK Power from Skill Scout on Vimeo.

Speaking through short videos, each recipient presented their feelings about their award. Mr. Kase said he would like to thank WBC and AIM and to celebrate their collaboration. He has been actively involved in a number of industrial associations and although there is a perception that they compete each organization has their individual unique talents and their collaboration has brought much more power to bear on problems like the skills gap, innovation, training, connecting employee and employer and ability to get a lot more accomplished than in the past.

AIM has created a regional manufacturing "movement" tapping into the national designation as the Chicago Metro Metals Consortium; Chicago's selection as the site for the national Digital Manufacturing Design and Innovation Institute; the regional economic development initiatives lead by Cook County Toni Preckwinkle, the County Board Chairs and the economic development organizations for Cook and Collar Counties; Metro Chicago Exports, the Alliance's regional workforce developments and World Business Chicago's 1,000 Jobs Initiative. This dinner offered the vehicle to collectively recognize those efforts and honor key manufacturers in a Regional celebration.