Manufacture Alabama (MA) announced on Tuesday that Jason B. Crager, Director of Lockheed Martin’s Pike County Operations, has been selected to the MA Board of Directors effective immediately.
MA President George Clark expressed the organization’s excitement at adding a distinguished leader from the state’s burgeoning aerospace and defense manufacturing sectors.
“We are extremely pleased to have Jason come on in a leadership role,” Clark said in a press release.
He continued, “Just as Alabama’s manufacturing sector evolves, so does Alabama’s manufacturing trade association. Jason brings with him a certain insight into the aerospace and defense segments of Alabama’s manufacturing base that will be of great value to the association.”
Crager has over 20 years of experience in various roles within Manufacturing Operations and Product Management at Lockheed Martin. A native of the Longhorn State, Crager began his career as a Production Technician at Loral Vought in Lufkin, Texas while completing his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Communication and Legal Studies from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Crager said he is glad to join in a leadership role at Manufacture Alabama, which is a leading political trade association in Alabama and the only trade association in the state dedicated exclusively “to the competitive, legislative, regulatory and operational interests and needs of manufacturers and their partner industries and businesses.”
“I’m honored to be part of a great group of leaders in raising the profile of Alabama manufacturing,” Crager emphasized. “This state is well-recognized for its place in the industry thanks to Manufacture Alabama, and in this role I intend to add to those efforts to continue strengthening Alabama’s economy and workforce.”
Manufacture Alabama’s Board of Directors also includes Chairman David Carroll of Hunt Refining Company in Tuscaloosa, Vice-Chairman David Hendrixson of Daikin America, Inc. in Decatur, Treasurer Marty Parker of Packaging Corporation of America in Jackson, Secretary Paul Vercher of US Steel in Birmingham, Mark Bush of SSAB North America in Axis and Carl Gunter of International Paper in Prattville.
Manufacture Alabama operates the state’s “JOBS Political Action Committee,” which aims to support candidates interested in a pro-jobs, pro-growth economic environment and promoting the success of industry and manufacturing in Alabama.
Last week, Governor Kay Ivey highlighted Alabama’s ranking atop “Global Trade” magazine’s list of the best nine states for manufacturing in the nation. “Business Facilities,” an economic development focused publication, in July named the Yellowhammer State as the best in a business-climate ranking.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
