George Clark
President
Manufacture Alabama
As President of Manufacture Alabama, George Clark serves as the Chief Executive Officer and one of the association’s primary lobbyists. Since his time in the Alabama Legislature, George has worked tirelessly to enhance manufacturing in Alabama by providing government and regulatory services to companies engaged in industry, energy and heavy manufacturing. Immediately before becoming President of Manufacture Alabama at its inception in 2002, George helped start the Alabama Industry and Manufacturers Association (AIM) in 1996. This precursor to MA was Alabama’s first trade associate dedicated exclusively to manufacturers, and George was AIM’s only President.
Since the founding of Manufacture Alabama, George has played an influential role in shaping several key policies, including the advancement of Alabama’s workforce development system, something that he sees as vital to the future success of Alabama’s manufacturing sector. His leadership in this field has led to gubernatorial appointments to serve as Chairman of the Alabama Workforce Investment Board, Vice Chairman of the Alabama Workforce Council, and as a member of the Governor’s College & Career Ready Task Force. George served two terms in the Alabama House of Representatives. While serving in the Legislature, George provided the legislative leadership for, and was the chief sponsor of, the Heritage Trust Fund, which invested Alabama’s oil and gas royalties. He also sponsored the accompanying legislation that infused $520 million into the infrastructure of Alabama, upgrading roads, bridges and the Port of Mobile.
Manufacture Alabama is the only trade association in the state dedicated exclusively to the competitive, legislative, regulatory and operational interests and needs of manufacturers and their partner industries and businesses.
Kimberly A. Korbel
Executive Director
American Wire Producers Association
Kimberly Korbel has served the American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) since 1984 when she began her career in association management. In 1991, she was promoted to Executive Director, by an overwhelming majority of the Board of Directors, in response to her dedication to the industry and association priorities.
In 2019, Korbel serves as the Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Council of Manufacturing Associations (CMA) of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). She has served on the CMA Board since 2011 and, in February 2018, she became a member of the NAM Board of Directors.
The AWPA is the leading voice of the ferrous wire and wire products industry in North America. AWPA members include wire producers located in the United States, Canada and Mexico, manufacturers and distributors of wire rod, and suppliers of machinery, dies, and equipment to the wire industry. AWPA members represent over 80% of the US wire and wire products industry.
Korbel has managed the efforts of the AWPA, as an interested party, in multiple trade cases addressing the imports of both carbon and stainless steel wire rod. Cases include antidumping and countervailing investigations, Sunset Reviews, Section 201, Section 312, and recently the Section 232 investigation of steel imports. She organized a coalition of downstream steel manufacturers in opposition to Section 232 restrictions of steel imports. AWPA member wire companies are also petitioners in cases addressing the imports of wire and wire products, primarily from China.
In 2016, the ENFORCE Act, advanced by a coalition of AWPA member wire producers, was passed as part of The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. AWPA and the coalition worked on passage of the legislation in partnership with the NAM and members of the CMA, for over 6 years.
Korbel is proud to have served as the first Chair of the Board of Directors of Generation Hope, a charitable organization supporting teen parents seeking a college degree. Generation Hope surrounds Scholars and their children with a network of individuals who invest in them emotionally and financially because anyone can succeed when someone believes in them. Kimberly mentored one of the first Scholars who graduated in 2016 with a degree in Criminal Justice.
Ms. Korbel has a bachelor’s degree in International Business from Augsburg University in Minneapolis, Minnesota and resides in Alexandria, Virginia. She takes much joy in her role as Grandmother of two very delightful, brilliant grandchildren, Zoey and Zander.
Anders Thors, Fitz-Thors Engineering, Inc.
Mack Magnus, M&B Metal Products
Ryan Marion, TRAXIT International