IOI Recognizes national Disability Awareness month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time to recognize the contributions and accomplishments of Americans with disabilities and businesses that hire persons with disabilities.

One of the area's local industries, Industrial Opportunities, Inc. is a community leader, not only in manufacturing a variety of products for the military, but as a provider of vocational training for people with disabilities.

In 1974 a group of concerned parents and citizens founded the Marble Activity Center, a private, non-profit corporation which provided a rehabilitation program for handicapped and disabled people. From these beginnings this program has transformed itself into Industrial Opportunities, Inc.

IOI is in its 33rd year of business with a current workforce of 237 employees; 58% have a disability. Tom O'Brien, President/CEO of IOI, stated, "I am proud of the IOI workforce and their commitment to provide the highest quality possible, which is crucial to all of their customers especially the U.S. Military" and to people receiving vocational services.

Industrial Opportunities, Inc. (IOI) has military contracts for 17 special-forces pouches and deployment bags for aerial delivery. Negotiations are also underway for an additional product, a Multi-Loop Extraction Line for Aerial delivery. This contract period would begin October 2007 and end June 2008.

IOI is also manufacturing the following: a tourniquet, first aid bag, medical bandages and a litter for a private company that has contracts with the U.S. Military and sales in Europe.

These contracts will provide work for 100 of our employees and generate over $1,600,000 in wages and benefits. O'Brien is expecting to exceed last year's $3,228,150 in wages and benefits that were reinvested in the community.

O'Brien would like to recognize his employees and the following local employers that have hired adults with disabilities from the IOI vocational training program. Employers from Cherokee, Clay and Graham Counties hired 20 adults with disabilities this past year.