PRESIDENT NEEDS HELP FROM CRESTVIEW BUSINESS OWNER

Over the last few years, I noted a local business leader and past Chairman of the Okaloosa County Economic Development Council, being a leader in the Defense Industry. This would be Dr. Paul Hsu. Not only was he successful in building a multi-million dollar company in Crestview, he was also selected by the President Bush to the his Export Council. He has been instrumental in bringing attention to this area for the aerospace industry and is building the new Technology Park at the Crestview Airport, which will be opening in the coming months and creating more jobs. Now, his efforts have caught the of the present Administration for the purpose of minority business enterprise. I will tell you this, Dr. Hsu efforts will bring more attention to our area, and specifically the Crestview Airpark. Again, another iniatitive, which will bring more growth to our area. I hope you see the writing on the wall.

By DUSTY RICKETTS
Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4448 dricketts@nwfdailynews.com  

FORTWALTONBEACH — As a registered Republican, local entrepreneur Paul Hsu did not expect the Obama administration to ask him to join a national advisory board. However, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke on Monday appointed Hsu , t h e chairman of the green technology firm Hsu Enterprise Group, to the new National Advisory Council on Minority Business Enterprise. “It’s quite an honor,” Hsu said. “This is the first time they reached over the party lines. Everyone knows I’m a Republican, but it really is indeed an honor to serve with him on something that touches my heart, the eco - nomic recovery and job creation.” Hsu is a native of Taiwan who came to the United States after graduating from college in Taipei, Taiwan. He was a software engineer who co-founded MTI in 1984 and sold the company 20 years later to MTC. Hsu was appointed to a two-year term on the advisory council. The g r o u p w i l l d e v e l o p strategies and policies to position minorityowned firms to compete in the global economy. Hsu said he plans to concentrate on world trade and ways to grow manufacturing in the United States. In the past 10 years, the country has lost 3 million manufacturing jobs, or about 20 percent of the nation’s entire manufacturing force, he said. Hsu wants to bring those jobs back and not lose them to developing countries. “I think minority business development is at the very front burner under the Obama administration,” Hsu said. “This definitely gets his attention. I think the few meetings will take place in the White House. I don’t know if he will participate, but I think he will. He wants to know how we will develop the minority business. This is really, really, really to his heart, and I know that. “But to me, either minority or nonminority, small business is small business,” Hsu added. “If we create jobs, it doesn’t matter if it’s a white business or a minority business.” Hsu previously served on President George W. Bush’s President’s Export Council. He represented the president on several trips to China.