Name: John C. Cronin
Position: Executive Director, Rhode Island Manufacturing Extension Services, an affiliate of the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership which provides small to mid-sized manufacturers with low- cost business management, engineering, and training services.
Backround: Executive director of the Greater Rhode Island Regional Employment and Training Board, Quonset, 1994-1998; director of operations, Economic Innovation Center, Middletown, 1990-1994; president, Recycled Glass Products, North Kingstown 1992-1994; executive director of Aquidneck Island Foundation and economic development director for Newport County Chamber of Commerce, 1989-1990; Principal Planner for Town of North Kingstown, 1987-1989; Realtor, Century 21 Dwyer Realtors, North Kingstown, 1986-1987; policy planner, Governor’s Energy Office, Providence, 1978-1979; truck loader/union steward, United Parcel Service, Warwick, 1974-1987.
Education: Brown University, Bachelor of Arts, economics, 1976; University of Rhode Island, Master’s of community planning, 1981.
Age: 44
Family: Married, two sons
Residence: North Kingstown
JOHN C. CRONIN: “We focus on strategies that are going to affect the bottom line, not just a quick fix.”
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PBN: Why did you want to take the job as executive director of RIMES?
Cronin: I’ve been a union steward, I’ve been a coach, I was the town planner of North Kingstown, I was economic developer for the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, I sold real estate, I managed three nonprofit organizations before I (joined) RIMESall those learning experiences prepared me for this now, which is a statewide important position using a national network of expertise, combining my state network of developers who can help business. The timing was right in my career, and it was an excellent opportunity because we have the foundation here to take it to the next level.
What is that next level?
As RIMES has grown – and also as the other centers in the national network (have grown, it was discovered that) the best projects were the more comprehensive projects that started with a business needs- assessment, a management service, combined with an engineering and training service. Looking at all the systems.the changes we have made in the last five months that I’ve been here are taking the engineering service track record RIMES has had over the last two years, serving 99 companies with over 140 projects, (along with) the management service side (and merging) the Alliance program into our program so we offer a simpler, streamlined service. We give the big picture, we focus on strategies that are going to affect the bottom line, not just a quick fix. It’s a longer-term relationship we’re looking for, and you need a more comprehensive resource to provide that. We’re trying to develop industry-specific programs.
How will these changes affect how RIMES operates?
We were activity based in our first couple years to build credibility. We developed a good track record for providing good engineering services; now we’re becoming more holistic in our approach to our services. We’re also looking at providing the best, the most appropriate consulting, whether it’s internal or outside. We’re looking to broker more services, by emphasizing the up-front means assessment, and the clear focus on the customer, clear focus on the marketplace, clear focus on the cash flow. We can use some market knowledge to help guide the company strategies and their technology and people investments so the product they’re developing and improving upon is affecting the bottom line, in profits and in productivity. We’re becoming more solutions- focused.
What are some of the major challenges facing Rhode Island manufacturers now?
They’re constantly being asked to reduce cycle time in manufacturing products. They’re looking at whatever productivity increases they can get, and all kinds of processes need to be evaluated. in making changes in their work flow. They need to move into more self-directed, empowered work teams. They need to work better with the internal team as well as the integration of their supply chain and their customer interaction so they can manage their suppliers better. Their goals are extremely challenging they need to look at the best ways to reduce those cycle times, what’s the best way to provide information to their customers.
There’s an overwhelming amount of advances in information technology, electronic commerce, (they need to learn) how to involve (their) customers in the product development. (They need) a balanced approach to people, technology and the markets. We provide an array of tools, and we’re looking to offer some discounts in providing that.
You have mentioned that you would like RIMES to begin helping companies with their overall investment strategies. How are you doing this?
I’ll give you an example. We recently worked with a firm concerning their expansion. They were moving rapidly in doubling their facility and employment and we did a customer analysis for them, while we were also doing a facility layout (plan), and a management information system. We helped them understand some of the changes in their marketplace and their customers. One of their customers was being bought by a competitor. We were able to help them make arrangements with that competitor to help guarantee their sales with the customer. (We’re) gathering information, talking to their customer base in a way to make sure that that facility layout is going to pay off, and helping them (understand) how to manage their growth – what the marketing manager’s role should be, what the chief operating officer’s (role is). That’s just an example. Everything we provide takes a flexible approach.
We (RIMES) need to become better listeners, better coaches, better helpers as a partnership with the manufacturerWe have to help companies understand what their investment returns and expectations should be. We’re emphasizing impact. A lot of jobs in manufacturing will only be retained if they (companies) invest in technology and training. A lot of jobs will only be created if their product is developed the right way to meet the market niche.
How would you assess the Rhode Island manufacturing industry’s strengths and weaknesses?
As far as strengths, the Yankee ingenuity, the entrepreneurship, the character of Rhode Island. We have a lot of business leaders who, with their families, have either created their own manufacturing business or have become part of a family business. We have a lot of innovative products and unique niches. I think there’s been a clear understanding, thanks to the (Rhode Island) Human Resource Investment Council, that we need to invest in training for a high skill, high wage economy. We have tax credits and upgrade grants there has to become more support for the people side of the business. As far as the weaknesses, we lost major manufacturers. And they’ve left holes in our supply chain. Our supply chain is global, but it helps to have a local manufacturer. (For example) the loss of Hasbro’s manufacturing. It sort of goes back to Brown & Sharpe (Manufacturing Co.) and the downsizing of Electric Boat.
These (losses) have been overcome by creativity, by creating a more global supply chain. But that weakness still exists as far as not having large manufacturers in certain industries. Losing a Quebecor ( Printing Federated) is going to have an effect upon us. Right now, the people who worked at Quebecor are looked upon as great resources for a lot of printers who need skilled people. But Quebecor was a big customer of a lot of the local printers.
The industries that had relied on the low skilled (workers) in the past have had to make changes. The jewelry industry has been considered weak because of the decline in employment. But the ones that have relied on their design creativity and their technology and training, they’re staying strong. Our manufacturing base, the average wage level continues to go up and up and up. It’s close to $12 an hour on average now. The bottom line is we need to work on a tax structure (for the) corporate community that’s more fair as far as what other states pay.
(It has) an impact on competitiveness. So we’re looking at the Legislature and groups like the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association who can lobby for lower rates, and give Rhode Island a level playing field. We have the people strengths, (but) we do need to work harder with the educational system so we generate awareness and motivation for education and training as our (current supply of) craftspeople continues to age. We need to show the young people the rewards of manufacturing and what a manufacturing career is like. Also, one of the weaknesses is, because of some of the large manufacturing losses that we’ve had, even though we’ve had stability in this year, some of our companies have problems recruiting the best and brightest of the manufacturing engineers, the manufacturing managers. We need to promote Rhode Island, the renaissance of Rhode Island, the quality of life o f Rhode Island, and manufacturing and (show) that this is a good place to work.
Is there a particular industry within manufacturing that you expect to grow considerably?
That’s a question I’ve been posing to a lot of economic development people in the state. Electronics has taken on a growth. The marine trades have been doing well. The software industry is promising. But what we’re working on is.what’s the best strategy for us to provide our services to (a specific) industry. Now we need to focus on what manufacturing industry sector should we target more support (to). We haven’t gotten to that yet. We haven’t really evaluated an investment strategy for Rhode Island. We provide services to all manufacturers, and we always will, (but) we’re trying to develop special programs (for industry sectors). We hope that (Manufacturing) Renaissance Week in April can help formalize the discussions and we can get to a unified plan using the data from our economic studies so we can come up with some kind of strategy. We need to have a strategic plan for manufacturers. We need to be in synch with the Economic Development Corp., with the Central Rhode Island Development Corp. – all the players that have to be playing at a championship level in order for Rhode Island to do well.
