Darlene Miller, owner and CEO of Burnsville-based Permac Industries, has been selected to serve on the President's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness.

The council was created to provide non-partisan advice to President Obama-specifically on ways to strengthen the nation's economy, ensure the competitiveness of the United States, and create jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for Americans.

Miller and the 25 other members of the council will solicit ideas from across the country about bolstering the economy and report directly to President Obama. Members met for the first time on Thursday at the White House.

Miller-who worked her way up through the ranks at her company-is the only Minnesotan on the council. Permac is a precision machining company that custom manufactures precision parts for customers in virtually all industries worldwide.

Miller started working as a sales representative at Permac in 1992, became part owner in 1993, and took over as full owner in 1994. Under her leadership, Permac was named the U.S. Chamber Small Business of the Year in 2008.

Permac-derived from the words “perfect machining”-was founded in 1966 as a 7,000-square-foot screw machine shop in Bloomington. It now comprises 34,000 square feet in Burnsville, and Miller has carved a niche in the medical device market.

In 2006, Miller cofounded the Minnesota Valley Medical Manufacturers Network, or MedNet-which draws together manufacturing companies, banks, employment agencies, technical writers, and others interested in working with medical device companies.

U.S Senator Amy Klobuchar earlier this week praised Obama's appointment of Miller.

“Entrepreneurs like Darlene are why Minnesota is a leader in innovation,” Klobuchar said. “Having her on the Council on Jobs and Competitiveness will help us identify ways to cut through red tape so that small businesses like Permac can continue to succeed.”