[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 31 (Thursday, February 18, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN RECOGNITION OF THE TRABON GROUP

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 18, 2021

  Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with immense pride to 
recognize and celebrate the Trabon Group for their contributions to the 
fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic. Despite the many challenges 
posed by this virulent virus, the Trabon Group quickly shifted its 
business operations to help build Personal Protective Equipment for 
those in Kansas City and across the United States. I am truly honored 
to represent the Trabon Group, and their commitment to public health is 
admirable and well worth reflection.
  The Trabon Group is a commercial printing business and menu software 
supplier based in Kansas City, Missouri, that has provided services to 
over one thousand clients nationwide and printed more than forty-three 
million menus and prints. Since 1975, the Trabon Group has been 
providing countless businesses with high quality marketing and sales 
prints such as brochures and flyers, as well as menu data services that 
have revolutionized the restaurant industry. With forty-six years of 
experience, the Trabon Group has become a fixture of the Kansas City 
business community.
  The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked destruction on American lives and 
on American livelihoods. One of the first economic sectors to feel the 
devastating effects of the pandemic was the restaurant industry. Soon 
to follow was the entire ecosystem of other businesses, including the 
Trabon Group, who counted restaurants among their most loyal clients. 
At the beginning of last year, as businesses began to shut their doors, 
paychecks began to disappear, and cases began to rise, the Trabon 
Group, like so many others, faced mounting challenges to stay open and 
pay their employees. Our nation was caught off guard by this virus, and 
the situation looked bleak. However, in March of 2020, the Trabon group 
crafted an innovative idea that allowed them to continue operations and 
maintain their workforce, all while serving struggling communities 
across the United States.
  After communicating with schools, healthcare organizations, and 
hospitals, the Trabon Group recognized the dire need for protective 
equipment and began producing face shields. They then went about 
rethinking their printing machine capabilities and collected the 
supplies required to produce the shields on a large scale. Within the 
first few days of producing protective equipment, the Trabon Group, 
under the brand USA Shields LLC., produced and shipped around fifty 
thousand medical grade face shields. As a part of this endeavor, the 
Trabon Group was able to bring back seventy-two of their furloughed 
workers and are now supplying around eight thousand face shields a day 
to be shipped to hospitals, restaurants, meatpacking facilities, 
colleges, and high schools throughout Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and 
Texas.
  The Trabon Group had previously set itself apart in the business 
community by creating the groundbreaking MenuNet software that has 
allowed restaurants to better manage their data, but this past year has 
truly shown their innovative nature and passion for service. As 
vaccines arrive in cities and towns all across the United States, and 
as our country begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel, 
businesses like the Trabon Group will continue to be paramount in 
defeating this destructive virus. It gives me great hope for the future 
to see businesses like the Trabon Group step up to serve in times of 
difficulty, and I am extremely thankful for their efforts to save lives 
and jobs alike. Throughout American history, our people have confronted 
many seemingly insurmountable challenges. Much like past generations 
who faced daunting odds, the American people are meeting these 
challenges with strength, determination, and deep forethought for their 
fellow citizens.
  Today, we celebrate local businesses such as the Trabon Group, who 
exemplify what true representatives of servant leadership look like. 
Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the outstanding work of the 
Trabon Group in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us 
seek to emulate their example by setting our talents and resources upon 
the urgent work of helping those in need.

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