Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank paid a visit Monday to Kansas City pushing the administration’s efforts to create more jobs.

While there have been 28 straight months of job growth, Blank said more needs to be done, including tax breaks, to keep jobs in the U.S.

“We need to do everything possible to support business,” she said.

Republicans have criticized the Obama administration for not paying more attention to lowering taxes and easing regulations which they said would create jobs.

Blank visited A Zahner Co., a more than 100-year-old Kansas City metals fabrication company. Zahner is recognized internationally for crafting glass and metal for art and architecture projects. In the shop were two 10-feet tall stainless steel tobacco leaves for a sculpture in Mexico City. Manufacturing has been a bright spot in the country’s economy.

“More families are finding economic security because of the manufacturing renaissance,” Blank said.

L. William Zahner III, the company’s president and chief executive, said the business is cyclical with at times employing as many as 220 employees.It currently has about 160 employees.

Zahner said a big issue for his company is cash flow since it is typically paid after a job is done. In addition, any efforts to help U.S. business compete globally are helpful.

But perhaps the biggest issue is the training and education of the workforce.

“To compete globally, we need intelligent people,”Zahner said.

Instead of dwelling on tax cuts, he said, more needs to be done in educating the workforce so that U.S. companies like Zahner can compete in at tough global economy..

“It’s not going to be cheap,” he said.

Also attending a press conference with Zahner and Blank were Kansas City Mayor Sly James and Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders. To reach Steve Everly, call 816-234-4455 or send email to severly@kcstar.com