This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting members of the Department of Commerce and their contributions to the Open for Business Agenda.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

At more than 2,300 events across the country, Manufacturing Day 2015 gave tens of thousands of people the opportunity to see firsthand the many benefits modern manufacturing brings to our communities and economy.

The Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII), a UI LABS Collaboration, was thrilled to open its doors to over 50 Chicago Public High School students and their teachers to celebrate national Manufacturing Day on October 2, 2015.

NOAA has upgraded nowCOAST, a GIS-based online map service providing more frequently updated ocean observations along with coastal and marine weather forecasts. The new version, which went live on September 21, also offers a visual point-and-click access to 60 NOAA data products and services. Users can reach the site at nowcoast.noaa.gov.

With the negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) completed, today is an important day for American businesses and workers. I would like to commend our negotiators, the Department of Commerce and International Trade Administration professionals who assisted in the negotiations, and all other involved parties for their tireless efforts to find consensus on this historic agreement.

Recent innovations in manufacturing have changed the way people like Thomas Hiromoto, a car enthusiast and mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin, think about production. If there was a car part that he couldn’t easily build or buy, Hiromoto would 3-D print a new one.

Today, Secretary Pritzker was among the thousands of Americans celebrating National Manufacturing Day at manufacturing facilities across the country.

This is my favorite time of year, when we recognize the importance of manufacturing as thousands of companies open their doors to welcome in the public to see the amazing products being made every day by our neighbors and friends in communities across the United States.

U.S. factories do their part to keep the U.S. economy humming. Did you know that manufacturing accounts for 12 percent of overall U.S. economic activity as measured by Gross Domestic Product? The Bureau of Economic Analysis produces a slew of economic statistics on how manufacturing and other U.S. industries are performing and impact the economy. Given that Oct.

An expanded economic partnership between the United States and India will allow both countries to create greater prosperity for workers, businesses, and communities in both nations.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s BroadbandUSA team, together with Next Century Cities, a nonprofit initiative of over 100 mayors and community officials dedicated to ensuring the availability of next-generation broadband Internet for all Americans convened a productive broadband workshop yesterday in Portland, Maine to explore ways to close the digital divide and ex

Our country’s marine transportation system is an essential driver of the U.S. economy. Every day, U.S. ports and waterways handle millions of tons of domestic and international cargo ranging from agricultural products to heating oil and automobiles. Those ports support more than 13 million American jobs.

Prior to a potential lapse in funding, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requires the Department to submit a draft plan for agency operations in the absence of appropriations (a “shutdown plan”).

The importance of increasing the representation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) fields was the main topic of Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Michelle K. Lee’s presentation at the Million Women Mentors Summit at the National Press Club in Washington D.C.

Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker traveled to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to lay out America’s “Path Forward” on innovation and meet directly with some of America’s leading researchers and innovators.

American manufacturing is making a comeback, and for good reason. For every $1.00 invested in manufacturing, the sector generates $1.32 for the economy. Moreover, manufacturing jobs are highly skilled, well-paying career opportunities that provide a key path to the middle class, with workers earning 17 percent more than similar workers employed in other sectors.

The growth of our clean energy manufacturing base depends not only on what we do in the United States, but also on how we capitalize on the opportunities for U.S. businesses to benefit from the massive growth of clean energy markets beyond our borders.

In America’s path forward, the Department of Commerce is working to help communities and businesses prepare for and prosper in a changing environment. Through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Department is working to both advance the understanding and prediction of changes in the environment, and to strengthen the resiliency of communities and regions.

Last week, U.S. Commerce Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews traveled to China to strengthen economic ties and deepen American engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, making stops in Dalian, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. Deputy Secretary Andrews began his trip in Dalian to participate in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, as part of the World Economic Forum.

As the summer comes to an end, millions of students are returning to campuses all over the country. A good portion of these students are coming from abroad. Did you know that the tuition and living expenses of foreign students make up an important services export? In 2013 the total came to $27 billion in U.S. exports, roughly twice the amount of a decade ago.

All over the country, manufacturing companies and other organizations are preparing to host an anticipated 400,000 people who want to experience American manufacturing up close and in person.

Since 1974, civilian deaths from fire in the United States have been reduced by more than 50 percent. Unfortunately, injuries and fatalities of firefighters are not being reduced at the same rate. In fact, the rate of firefighter fatalities on the fireground (that’s where a fire is fought) has increased.

Two years ago, the U.S. Commerce Department launched its Open for Business Agenda and took several strides to foster entrepreneurship. U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker believes entrepreneurs are the foundation of our economy and that those who create and innovate, transform ideas into new businesses.