Bush Will Nominate Frink As Manufacturing Assistant Secretary

ByJohn S. McClenahen About seven months after President George W. Bush directed that a post of assistant secretary for manufacturing be created in the U.S. Commerce Department, a person is being nominated. The White House announced on April 8 that the President intends to nominate Albert A. Frink Jr. to the position. His nomination is subject to Senate confirmation. Frink currently is executive vice president and co-founder of Fabrica International, a 400-employee Santa Clara, Calif. carpet manufacturer. Frinks pending nomination was immediately applauded by Jerry J. Jasinowski, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Manufacturers. "Al is a successful business leader with extensive experience in public policy," Jasinowski said. "He has served on the Commerce Departments Exporters' Textile Advisory Committee and is a 2004 inductee to the Small Business Administration Hall of Fame. He will be an excellent advocate for U.S. manufacturing." On April 8, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans announced that Arthur "Don" Wainwright, chairman and CEO of Wainwright Industries Inc., St. Peters, Mo., and Karen Wright, owner and CEO of Ariel Corp., Mount Vernon, Ohio, would be chairman and vice-chairman, respectively, of the departments new Manufacturing Council.