President George W. Bush has released a $3.1 trillion budget for fiscal year 2009, which shrinks domestic spending and reduces the amount of money aimed at infrastructure investment at a time when it is needed most, according to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).
According to comments issued in a press release from the AGC, the administration’s budget proposes a 2.9-percent cut in infrastructure funding below last year’s levels.
"At a time when we’re looking for ways to stimulate the economy, cutting infrastructure spending is short-sighted," says Stephen E. Sandherr, CEO of the AGC. "This budget does not help to promote job growth and protection in a declining economy."
The budget proposes to cut $1.8 billion from the highway program, $200 million from the transit program and $750 million from the airport improvement program.
More information is available at www.agc.org.
AEM Elects 2008 Officers, DirectorsGlen Tellock, president and CEO of Manitowoc Co. in Manitowoc, Wis., has been elected 2008 Chairman of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the North American-based international trade group representing the off-road equipment manufacturing industry.
Also elected as 2008 AEM officers were:
• First Vice Chairman Martin Richenhagen, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AGCO Corp. in Duluth, Ga.;
• Second Vice Chairman Tiffany Sewell-Howard, Chief Executive Officer of Charles Machine Works in Perry, Okla.;
• Treasurer Duane Wilder, President of Liebherr Construction Equipment Co. in Newport News, Va.; and
• Secretary Dennis Slater, AEM’s full-time President.
The AEM officers, with the association’s board, set the guidelines and operating policies of the association on behalf of its members in areas including technical and safety services, market information and equipment statistics, global public policy, trade shows, international support services, education and training, workforce development and worksite safety/educational materials.
AEM has also elected industry executives to serve on its Board of Directors, as well as naming sector vice chairmen.
• Named as Vice Chairman-Agriculture is Douglas DeVries, Senior Vice President Ag Marketing, North America, Australia, Asia of Deere and Co., Moline, Ill.;
• Serving as Vice Chairman-Construction is Lynne Woodworth, President and Chief Executive Officer of Stone Construction Equipment Inc. in Honeoye, N.Y.
The following individuals have been elected to serve on the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Board of Directors:
• Daniel Allan, President, Sandvik Mining and Construction, Atlanta;
• Douglas DeVries, Senior Vice President Ag Marketing, North America, Australia, Asia of Deere and Company, Moline, Ill.;
• Dennis Eagan, Group President Industrial and Power Equipment, Blount Inc., Zebulon, N.C.;
• Roger Euliss, President, Multiquip Inc., Carson, Calif.;
• Russell Fowler, President and Chief Executive Officer, Krone North America, Memphis, Tenn.;
• Timothy Frank, Vice President Operations and Strategy, Volvo Construction Equipment North America, Asheville, N.C.;
• Anirban Ghosh, President, Mahindra USA, Tomball, Texas;
• Richard Kleine, Vice President Off-Highway Business, Cummins Inc., Columbus, Ind.;
• Andre Kriening, President, Sunwest Screen Graphics Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada;
• Gerald Randecker, President, BOMAG Americas, Kewanee, Ill.;
• Dennis Webster, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bush Hog LLC, Selma Ala.; and
• David Woods, Executive Partner, Giant Partners LLC, Oklahoma City, Okla.
More information is available online at the association’s Web site www.aem.org. C&DR
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