P&L Specialties’ president Ed Barr was honored at the North Bay Business Journal’s 2014 Top Manufacturing Awards for Community Giving.  Not as a business motive, but as a human being, Ed Barr’s altruistic focus has set an example for others.

Since 2002 he has served on the Workforce Investment Board, twice as chair, with a goal of using federal funds to train and retrain dislocated youth and adults. Ed recalls, “Initially I got involved with WIB because we needed welders for our stainless steel work and realized that helping people is what I really wanted to do.”

Ed Barr serves on the advisory committee with the Sonoma County Youth Probation Camp on vocational programs in woodworking and welding making benches, fire pits, barbecues for the public and culinary use. His role has been to help source tools, equipment and other resources for the camp. Mr. Barr also serves on the Petaluma Peoples Services Board that acquired the Bounty Farm in Petaluma providing food for Meals on Wheels, the food bank and local restaurants.

In 2006, he started giving free guitar lessons to high school and junior college students who could not pay for instruction. “All I ask is that they show up on time and practice as they expand their understanding of music. Now we have a Battle of the Students among those who play in a band together with a used drum set and PA system. Mr. Barr has been fortunate to have great mentors, especially his dad who guided him in the business.

Empowering young people and being passionate about vocational training is what drives him.  “No one gets anywhere without someone helping them,” Barr said. “I genuinely like people, think the best of everyone and maintain a positive outlook. I believe if you give someone a fine reputation to live up to, they will.”