Or at least one of them.

At Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s remarks about his “Jobs Initiative” Monday at Ace Clearwater in Torrance, company President Kellie Johnson spoke. Here’s what she had to say:

Thanks to our elected officials and a deep appreciation to Governor Schwarzenegger for being here today and for expanding the jobs training programs. I believe that it sends a message to employers throughout the state that our government is our partner and is working with us.

But more importantly, the expansion of the jobs training program is about the people of this great state, for without them companies like Ace Clearwater wouldn’t be able to innovate, we couldn’t compete and we wouldn’t be able to win. Operating in California requires us to have the most productive workforce in the world. Ace Clearwater is a family-owned business, third generation. We’ve been around for 60 years. We wouldn’t be here today without the talented and skilled people that make up this company.

The Governor mentioned that we have been blessed with tremendous opportunity and, as a result, Ace Clearwater has been experiencing tremendous growth. We’ve hired approximately 100 people but we continue to have openings that we can’t fill because we can’t find the skills that are necessary to compete in today’s very complicated economy. The increasing technical knowledge and multi-skilled natured of today’s advanced manufacturing sector has wiped out the traditional white collar, blue collar and unskilled categories of work. The expanded jobs training program will help employers train people with the skills they need to compete in today’s global economy.

Johnson is a member of the National Association of Manufacturers’ Executive Committee and is set to become chairman of the California Manufacturers and Technology Association. The CMTA’s president and CEO, Jack Stewart, also emphasized the importance of workforce training in remarks at Torrance, citing a study the association worked on with the Milken Institue, “Manufacturing 2.0: A More Prosperous California.” Jack said: (continue reading…)

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a “California Jobs Initiative” in his State of the State address last week, a legislative package he described in more detail at an event Monday in Torrance. The site was Ace Clearwater Enterprises, which manufactures complex formed and welded assemblies for the aerospace and power generation industries. (The company president is Kellie Johnson, a member of the NAM’s Executive Committee.)

The Governor’s plan is quite substantive, framed around these goals: To create 100,000 new jobs and train an additional 140,00 Californians; to streamline regulations to get shovels into the ground, extending the home buy tax credit; and to eliminate sales taxes on green-tech manufacturing equipment.

The fifth element — tort reform — is worth of special note given the efforts to block or even reverse legal reform in Congress. The fact sheet for the jobs initiative summarizes the section, “Reforming The Legal Climate For California’s Businesses”:

To foster an atmosphere where businesses can thrive, the Governor will propose a series of changes to regulations governing class action law suits, products liability suits and seek to cap punitive damage awards. Unfair and frivolous suits impact where companies locate or expand. California’s current litigation laws lead to large settlements with little value to consumers but become worth millions to lawyers at the expense of California businesses. Current statutes also impede growth by holding businesspersons liable for defective products – even if the seller had no knowledge or control over the defect – and allowing for punitive damage awards that are wildly unpredictable among similar cases.

The Governor will propose a set of statutory changes that will set forth clear guidelines for class action lawsuits improve California’s litigation climate by allowing defendants to appeal class action certifications and by requiring the plaintiff rather than the defendant to pay for notification to other potential class members. In addition, these reforms will provide for limitations on the scope of damages assessed against business persons for defective products and eliminate unreasonable and excessive noneconomic and punitive damages awards.

For more, see the the California Civil Justice blog, “Gov. Schwarzenegger Urges Legal Reforms to Improve Climate for California Businesses, and Dan Pero at AmericanCourthouse.com, “Schwarzenegger to Fight for Legal Reform.”

A report on unemployment includes an interview with Gary Johnson of Ace Clearwater, a manufacturer that produces parts for the aerospace and aviation industry. Ace is still hiring, looking for skilled workers.