WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama has announced that Ron Bloom will serve as the Administration’s senior counselor for manufacturing policy. 
Working closely with the National Economic Council, Bloom will provide leadership on policy development and strategic planning for the President’s agenda to revitalize the manufacturing sector. He will work with departments and agencies across the administration – including the Departments of Commerce, Treasury, Energy and Labor – to integrate existing programs and develop new initiatives affecting the manufacturing sector.
Bloom will retain his role as senior adviser to the Secretary of the Treasury assigned to the President’s Task Force on the Automotive Industry. Bloom was named to the post in February.
Prior to joining the Treasury Department, Bloom served as a special assistant to the President of the United Steelworkers Union, where his responsibilities included the Union’s collective bargaining program in its core jurisdictions with an emphasis on the particular issues facing the Steelworkers in its dealings with companies facing financial difficulties. He also coordinated the Union’s relationships with investors in both public and private companies.
In a statement issued yesterday, President Obama said he is committed to a next-generation manufacturing agenda by partnering with the private sector to spur innovation, invest in the skills of American workers, and help U.S. manufacturers prosper in the global marketplace by promoting exports.
"Last week we learned that our manufacturing sector expanded for the first time in 18 months and had the highest monthly output in two years," the president said. "It’s a sign that we’re on the right track to economic recovery, but that we still have a long way to go. That’s why I’ve asked Ron Bloom to help coordinate my Administration’s manufacturing policy. Distinguished by his extraordinary service on the Auto Task Force and his extensive experience with both business and labor, Ron has the knowledge and experience necessary to lead the way in creating the good-paying manufacturing jobs of the future. We must do more to harness the power of American ingenuity and productivity so that we can put people back to work and unleash our full economic potential."
Bloom added, "A strong manufacturing sector is a cornerstone of American competitiveness and a critical part of President Obama’s economic strategy. As we meet the challenges of globalization and technological change, it is vital to have a concerted effort across the Administration to support an innovative, vibrant manufacturing sector."
