Article from: Midland Chamber's Business Journal

March 1995
By Bruce Partain
Published by: The Midland Chamber of Commerce and The Midland Reporter Telegram

Chamber’s goal is to enlarge city’s "economic pie"

"Making the economic pie bigger." In simple terms, that’s the objective of the Chamber’s Economic Development Division. Oh, there’s a more detailed version, according to Tom Stinson, the Chamber’s Manager of Economic Development.

"The goal of the Economic Development Division is to enhance the strength and stability of the Midland economy through the support of existing industry and the attraction of manufacturing and service sector businesses which bring new capital into the local economy," Stinson said.

Experts say that the secret to maximizing those efforts is to key on the manufacturing and export-service industries.

Why?

"These are the are the businesses that export products and import dollars," Stinson said. "Once those new imported dollars are here in Midland, then the local consumer-related businesses reap rewards." Stinson said that the recent retail "boom" in Midland is more of an effect than a cause of economic prosperity.

"Therefore, the Midland Chamber’s Economic Development Division does not recruit new retail into Midland," Stinson said. "We focus on assisting local existing manufacturers in their expansion activities, recruiting more manufacturers from other areas to relocate or expand here in Midland."

"The oil and gas industry contributes to the economy in the same way as manufacturing; exporting a product and importing new dollars. We work closely with major and independent oil company executives to assist their employment and expansion needs." Stinson says the Chamber’s effort have been fruitful.

"In the past four years, we have provided major assistance to seven existing local manufacturers, helping them expand their operations in Midland," he said.

"These include Linco-Electromatic, Inc., TomCat USA, Agri-Empresa, Duo Delights, Don-Nan Pump & Supply, Tri-City Beverage and Hirschfeld Steel. This has resulted in 110 jobs being created and 53 additional jobs projected in the next year."

Linco-Electromatic's Ken Steward and his brother Bob Steward (not pictured) have manufactured "devices to measure liquids in transit" in Midland for more than 25 years. Photo: Bruce Partain