COMING UP! Lunch & Learn Webinar (11/20), Annual Meeting (12/5), and WorkAdvance Info Session (12/11)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Check your email box! Membership renewal invoices were emailed on 11/5! 

Speaking of membership, take advantage of our new Premier Sponsor program, which includes your membership, brand exposure, and event participation throughout all of 2025! This opportunity will elevate your organization's brand presence and allow you to leverage DRMA's membership base. This exclusive opportunity is available to only 10 members on a first-come basis. Contact Kaitlin today to learn more!

Did we catch you at the DRMA's Shoptalk? Click here to see photos.

DRMA’s Wage and Benefit Survey Report with analysis provided by Clark Schaefer Hackett & Co. will help you adjust your compensation program in order to attract and retain employees. Contact Shay to purchase the 2024 report.

Don’t miss these upcoming workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies, presented by Brixey & Meyer. Contact Shay for more information and to register.

• NEW for 2025! The HR Leadership Circle is designed to grow your HR leaders to be indispensable business partners. $3,000 for 12 in-person sessions and a talent summit.
• The Emerging Leaders Circle is back! This program is designed to nurture visionary leaders of tomorrow. $3,000 for 12 in-person sessions and a talent summit.

Connect with potential customers looking for manufacturing suppliers by tapping into DRMA Business Leads Service. Learn more here. 

Safety Alert! Check out this month's tips from our workers comp program administrator, Sedgwick:

• The financial impact of work-related injuries can be significant. While the primary goal is to ensure the injured worker receives appropriate care, minimizing the costs associated with the accident should is also a focus. Read more on Ohio’s three primary cost containment options here.
• The weather in Ohio is about to change which means cold, blowing wind, ice and slippery conditions are just some of the hazards we face. Read up on preparing your staff, creating emergency kits, and prepping your company vehicles here.

Members receive a 20% discount on OSHA training courses! Contact Shay for the discount code. Learn more here.

Congratulations to these DRMA member companies who were recognized by the Dayton Business Journal as nominees and/or winners in various categories during the Business of the Year awards program: FC Industries, McGohan Brabender, Prime Controls, Superior Aluminum, Waibel Energy Systems, Wright-Patt Credit Union, and Wright State University.



THANK YOU Daniel Brockman of Stolly Insurance Group! First year as a DRMA Ambassador. Daniel went above and beyond by connecting with and delivering treats to under-engaged members! DRMA appreciates and thanks Daniel for his commitment to our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole.

Member exclusive! WorkAdvance, a proven initiative to supplement your recruitment strategies, will bring you quality candidates to fill your manufacturing entry-level positions. Candidates are ready now to interview! Contact Susan to learn more.

Join us for the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 1/28, 11 – 12 p.m., virtual! At this Meet Up, we will be discussing the key components of an internship program and how SOCHE can help! Register here.

Employee recruitment keeping you up at night? Here’s your opportunity to sleep well and build a pipeline of future workers by hosting a student tour on any day that works for you and your school partners! Yep, we’re doing MFG Day year-round! Learn more here.



Want $$ to offset your training cost? Get funding from Ohio with TechCred, a workforce program that reimburses employers for employee training up to $2,000 per industry-recognized credential, and up to $30,000 total per application round! The application period is OPEN and will close on 11/29! Don’t miss out! Contact Amy with questions or see more details here. 

We know that finding, hiring, and retaining quality employees is a huge task. Industry-recognized credentials (IRCs) can help employers validate the knowledge and skills of potential employees and save time in assessing applicants’ competencies. DRMA is playing an integral role to ensure that students are earning credentials that members need. Learn more here.

We rely on our volunteers to keep our career events running! Click here to see who helped us out recently!

Help grow your future workforce by purchasing a sponsorship of our student giveaways! We are preparing for our winter and spring career outreach events, and we need your help. Your sponsorship of $500 will help us cover the costs of things like lanyards, stickers, dog tags, and wood gliders (all items that students love to get!) and will include your organization’s name. Contact Kara for more info.

Want to support local students who are learning skills like programming, electronics, and metalworking? Miami University needs volunteers for the First Tech Challenge – a national robotics competition – on 2/15. This is an excellent opportunity to see STEM programming in action and learn more about what your future workers can do. To volunteer, click here.

Supplement your recruiting strategy by attending the following career fairs:

• Dayton Public Schools Career Fairs: Belmont High School (1/9), Stivers High School (1/24), Thurgood Marshall High School (2/26), and Dunbar High School (2/28). Contact David Andrews for more details.
• Job Fair at Kettering Fairmont High School, 4/3. Register here.

11/20, 12 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch & Learn Webinar: How AI is Impacting the Manufacturing Industry, presented by Airwave. Join us to learn how AI-driven tools can streamline operations, reduce troubleshooting time, and capture the expertise of seasoned employees—ensuring your team is always prepared to perform. Register here.

12/5, 4:30 - 7 p.m., Annual Meeting, The Steam Plant, Dayton, presented by Sunbelt Business Advisors. Join us for our most essential meeting of the year. The short program will cover 2024 accomplishments, the 2025 budget, and the ratification of new board members, followed by networking festivities—cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, socializing with your DRMA peers. Register here.

12/10, 12 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch & Learn Webinar: Voice of the American Workforce, presented by ResourceMFG. Join us for a deeper dive on ResourceMFG's annual “The Voice of the American Workforce” report, the nation’s largest survey on hourly worker attraction, motivation, and retention. Register here.

Registration open! 2/12, 4 - 6 p.m., Shoptalk, Gray America Corporation, Dayton. Hear a short presentation from members Thompson Hine and Taft on the current status of the non-compete agreement regulation, followed by peer-to-peer networking and drinks at this impressive manufacturing facility! Click here for more information/registration.

WorkAdvance Info Sessions, 1 - 1:30 p.m., Virtual. This grant program is designed to bring you quality candidates to fill your entry-level positions. Attend a FREE info session to learn more.

• 12/11 - Register here.
• 1/23 - Register here.

Meet-Up - FREE and for members only. Join the conversation!

• 1/28, 11 - 12 p.m., Workforce/HR, virtual. Register here.

DRMA 101 - Whether you are a new member or a seasoned member, kickstart your membership ROI and learn what DRMA does to help you strengthen your business. Contact Shay to sign up!

• 11/20, 8 - 9 a.m., at Montgomery County Economic Development, Dayton (breakfast provided).
• 2/27, 4 - 5 p.m., at Back to Business I.T., Beavercreek (drinks/snacks provided).

For more information on any of our events, visit our website.

Community Event

• 11/21, 8 - 9 a.m., Dayton Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast with the Experts. More information/registration here.

Membership renewal invoices were emailed on 11/5. We trust that you find value in your DRMA membership and will choose to renew for 2025. From workforce to advocacy to business and economic development to peer-to-peer connectivity, DRMA continues to be the voice of the manufacturing industry in the Dayton Region. Contact Shay if you have questions.

Did you see the blurb above about our Annual Meeting? This is the most essential meeting of the year AND it won’t be boring! We’ll do a short program, then we’ll have some fun with networking festivities – cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and socializing! Remember your membership is corporate-wide, so bring your employees to the event! Register here!

Looking to upgrade your team’s tech skills? TechCred might be the answer. All Ohio companies are eligible to apply – applications are now open thru the end of the month (11/29). DRMA’s training partners provide the industry-recognized training and can even help you apply. Learn more here.



Looking for a way to engage, connect, and contribute to your and your fellow members’ successes? Join the DRMA private LinkedIn Group, exclusively for people at DRMA member companies. The group provides an on-line venue to ask questions, learn from each other, and collaborate on a private platform dedicated to our members. And we make it easy! Just click here to request to join.

Attention Manufacturer members: Click here to see manufacturing-pertinent resumes I have received.

Congratulations to DRMA Members:

• FC Industries for the Dayton Business Journal article about their facility expansion in Dayton.
• Prime Controls for the Dayton Business Journal article about their new product and technology .

DRMA extends our deepest sympathies to:

• The family of Judy Montgomery, who, along with her husband, owned Dayton Machine Tool Company.
• The family of Siegfried Mueller, former DRMA trustee and former owner of Adena Tool Corporation.

Welcome new DRMA members:

• American Quality Fabrication
• BELFOR Property Restoration
• Clopay Corporation
• LBJ, Inc.
• Mid Atlantic Machinery
• PrideStaff