John Hazen White Jr.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Brookings Institution launched the new Jon Hazen White Jr. Forum on Public Policy to study manufacturing. The gift from White Jr., president and CEO of Taco Inc. in Cranston, R.I., endows the forum and fund activities related to manufacturing and innovation.

The project was formally launched on July 12 through a “U.S. Manufacturing: Policies for a New Economic Reality” forum. The half-day conference addressed current manufacturing challenges through presentations from Reps. Don Manzullo R-Ill.; David Cicilline, D-R.I.; Phillip Singerman, of the U.S. Department of Commerce; Steven Rattner, of Willet Advisors; Thea Lee, of the AFL-CIO; Scott Paul, of the Alliance for American Manufacturing; Rob Atkinson, of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation; and Mark Muro and Darrell West, of the Brookings Institution.

The project is led by Darrell M. West, vice president of Governance Studies and director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings.

“John White’s generosity enables us to explore this important area, and raise public and policymaker awareness of this sector,” said West.

White Jr. said Taco is proud to be an American company.

“The American manufacturer is an important part of our economic strength and health as a country, and we need to do everything we can to encourage and support an American manufacturing comeback,” he said.

Publication date: 7/30/2012