President Obama made his first public appearance after his annual State of the Union Address in Cedar Rapids on Jan. 25. In the first of five visits during a three day tour, he emphasized the growth of manufacturing jobs in the United States and also emphasized the production and purchase of more US made products.

President Obama visited Conveyor Engineering and Manufacturing, a local manufacturing business located near the airport. Graig Cone, the company’s president and father of Kennedy student Sydney Cone, jr., and 2011 Kennedy alumn Brody Cone, took President Obama on a guided tour of the plant. The business their grandfather Joe Cone started in his home basement over 35 years ago now employs over 85 workers. It supplies stainless steel screw-type conveyors meeting the requirements of the Federal Food and Drug Administration to various customers such as Cargill, Kellogg and Hormel Foods.

Obama chose to visit Conveyor Engineering and Manufacturing because it is an example of the entrepreneurial spirit that he is advocating in his economic plans for our country. Taking an idea, investing your time, money and future into developing it into a viable nosiness is what the President is encouraging others to do.

Over 400 people heard his speech during the midday visit to Cedar Rapids.