Congressman Bill Foster recently visited Aurora Defense Group (ADG), a small manufacturer of mil-spec lighting, wire harnesses, and electro-mechanical systems for the U.S. military, for a shop floor tour and a discussion on how federal policy decisions can help small businesses grow. The visit was a stop on the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices’ (10KSBV) national “Seat at the Table” tour.
Founded in 1966 and family-operated on Hankes Avenue, ADG has spent decades supplying vehicular lighting systems, wire harnesses, and electro-mechanical products to the Department of Defense and to prime contractors including Oshkosh Corporation, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, and AM General. Augie Fabela, president of Aurora Defense Group and a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, led the tour and hosted the discussion.
Conversation focused on the issues shaping ADG’s ability to compete and expand: the role of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) HUBZone program in bringing federal contracting dollars into underserved Aurora neighborhoods, the impact of economic uncertainty on small business expansion decisions, and the Department of Defense procurement and cybersecurity requirements that small suppliers must meet to win and keep contracts.
“As someone who built a manufacturing business right here in the Midwest, I’m always pleased to meet with local manufacturers like Augie and his team at Aurora Defense Group,” said Rep. Bill Foster. “The parts they make end up in vehicles our service members depend on. I’ll continue working in Congress to support small businesses and local manufacturers as they navigate tariffs and rising costs.”
“We’ve been manufacturing in Aurora for nearly 60 years, and we’re ready to grow – but responsible growth for a company our size, and in our industry, depends on being on the same page as the folks in Washington,” said Fabela.
—Office of congressman Bill Foster