Following on the heels of Mitt Romney’s recent Presidential Campaign trek through Licking County, Ohio and the Presidential candidate’s visit to the manufacturing operations of Screen Machine Industries, Inc. (SMI), Steven Cohen, President of SMI, has been chosen to speak in Tampa, FL at next week’s Republican National Convention. As an invited prime time GOP speaker on Wednesday evening August 29, 2012, Mr. Cohen will represent Ohio’s manufacturing community, and by extension, small business leaders everywhere.

On the occasion of accepting the honor, Mr. Cohen commented that “…speaking on behalf of the 30 million small businesses that drive job creation is both humbling and thrilling at the same time.”

Mr. Cohen’s speech will occur at approximately 9:30 EDT as he will follow Senator Rob Portman (OH) on the GOP docket. The subject matter of his speech will aptly focus on the challenges of a small Ohio manufacturer competing in a global economy. Political issues important to manufacturing such as intellectual property protection, unfair trade policies, excessive regulations, and taxes will highlight his message and pleas for needed change.

According to SMI, Mr. Cohen will speak next week from the perspective of his corporate family pride and the 45 plus years of positive citizenship it has forged within the local economy and the greater Ohio community at large.

Screen Machine is an original equipment manufacturer of portable crushing and screening equipment used in the construction and mining industries worldwide. SMI hosted a campaign press conference for Republican Presidential Nominee hopeful Mitt Romney in July of 2011. Approximately 400 employees, community members, news correspondents and Ohio manufacturing executives turned out to hear and report on Mr. Romney’s views relating to international trade, job creation and manufacturing.

For more information, please visit www.screenmachine.com

Update: For video of the speech, click here.