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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

October 31, 2003

MANUFACTURING GROUP HAS PUT IN 25 YEARS OF ENLIGHTENED WORK

Building a healthy community

* Campaigns for measures that raise taxes.

* Considers saving open space a pro-business policy.

* Ranks affordable housing as its top priority.

Around here, there's no need to imagine: The Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group is that rare breed of business lobby that takes the mile-high view of what's good for companies and -- not surprisingly -- often concludes it's the same thing that's good for communities.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary today, the Manufacturing Group still follows the example of its founder, David Packard. Packard and his partner, Bill Hewlett, not only built a great company, but also led by example when it came to building a thriving, healthy community.

Led since 1997 by CEO Carl Guardino, the Manufacturing Group has refined the art of getting things done through collaboration, often with groups that are not typically seen as allies of business. The group partnered with the Greenbelt Alliance to establish an open space authority and, more recently, to promote voter-approved greenbelts around cities. While the Chamber of Commerce is battling organized labor over wage requirements, the Manufacturing Group is working hand in hand with Working Partnerships, the labor council's policy arm, on transportation issues.

And while some business organizations vilify government, the Manufacturing Group often partners with government agencies to help create affordable housing, build transportation networks and support local schools -- all important to industry's long-term health, if not to this quarter's profits.

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