The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and its board chair, Mary Andringa, will host a forum for the 2012 Republican presidential candidates in Pella on Nov. 1, the association announced. The forum will be moderated by Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad.

The forum will be held at Vermeer Corp.’s headquarters in Pella. Andringa is the president and CEO of the family-owned manufacturing company, whose equipment is used on jobs sites in more than 60 countries.
    
 “Manufacturing is vital to the American economy, and we expect issues that affect manufacturers – from tax reform to energy security to job growth – to play a central role in the presidential election,” Andringa said in a press release.  “We look forward to welcoming the candidates to Vermeer and learning about their visions for keeping manufacturing in America strong.”

The issues to be discussed are also vital to the state, Branstad said in the release.

“This is an excellent opportunity for all of the candidates to discuss manufacturing, trade, tax reform and other issues that are critically important to the state of Iowa and the United States’ economic prosperity,” Branstad said. Manufacturing in Iowa employs more than 200,000 people and accounts for more than 20 percent of the state’s economy.    

The major Republican candidates running for president in 2012 will be invited to participate in the forum. The NAM will also extend an invitation to President Barack Obama to meet with manufacturers to discuss issues critical to manufacturing competitiveness.