MEP ADVISORY BOARD 

Annual Report 2022 
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 1

2022 MEP Advisory Board Annual Report

In 2022, the MEP Advisory Board continued its work to advise on the MEP program’s plans and 

strategies. One area that the Board focused on was thinking through possible solutions to the 

challenges facing U.S. manufacturing. Throughout the pandemic, the Board continued to meet 

and discuss these issues virtually. In 2022, we began to get together in person once again, bringing 

increased depth to our discussions.

Strategic planning remained a major theme for the Board in 2022, and strategic planning naturally 

spurs thoughts of future opportunities and organizational growth. These are exciting times. It’s a new 

era for American manufacturing, and for the MEP National NetworkTM – with a new strategic plan as its 

launchpad. 

Manufacturing has been critical to the U.S. economy throughout its history. As we approach the 250th 

anniversary of America’s independence, we are confident that manufacturing will continue to be 

critical to the nation’s next 250 years. The new MEP National Network 2023-2027 Strategic Plan will set 

the course for the organization – and impact the future of U.S. manufacturing.

We live in historic times and this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The MEP National Network is 

prepared to lead the way to transform U.S. manufacturing, and the MEP Advisory Board is honored to 

continue playing its important role as part of the Network.

Matthew B. Newman, Chair

Principal Managing Partner

New Era Advisors

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Bernadine Hawes, Vice Chair

Senior Advisor

Econsult Solutions, Inc.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 2

Miriam Kmetzo

Executive Vice President

Welding Technology Corp.

Farmington Hills, Michigan

Jose Anaya

Dean, Community Advancement

El Camino Community College

Hawthorne, California

LaDon Byars

President and Chief Executive Officer

Colonial Diversified Polymer Products, LLC

Dyersburg, Tennessee

Ray Aguerrevere

Vice President/General Manager

Custom Metal Designs

Oakland, Florida

Mary Isbister

President

GenMet Corporation

Mequon, Wisconsin 

Peter Connolly

Owner

Connolly Consulting

Cedar Knolls, New Jersey

Donald Bockoven

Chief Executive Officer

Fiber Industries LLC

Darlington, South Carolina

Mitch Magee

Manufacturing Industry Consultant

Hamilton, Ohio
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Leslie Taito

Executive Vice President for Business Operations

Taco Comfort Solutions

Cranston, Rhode Island

Patricia Moulton

Executive Director, Workforce Development Division

Vermont State Colleges

Lyndonville, Vermont

Dr. Annette Parker

President

South Central College

North Mankato, Minnesota

Kathay Rennels

Special Advisor to the Chancellor for 

 Rural-Urban Initiatives

Colorado State University System

Denver, Colorado

George Spottswood

Owner and Chief Executive Officer

Quality Filters, Inc.

Robertsdale, Alabama

Chris Mathews

Chairman

National Custom Hollow Metal Doors and 

 Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas

Little Rock, Arkansas 

Jim Wright

Vice President of Operations

Proof Research

Columbia Falls, Montana
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 4

Table of Contents

Manufacturing Extension Partnership Background................................................................... 5

Mission and Vision ..........................................................................................................................................5

Structure.............................................................................................................................................................5

Impacts...............................................................................................................................................................6

NIST MEP Budget.............................................................................................................................................6

CARES Act Results...........................................................................................................................................7

 CARES Act Stories....................................................................................................................................8

About the MEP Advisory Board ...................................................................................................... 9

2022 MEP Advisory Board Members ...........................................................................................10

2022 MEP Advisory Board Activities............................................................................................19

Advisory Board Meetings.......................................................................................................................... 19

Advisory Board Working Group Focus Areas...................................................................................... 20

Strategic Planning...........................................................................................................................21

MEP National Network 2017-2022 Strategic Plan ............................................................................ 21

MEP National Network 2023-2027 Strategic Plan ............................................................................ 22
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Manufacturing Extension Partnership 

Background 

Mission and Vision

Mission: Strengthen and empower U.S. manufacturers.

Vision: We are the go-to resource for America’s manufacturers ensuring U.S. manufacturing is resilient and 

leads the world in manufacturing innovation.

Driving Force: We are driven to attain and uphold U.S. manufacturing preeminence which is essential to our 

nation’s long-term economic strength and to protect our national security interests.

Role: The MEP National Network focuses its expertise and knowledge as well as that of its partners (industry, 

educational institutions, state governments, NIST, and other federal research laboratories and agencies) on 

providing U.S. manufacturers with information and tools they need to improve productivity, assure consistent 

quality, accelerate the transfer of manufacturing technology, and infuse innovation into production processes 

and new products.

Structure

The Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 created the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program to improve the 

competitiveness of U.S. based manufacturing by making manufacturing technologies, processes and services 

more accessible to small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). For over thirty years, the MEP program 

has focused on bridging the manufacturing productivity gap, identifying opportunities for growth and 

encouraging technology deployment.

Growing from a pilot project of just three Centers to a system of organizations in every state and Puerto 

Rico, the 51 MEP Centers are now an integral part of the MEP National Network. The Centers provide their 

manufacturing customers with a wide array of fundamental services in manufacturing, business and 

process improvements. Today, the MEP National Network has over 1,400 trusted advisors and experts at 

approximately 450 MEP Center service locations across the nation. The MEP Centers and their partners, 

including state governments, universities, community colleges, nonprofit entities, associations and private 

consultants exist to provide manufacturers with the services needed to reduce bottom-line expenses and 

grow top-line profits, both of which are needed to thrive in the global marketplace.
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Impacts

According to a third-party survey, in fiscal year (FY) 2022, the MEP National Network interacted with more 

than 33,500 U.S. manufacturers, leading to $18.8 billion in sales, $2.5 billion in cost savings, $6.4 billion in 

new client investments, and helped create or retain more than 116,700 jobs. These represent increases over 

FY 2021 in total sales, cost savings and new client investments.

Since 1988, MEP has worked with 142,678 manufacturers, leading to $144.4 billion in new sales and 

$28.7 billion in cost savings, and helping to create and retain over 1.5 million jobs.

NIST MEP Budget

The FY 2022 appropriation for the NIST MEP program was $158 million, which represented an increase of 

$8 million over NIST MEP’s FY 2021 funding. Nonfederal cost share requirements were waived for FY 2022 

federal funding for MEP Centers, as they have been for the past two years.

Approximately $134 million of MEP’s funding went directly to the MEP Center base awards. Additional funds 

were awarded competitively to Centers for direct support of the MEP National Network’s engagements with 

manufacturing firms, as well as for enhancing the Network’s ability to deliver a greater range of services and 

to deliver services more efficiently.
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CARES Act Results

In 2020, NIST MEP issued $50 million in federal funds authorized by Congress under the Coronavirus Aid, 

Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to each MEP Center. NIST MEP made the awards in record time so 

MEP Centers had the funds available quickly to implement critically needed COVID-19-related projects. The 

impacts of this funding were collected in FY 2022 and are summarized below.

MEP Centers used CARES Act funding to help manufacturers increase production of personal protective 

equipment, recover from workforce and supply chain interruptions, and achieve greater resilience. MEP 

Centers served nearly 5,400 companies with over 7,500 CARES Act-funded projects. CARES Act project clients 

surveyed report more than $3.6 billion in new and retained sales, over $1.7 billion in new investments and 

over $530 million in total cost savings. These projects resulted in over 36,000 jobs created or retained. Nearly 

half of the over 5,000 companies served were first-time MEP Center clients, expanding the reach of the 

program.

CARES Act funding enabled MEP Centers in every state to assist companies in new and different ways that 

included helping protect their workforce during the pandemic, finding sources of capital, stabilizing their 

supply chains, and protecting manufacturers from cybersecurity threats. CARES Act funding has enabled 

MEP Centers to provide manufacturers with additional services such as: 

z Assessing the extent and nature of the disruption caused by the pandemic

z Rethinking and retooling service delivery

z Forging new and strengthening existing state partnerships

z Helping manufacturers pivot operations to produce personal protective equipment, 

medical supplies and medical devices

z Implementing supplier databases for searching and matching

z Tailoring services for operating in the post-pandemic environment
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CARES Act Stories

MEP Centers nationwide used CARES Act funding to help their states’ manufacturers recover from the 

economic downturn. NIST MEP published a report, Impacts of CARES Act Funding Across the MEP National 

Network and the accompanying CARES Act Stories from Across the MEP National Network which provides 

a state-by-state listing of selected projects and initiatives made possible by CARES Act funding. 

The following examples illustrate a few of the thousands of ways that MEP Centers provided assistance to 

manufacturers with CARES Act funding. 

The Texas MEP Center helped a firm expand and find domestic suppliers during the pandemic.

Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, TMAC, the MEP Center in Texas, used CARES Act funds to help 

Southside Plants expand and find domestic suppliers. Before the pandemic, the home-based firm 

manufactured innovative technologies for houseplant propagation. Through aggressive e-commerce 

marketing, company sales increased tremendously. The firm needed to scale-up production quickly, 

just as pandemic-related supply chain disruptions hit. TMAC assisted with domestic supplier matching 

and quickly sketched out a solution to scale-up production. Tapping into the MEP National Network, 

TMAC connected with Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions, the Arkansas MEP Center, to identify 

a manufacturer that had the equipment and capacity to manufacture and package Southside’s 

products and fuel its expansion.

Maine MEP helped a woman-owned firm expand efficiently into a new facility to prepare for 

future growth. Atlantic Sea Farms’ woman-led team creates a variety of healthy food products 

sourced from Maine farmers and fishing families. The pandemic resulted in a sharp decline in 

restaurant and retail orders. However, the firm remained committed to its strategic growth goals 

and to fulfilling harvest contracts with local fish and lobster harvesters. As a result, the 2021 harvest 

was too large for their processing space. They turned to Maine MEP, which used CARES Act funds to 

develop a plan for a new facility with hugely expanded processing space. Using lean manufacturing 

principles, the new layout allows not just for current needs, but enables future growth.

Virginia’s MEP Center provided marketing support to help launch biodegradable and 

sustainable products. The GO Virginia Reshoring Program, led by GENEDGE Alliance, the Virginia 

MEP Center, helps the state’s manufacturers grow their capacity and capabilities. Through the 

program, Drake Extrusion, Inc., received assistance developing environmental, sustainable and green 

(ESG) solutions to meet their customers’ emerging needs. After working with GENEDGE on developing 

and testing new products, Drake requested marketing support. With CARES Act funds, GENEDGE 

worked with a third-party contractor to develop creative concepts for integrating sustainability 

into Drake’s website. GENEDGE and the contractor helped identify the top messages for Drake to 

communicate, define website navigation and marketing objectives, draft copy and develop custom 

page templates to help customers find the new ESG products and spur sales.
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About the MEP Advisory Board 

The statutory purpose of the Board is to provide advice and recommendations to the NIST Director on the 

following items:

z The activities, plans and policies of the MEP program

z The soundness of the program’s plans and strategies

z Current performance in relation to MEP program plans

The MEP Advisory Board consists of members broadly representing the interests and needs of the 

manufacturing sector appointed by the NIST Director. By statute, at least two members must be on an MEP 

Center board and at least five other members must represent small U.S. businesses from the manufacturing 

sector. In addition, at least one Board member must represent a community college. Board members are 

limited to two consecutive, full three-year terms and are ineligible for reappointment for a year following the 

expiration of their second term. In addition, the law requires the Board to meet at least twice per year. In FY 

2022, the Board met three times to perform its chartered functions.

Several changes occurred to Board membership in 2022. Jose Anaya and Kathay Rennels left the Board. Their 

leadership and advice over their years of service, and their time and commitment to the MEP Advisory Board 

are appreciated. Peter Connolly, a longtime Chair of the New Jersey MEP’s board, joined the MEP Advisory 

Board in 2022, but resigned later in the year. Chris Mathews joined the Board in 2022. He is the Chairman of 

National Custom Hollow Metal Doors and Maple Leaf Awning and Canvas in Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Annette 

Parker also joined the Board in 2022. Dr. Parker is the President of South Central College in North Mankato, 

Minnesota. This brings the Board roster to 14 members going into FY 2023.

The current Board members represent the diversity of the U.S. manufacturing industry, from CEOs and 

executives at various-sized manufacturing companies to academic leaders at both state and community 

colleges. The important and varied perspectives of these volunteers have and will continue to positively 

impact the MEP program into the future.
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2022 MEP Advisory Board Members

MATTHEW NEWMAN, CHAIR 

Second term expires March 2023

Matthew Newman is the Principal Managing Partner of New Era Advisors. He has 

diverse and extensive expertise in business development, management and advocacy 

for sustainability. Mr. Newman is an entrepreneur and intrapreneur whose career has 

focused on innovation, business development, business management, modernization 

initiatives, environmental, social and governance facilitation, and leveraging and 

improving core assets and mission-critical initiatives. He specializes in renewable 

energy, low carbon solutions, novel technologies, logistics and optimization, electricity 

generation, natural gas, financial derivatives and risk management, identifying profit 

opportunities in the sustainability spectrum, and building collaborative relationships 

at the local, state and federal levels. Mr. Newman has a Bachelor of Business 

Administration from the University of Oklahoma. He is an active volunteer serving on 

boards and task forces on state and local levels. He has been a guest lecturer at several 

colleges and universities.

BERNADINE HAWES, VICE CHAIR 

First term expires July 2024

Bernadine Hawes is an executive level, nonprofit professional and economic 

development specialist working in the areas of manufacturing strategy, small business 

growth, and project management workforce development. She is a Senior Advisor at 

Econsult Solutions, Inc. which provides robust quantitative analysis with trusted expert 

insights and impactful implementation to businesses and the public sector in urban 

economics, real estate economics, public infrastructure, public policy, and community 

and neighborhood development and planning. Her long career includes her work 

as Technology Specialist for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in crafting 

the state’s “Blueprint for Technology” and leadership roles on regional and national 

manufacturing industry boards, including past chair of the MEP Advisory Board. Born 

and raised in Washington, D.C., Ms. Hawes has a Master of Science from the University of 

Pennsylvania and is a summa cum laude graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. 

She has been the national co-chair of Penn’s Black Alumni Society and is a former 

member of the University of Pennsylvania’s James Brister Society for Diversity Inclusion.
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RAY AGUERREVERE 

First term expires October 2023

Ray Aguerrevere is the Vice President/General Manager for Custom Metal Designs, 

located in Oakland, Florida. Custom Metal Designs is an industry leader that designs 

and manufactures turnkey industrial automation solutions that include collaborative 

and industrial robotics, autonomous vehicles and complex conveyor systems for 

clients worldwide. Mr. Aguerrevere has led the company through a technological 

transformation resulting in a tripling of revenues since 2005. Mr. Aguerrevere has a 

Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Central Florida 

and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida. He serves as 

president on the board of the Manufacturers Association of Central Florida and is board 

chair of the FloridaMakes (the Florida MEP Center) board of directors.

JOSE ANAYA 

Second term expired July 2022

Jose Anaya oversees the El Camino Community College District’s Community 

Advancement Division and Business Training Center as the Dean. Prior to joining the 

staff at El Camino College, he directed economic development programs at Cerritos 

College. Under Mr. Anaya’s guidance, Cerritos College received numerous honors 

and recognition related to workforce development. These included a best practices 

award for its partnership with Lockheed Martin and selection by the Corporation 

for a Skilled Workforce and its partners as one of five national exemplary models for 

expanding postsecondary education and training opportunities for Hispanic workers. 

Mr. Anaya’s earlier experiences include work in the private sector with corporations 

such as Honeywell, ITT Industries and DataCard. He has broad experience and expertise 

in the areas of product design, manufacturing and management, as well as economic 

and workforce development. Mr. Anaya has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical 

engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and a Master of 

Business Administration with an emphasis in entrepreneurship from the University of 

Southern California.
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LADON BYARS

Second term expires February 2023

LaDon Byars is the President and CEO of Colonial Diversified Polymer Products, LLC 

of Dyersburg, Tennessee. Colonial Diversified produces high-quality rubber products 

for a wide variety of industries including automotive, defense, commercial building, 

construction, farm equipment, aerospace, computers, medical, telecommunications, 

recreation, health, entertainment, plumbing, refrigeration and many more. She started 

out as a financial analyst and rose to become president of the company. Ms. Byars is 

very active in the manufacturing community, has received many awards and is on 

the advisory board of the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services which 

houses the Tennessee MEP Center.

DONALD BOCKOVEN

Second term expires October 2025

Donald Bockoven is the CEO for Fiber Industries LLC, a textile production operation 

based in Darlington, South Carolina. He has extensive experience over a nearly forty 

year career as a senior leader within both large and small companies across many 

industries. He specializes in transformational company growth through performance 

improvement. He has extensive knowledge in organizational redesign through Lean 

Six Sigma manufacturing practices, adaptive and advanced work systems and quality 

management. Mr. Bockoven has extensive board experience. He currently sits on the 

South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership Board and recently left the South 

Carolina Manufacturers Association Board. At the national level, he was the vice chair 

of the National Council of Textile Organization’s board until April 2019 and in 2018 was 

appointed to the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations for 

a four-year term. He has also served on technical advisory boards at the community 

college level as well as startup companies.
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MARY ISBISTER

Second term expires March 2023

Mary Isbister is President of GenMet Corporation, a custom metal fabricating company 

located in Mequon, Wisconsin. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, 

she worked at Pfizer in Groton, Connecticut for 11 years. During her tenure at Pfizer 

she held positions in medicinal chemistry, clinical research and senior organizational 

development. In 1997, she moved to Wisconsin and founded Synergy Solutions, an 

organizational development and strategic planning consulting business, which she 

ran until 2001. In 1999 Ms. Isbister and her husband purchased GenMet Corporation, 

a custom manufacturer specializing in high value-added metal fabrications and 

enclosures. From 2010-2014 Ms. Isbister also served on the U.S. Manufacturing Council, 

reporting to the Secretary of Commerce.

PETER CONNOLLY

Resigned from the Board September 2022

Peter Connolly has held numerous operational, program, corporate development, 

business development and management positions throughout his 40 year career. 

He began his career at DRS, where he held key management positions including Vice 

President of Business Development and Vice President/General Manager. Most recently 

he was President of Shocktech, Inc., a leading manufacturer of custom solutions for shock, 

vibration and noise challenges in the aerospace and defense industries. Through his 

efforts, Shocktech doubled in size over four years. Mr. Connolly excels at developing new 

business strategy and relationship selling, manufacturing, business development, and 

increasing business through customer service. He has extensive international business 

development experience, including both direct commercial and foreign military sales 

contracts. Mr. Connolly earned a bachelor’s degree from Glassboro State College. He has 

been on the board of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Partnership and serves as 

the current chair.
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MITCH MAGEE 

Second term expires March 2023

Mitch Magee is the retired Director of Global Advanced Manufacturing Technology 

for PPG’s aerospace business unit. He has over 40 years of manufacturing experience, 

having served in capacities from front-line plant operations to global quality and 

environment, health and safety roles in PPG’s automotive, industrial, and food and 

beverage package coatings business units. Mr. Magee is also actively engaged in 

workforce development as the past chair of the Delaware Manufacturing Association 

and led the development of Delaware’s first Pathways to Prosperity high school 

manufacturing technology program. This program was developed in conjunction with 

Gov. Jack Markell’s administration, Delaware Technical and Community College, and 

local high schools. Mr. Magee has also served on the Delaware Workforce Development 

Board, boards of Western Pennsylvania Air and Waste Management Association, 

Delaware Technical Community College-Terry Campus, Central Delaware Chamber of 

Commerce and as a Pickaway County, Ohio trustee. He has a Bachelor of Science in 

liberal arts from Allegheny College, a Master of Science in chemical engineering from 

the University of Pittsburgh and is a licensed professional engineer.

MIRIAM KMETZO

First term expires July 2024

Miriam Kmetzo is the Executive Vice President for Welding Technology Corp., a 

global leader in resistance welding and industrial automation based in Farmington 

Hills, Michigan. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a Master of Science in 

management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Ms. Kmetzo began her career in 

process and quality management and has held various positions in manufacturing for 

over 30 years. She joined Welding Technology Corp. in 1996 as a Quality Manager and 

rose to become Executive Vice President with responsibilities for human resources, 

operations and quality. In addition to her passion for manufacturing, Ms. Kmetzo is 

equally passionate about performance excellence. Ms. Kmetzo is honored to have served 

a three-year term on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award judging panel and 

continues to be actively involved in both the national and state Baldrige programs.
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PATRICIA MOULTON 

Second term expires June 2024

In July 2022, Patricia Moulton was appointed Executive Director of the Vermont State 

Colleges’ new Workforce Development Division. The division will launch in July 2023 

and incorporate workforce programming at a number of institutions in the Vermont 

State Colleges System. Ms. Moulton previously served as the first woman President 

of Vermont Technical College. Vermont Technical College is part of the Vermont 

State Colleges System and the only technical college in the state. Prior to that, Ms. 

Moulton served as secretary of the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community 

Development. Ms. Moulton has served in a variety of appointed positions in Vermont 

state government, having been appointed by four different governors. She has served 

as commissioner of labor in addition to several economic development-related 

appointments. She has also served as appointed chair of an environmental regulatory 

board for the state of Vermont. Ms. Moulton spent 35 years in the practice of economic 

development on the local, regional and state levels. She has worked as executive 

director of four different regional economic development corporations in Vermont. She 

also ran her own economic development consulting company for several years. Ms. 

Moulton is a graduate of the University of Vermont with a degree in political science.

CHRIS MATHEWS 

First term expires May 2025

Chris Mathews is the Chairman of National Custom Hollow Metal Doors and Maple Leaf 

Awning and Canvas. Mr. Mathews is passionate about operational excellence achieved 

through training, innovation and building long-term trusting relationships. He has 

taken an active role in economic development, serving from 2006-2016 as a Director on 

the Little Rock Port Authority, including two years as Chair. More recently, he has served 

on the Arkansas Manufacturing Solutions (Arkansas MEP Center) advisory board and on 

the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. He is currently serving a three-year 

appointment by Gov. Asa Hutchinson on the Arkansas Science and Technology Board of 

Directors, serving as a Director and a member of the commercialization committee.
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KATHAY RENNELS

Second term expired February 2022

Kathay Rennels is the Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Rural-Urban Initiatives 

at Colorado State University (CSU) and works to advance collaborative networks 

across the state and create economic development opportunities. She has significant 

experience fostering public and private partnerships in regional and rural workforce 

development, with particular attention to Larimer and Weld Counties. Ms. Rennels 

previously served three terms as a Larimer County commissioner and is now leading 

the Food and Agriculture Key Industry Network for the state of Colorado. Ms. Rennels 

helped initiate the “Value Chain of Colorado Agriculture” study released in February 

2013 and coauthored the November 2014 follow-up study, “The Emergence of an 

Innovation Cluster in the Agricultural Value Chain Along Colorado’s Front Range.” She 

also initiated the Advancing the Agricultural Economy Through Innovation summit 

held at CSU in March 2015. Ms. Rennels was the president of Colorado Counties Inc. and 

named commissioner of the year. She currently serves on the Community Foundation 

of Northern Colorado, El Pomar Foundation and Manufacturer’s Edge, the Colorado MEP 

Center, as a board member.

DR. ANNETTE PARKER

First term expires May 2025

Dr. Annette Parker is currently President of South Central College (SCC). At SCC, she 

collaborated with Minnesota State University to develop transfer pathways for students. 

South Central College was awarded a Minnesota state center of excellence in agriculture, 

that has developed a national curriculum and assessments for the National Pork Board. 

She served on President Obama’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, making 

recommendations to sustain and grow American manufacturing competitiveness. In this 

role she successfully developed a Minnesota collaboration that secured a $15 million 

grant to implement the national strategies within the state. Since her arrival, South Central 

College has been awarded over $20 million in grants and nearly doubled its foundation’s 

capital campaign. She is a graduate of Lansing Community College and was selected as 

their 2015 alumni of the year.
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GEORGE SPOTTSWOOD

Second term expires May 2023

George Spottswood is Owner and CEO of Quality Filters, Inc. (QFI) in Robertsdale, 

Alabama. QFI was incorporated in 1981 in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mr. Spottswood and 

his father, Horace Spottswood, purchased the business in 1983. At the time of purchase, 

QFI employed eight associates and operated out of a 10,000-square foot rented facility, 

manufacturing a single HVAC air filter product. Today, QFI employs 150 associates and 

operates out of a 70,000-square foot corporate-owned facility. He has served two terms 

as associate council president of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) as well as 

served on several NAFA committees in varying roles. Mr. Spottswood has been involved 

with the Alabama Technology Network (ATN, Alabama’s MEP Center) since 2005. He 

was named 2005 ATN Business Innovator of the Year for the state of Alabama. Other 

corporate awards include the 2011 Innovator of the Year Award for Alabama by the 

Southern Growth Policy Board.

LESLIE TAITO

Second term expires July 2023

Leslie Taito is the Executive Vice President for Business Operations at Taco Comfort 

Solutions. Taco is a 100-year-old, third generation family-owned global company based in 

Cranston, Rhode Island that engineers and manufactures high-efficiency indoor heating, 

cooling and plumbing comfort systems. Using her over 25 years of management and 

manufacturing experience, she is responsible for Taco’s global supply chain, logistics 

and quality. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff at Neighborhood Health Plan of 

Rhode Island, and she was CEO of Hope Global, a manufacturer of textile products and 

engineering solutions. She was also the Director of Regulatory Reform for the Rhode Island 

Office of Management and Budget. She has held leadership positions as the CEO for the 

Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Services, Inc., Executive Director of the Rhode Island 

Manufacturers Association, and Acting Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer 

of the Rhode Island Regional Employment and Training Board. In addition to serving on 

the MEP Advisory Board, Ms. Taito is a member of the Polaris MEP (the Rhode Island MEP 

Center) Advisory Board. She also has served by appointment of the governor on the Rhode 

Island Manufacturing Advisory Council and the Lean Government Initiative. Actively 

involved in her community, Ms. Taito has served in executive board leadership positions 

and as chair of the Northern Rhode Island and North Kingstown Chambers of Commerce.
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JIM WRIGHT

Second term expires March 2023

Jim Wright is the Vice President of Operations for Proof Research, located in Columbia 

Falls, Montana. Proof Research is an industry leader that designs and manufactures stateof-the-art carbon fiber composite firearms for both military and commercial applications. 

Mr. Wright has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing engineering and production 

management across the aerospace, automotive, semiconductor and firearms industries. 

Throughout his professional career, he has spent a significant amount of time abroad 

working with European and Asian companies, and brings a passion to apply best-in-class 

concepts and lean manufacturing principles to help improve manufacturing within the 

U.S. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Southern 

Illinois University and was a member of the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center 

(Montana’s MEP Center) advisory board for six years, serving in both the vice president and 

president roles. He is active in the local community and serves on the board of directors 

for the Kalispell City Chamber of Commerce. 
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 19

2023 MEP Advisory Board Activities

Advisory Board Meetings

The MEP Advisory Board members were joined by leadership and staff from NIST, NIST MEP, MEP Centers, and 

by MEP program stakeholders for three meetings in 2022:

z March 9 (held virtually, due to the pandemic)

z June 8 in Tulsa, Oklahoma (with some virtual participation)

z Sept. 20 in Chicago, Illinois

Detailed MEP Advisory Board meeting minutes are available on the NIST MEP website.

NIST Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services Mojdeh Bahar provided opening remarks and 

attended each of the Board meetings. James Olthoff, who was performing the nonexclusive functions and 

duties of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of NIST, offered 

welcoming remarks at the March meeting. Laurie Locascio, the new Under Secretary of Commerce for 

Standards and Technology and Director of NIST, spoke at the June meeting.

At each meeting, the Board received detailed updates from NIST MEP leadership on programmatic operations 

and performance regarding the MEP National Network 2017-2022 Strategic Plan, including progress toward 

meeting its goals. Each meeting included presentations and high level discussions on various topics integral 

to the program and to manufacturing. These included developing partnerships, succession planning, current 

manufacturing trends, and potential MEP expansion awards. The March meeting included report outs from 

the Board’s three working groups: the MEP National Network Strategic Plan 2023-2027 Working Group, the 

Supply Chain Development Working Group and the Executive Committee Working Group.

The September Board meeting was co-located with and held before the Foundation for Manufacturing 

Excellence’s Center Best Practices Conference in Chicago, Illinois. Many MEP Advisory Board members also 

participated in the MEP National Network Update Meeting held just before the Board meeting in Chicago. 

This Board meeting featured an overview of the draft MEP National Network 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. In 

addition, the Board discussed potential focus areas for future working groups. 

These three Board meetings provided opportunities for Board members to discuss the constantly changing 

issues facing manufacturers, stay current on the latest trends in manufacturing, advise the NIST Director 

about the MEP program, and to actively engage with MEP Center Directors and other stakeholders. 
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 20

Advisory Board Working Group Focus Areas

At the September 2022 meeting, the Board discussed focus areas for future working groups. Two existing 

working groups will continue: 

z Advisory Board Executive Committee Working Group

z Strategic Goal: Mitigate Supply Chain Vulnerabilities Working Group (previously called 

Supply Chain Development Working Group)

In addition, three new working groups in 2023 will be: 

z Strategic Goal: Narrow the Workforce Gap Working Group

z Strategic Goal: Leverage Technology Working Group

z MEP National Network Expansion Awards – Ad Hoc Working Group
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 21

Strategic Planning

MEP National Network 2017-2022 Strategic Plan 

The Advisory Board continued to review and discuss the progress made on the MEP National Network 

2017-2022 Strategic Plan, which concluded in September 2022. The 2017-2022 strategic plan’s four principal 

goals included: Empower Manufacturers, Champion Manufacturing, Leverage Partnerships, and Transform 

the Network. The full plan is available on the NIST MEP website. 

At each meeting, the Board was provided with updates on progress toward goals for the MEP National 

Network 2017-2022 Strategic Plan’s final 18-month period. These included strengthening the supply chain, 

serving the manufacturing workforce, increasing Network brand awareness, and leading in technology 

deployment. Steady progress toward these 18-month goals was seen across the Network, with nearly all the 

goals met or exceeded. This information is available in the Board meeting minutes posted on the NIST MEP 

website.

The MEP National Network 2017-2022 Strategic Plan successfully guided the development of an integrated 

network over the past five years. The MEP National Network is now a reality. 
2022 MEP ADVISORY BOARD ANNUAL REPORT | 22

MEP National Network 2023-2027 Strategic Plan

The draft MEP National Network 2023-2027 Strategic Plan was presented to the Board at the September 2022 

meeting. The central tenets of the new strategic plan continue to be: Empower Manufacturers, Champion 

Manufacturing, Leverage Partnerships, and Transform the Network.

The 2023-2027 strategic plan focuses on new program themes of supply chain, workforce, and technology 

and innovation. The full plan is available on the NIST MEP website. The primary goals of the 2023-2027 

strategic plan are:

z Narrow the workforce gap: Enable SMMs to navigate the current workforce shortage while 

improving productivity and profitability, build a pipeline of future employees for the 

manufacturing sector

z Mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities: Increase supply chain visibility, assess supply chain risk

z Leverage technology: Increase technology adoption, ensure wholistic, comprehensive 

application and use of technology, strengthen cybersecurity capabilities, partner with federal labs 

to accelerate the use of new technologies

The 2023-2027 strategic plan will guide the MEP National Network toward these goals through strategies to 

embrace future growth, broaden and deepen expertise, strengthen relationships and influence with state 

authorities and agencies, expand collaboration with other Centers and participation in the MEP National 

Network, and develop and exercise convening power to build strategic partnerships in each state and 

regionally.

This new strategic plan will provide strategic direction for MEP National Network members and partners, but 

the implementation of those strategies will reside with each of the individuals who make up the Network, 

enabling and empowering them to craft the most effective means of execution for their contexts.
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EMAIL: MFG@NIST.GOV

WEB: WWW.NIST.GOV/MEP

The Go-To Experts for 

Advancing U.S. Manufacturing.