Betty Boros Chief Member Strategy Officer | New Jersey Business & Industry Association
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New Jersey Review | May 19, 2025

Tariffs pose challenges for FOCO's China-dependent operations

On the recent episode of "Minding Your Business" on News 12+, Michele Siekerka, President and CEO of NJBIA, engaged in a discussion with Michael Lewis, founder of Piscataway-based Forever Collectibles (FOCO). The conversation focused on the potential adverse effects tariffs could have on businesses reliant on Chinese manufacturing.

Lewis expressed concerns about the feasibility of shifting production away from China. He stated, “You can’t take the competence of 30, 40, 50 years of management expertise and just say because, ‘I don’t want to make it there anymore.’ And I believe it can be made here versus here; that’s just not true. You can’t just do that.” He added that a gradual transition over several years might be possible but insisted that an immediate change is unfeasible.

“There’s one place in the world you can make this bobblehead, it’s in Fujian Province in China. There is no other place,” Lewis emphasized.

The show "Minding Your Business," produced by NJBIA, has been recognized for its quality content with seven Telly Awards over three years. It won a gold Telly Award in 2024 for Interview & Talk Show category.

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