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Stephen C. Mandes, NIMS executive director, dies

Stephen C. Mandes, who served as executive director of the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) since its inception in 1999, died in April.

Mandes got the Department of Labor to recognize NIMS as a new standard for federally approved apprentice programs. He tied it to the SkillsUSA program and many other skills programs in the country.

Early this year President Obama personally invited Mandes to a press conference where the president announced he wanted to make skilled training a priority for manufacturing jobs in the U.S. Mandes and NIMS would be at the forefront of this new program, helping to promote more U.S. manufacturing and bringing back skilled jobs that are now leading the U.S. economic comeback.