Archive News
Business News : Wednesday, November 17, 1999
Rosemary Brester contact for aerospace industry
by Barbara Nilson
Rosemary Brester's itinerary for the 'small players' in the aerospace industry reads like 'Around the World in 80 Days.' In the past two years she has been to Paris, France to the air show; Ottawa, Quebec and Vancouver, BC; Spain, Houston Space Center, and companies as close as Oregon. Last month she met with a British Delegation in Lynnwood and attended a reception in the home of the British Consulate in Seattle.
Brester, president and co-owner with her husband Larry of Hobart Machined Products, Inc for the past 33 years, believes there is strength in numbers and that small businesses need to be players on the world stage.
In recent years, the large companies such as Boeing have been thinning their list of suppliers and demanding just-in-time delivery of inventory on short notice, all in the mane of cutting overhead. The change has been a challenge to small shops that supply parts for the aerospace industry.
To address those concerns Brester worked on organizing the Washington Aerospace Alliance and serves on the board of directors. The Alliance has produced a directory of small businesses operating in the state.
'If you're a non-participant, things aren't going to happen for you,' says Brester, 'you have to be creative.'
Paris Air Show Networking
This means traveling the world to make contacts, even having a booth at the huge Paris Air Show last June.
Brester said that Paris was exciting and she and her husband even had a little time to stroll along the Seine River, visit the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower, and sights such as Napoleon's tomb, in-between receptions and manning their booth.
The first evening they were invited to the French Ambassadors residence for a private gathering with eight major countries represented. She chatted with Washington State's representative to France and mingled with aerospace representatives that she had met in Spain and elsewhere.
'It's called networking on a large scale,' said Brester.
She discussed educational programs with Dan Golden, head of NASA, who she had met on one of her visits to the Space Center in Houston. Brester was instrumental in the organization of the new Washington Aerospace Education Foundation, a not-for-profit group dedicated to the development of educational programs related directly to the aerospace industry. She served as the Foundation's first chair.
They left early to attend a reception they had been invited to by the state of Alabama in the Eiffel Tower. Various other state agencies also hosted events.
One of the most memorable evenings was hosted by the German Aerospace Alliance in a medieval abbey. 'We were met at the gate by folks in costumes of the era and led down the path by Pied Pipers, it was just incredible. They had all the games and instruments from the medieval times around the 1100's.'
'We had so many interesting conversations,' said Brester, 'it's broadening to encounter different viewpoints. Some believe the industry is driven by the stock market and others that the government doesn't have the power, it's the churches.'
'I was shocked that conditions aren't any better in Europe than here,' said Brester. 'They're having as much trouble as we are. Some companies still use manual equipment.'
There was tight security at all the events and they had to show their engraved invitations to be allowed in.' We were hosted by the British Aerospace, CASA of Spain, Alenia, Daimler Chrysler Aerospace and Aerospatiale Matra among others.'
'They rolled out a blue carpet at the reception at the Louvre, it was marvelous. We got to see the Mona Lisa up close. We didn't leave until 2:30 a.m.'
'We had been warned that the French would be rude,' said Brester, 'but they weren't at all. The people have been going through training sessions for the World Cup. Only a taxi cab driver was rude, otherwise folks were most helpful in directing us when we got lost and trying to answer our questions.'
'There are 10 million people who actually live in Paris and 4 million around the outskirts,' said Brester. 'You take your life in your hands trying to get across the street. But their light rail and underground system is great.'
Each day there were tremendous fly-overs in the sky during the air show, and they also toured different models of planes i.e. Beluga Freighter, Airbus, SAAB, Concorde, etc.
On their last day in Paris they toured the palace at Versailles viewing the artwork and Notre Dame with their treasures of gold and diamonds. ?The French seem to be very respectful of their numerous treasures.'
Visitors From Irkutsk
One of the representatives they met again in France was the Russian general who they met at the Space Center Houston. This summer he was responsible for bringing a group of aerospace workers from Irkutsk in Siberia to visit the Brester's shop in Hobart. They build parts for military planes in Russia.
As a member of the Board for the Aerospace Alliance Association's Executive committee, she is often asked to host small business representatives from around the world, including a recent delegation from Taiwan, R.O.C.
Involved with Job Training
On the Brester's second trip to Houston they took along a student from Shoreline who is attending the University of Washington studying biochemistry. A Ukrainian student from Federal Way who attends Green River Community College works in their shop part-time while studying to become a machinist. Brester is involved with the Tech Prep summer intern program that helps teaches and students learn on-the-job skills and has been involved at Tahoma Senior High.
As a committee member of King County Coordinated Funders Group, Workforce 2000 she assists in the goal of designing and delivering a training and employment system that supports business in recruiting qualified job seekers and retaining them in the workforce.
For the past 18 years, she has worked on the Vocational Advisory committee at THS in Agriculture and Applied Technology programs planning for program expansion, building remodels, along with career day, job shadowing and mentoring.
She is an active advisory member at Shoreline, South Seattle as well as Green River Community College. Serving on Business Management, International Business, Machine Technology, Worker Retraining, committees and on the steering committee for MTAG, Manufacturing Technology, programs.
In addition Brester is a member of the North East Vocational Area Cooperative which included nine school districts on the eastside.
Other involvement with students includes the Opportunity Skyway program, which helps kids learn aviation-related math, science and work skills, located at the King County International Airport-Boeing Field.
She recently joined the advisory committee for Lighthouse for the Blind, where impaired individuals are trained to operate CNC equipment in the manufacture of aerospace parts and assemblies.
Her travels and networking have enhanced the bonds of the aerospace industry and strengthened the outlook for job training.
She says, 'It's exciting when the ambassadors and the world aerospace leaders start recognizing you and remembering the small businesses in Washington State.'
