COMING UP! Economic Update (9/10), Candidate Chat with Dion Green (9/11), and Operations Meet Up (9/19)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Last chance to register! Connor Lokar, one of the nation’s most informed economists, is returning to speak to DRMA on 9/10 at Sinclair College. Economic Update: 2025-2026: Preparing for Cyclical Changes, sponsored by KeyBank, will provide business leaders with economic information, insight, analysis, and strategy. Click here to register.

Did we catch you at the Meet and Greet with Congressman Warren Davidson event on 8/28? See photos here.

Lost and Found: A dog driver cover was left behind at the Summer Golf Outing. To claim it, email Amy.

Bourbon lovers: We are accepting bottle donations! Donate a bottle of your favorite bourbon for our raffle fundraiser at the annual Business & Bourbon event benefiting the DRMA Foundation and DRMA’s workforce initiatives. Contact Amy if you’d like to donate!

Supplier members: Purchase an ad in the Wage and Benefit Survey Report! Year-long shelf life, distributed to 100+ manufacturers, schools, and economic development leaders throughout the Dayton Region. Contact Shay.

Manufacturers: Are you looking for entry-level manufacturing workers? We have a program called WorkAdvance where we recruit, screen, and train job seekers for these positions. WE HAVE COMPLETERS READY FOR HIRE. Contact Amy today!

Want to increase your brand exposure and support the DRMA? Get your name in front of attendees by sponsoring one of our upcoming events! Contact Amy for more details.

• Economic Update – One of our most well attended and highly anticipated events of the year with 200+ attendees; Economic Update on 9/10 with respected economist Connor Lokar.
• Business and Bourbon – Join 100+ attendees who love bourbon at this classy networking event on 10/10 at Moraine Country Club.
• Trap Shoot – Come out to participate in this fun event on 10/17 with over 100+ attendees. Some sponsorships include shooters.
• Annual Meeting – One of our most essential events of the year, Annual Meeting on 12/5 at The Steam Plant with 100+ attendees.

Don’t miss these upcoming workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies.

• Supervisory Excellence – Now accepting registrations for the series, which starts 10/24. Designed to unlock your employees’ leadership potential with practical insights that are vital for excelling in a supervisory role. Presented by Brixey & Meyer. $1,500 for 6 half-day sessions + accountability and coaching sessions. More information here.
• GD&T – Learn to read and interpret engineering drawings. Presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College. $195 for 2 sessions. Contact Shay to register.
• Blueprint Reading – Learn how to read and interpret basic blueprints. Presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College. $140 for one 4-hour session. Contact Shay to register.

Now is the time to join DRMA’s workers comp group! Joining a group rating program is the best way for DRMA members to significantly lower their Ohio workers’ compensation premiums. Please contact Paul Feck to see how our exclusive and endorsed partner, Sedgwick, can save you money.

Legally Speaking: Read more on a federal court’s injunction on implementation of the FTC’s non-compete rule here.

DRMA understands your #1 concern is having enough qualified workers. Childcare difficulties reduce the number of people looking for employment. The Dayton Chamber and Groundwork Ohio are advocating for solutions. Learn what your company can do to address this issue here.

THANK YOU Jon Schmiedebusch of Acuren! A long-time volunteer, Jon served on our Dayton Region Workforce Partnership before joining our Board of Trustees in 2022. He currently helps lead our Golf and Bourbon event planning committees as he prepares to take over as chairman of the Board in 2025! DRMA appreciates and thanks Jon 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 entry-level positions. Learn more here. 

Join us Workforce/HR Meet Up on 9/24, 11 – 12 p.m., virtual! For anyone responsible for or interested in human resources or skilling up your manufacturing workforce. At this meet up we will discuss various topics including an overview of OMA’s Auto & Advance Mobility project and Sinclair’s Amplify Automation and Industrial Maintenance Grant. Free and for members only! Register here.

National MFG Day (10/4) is fast approaching. Host your student tour on MFG Day or any day that works for you! Members get special help. 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 9/30! Don’t miss out! Contact Amy with questions or see more details here.  

Have employees you need to skill up? Take advantage of Miami Valley CTC’s Machine Shop 12-week class that starts 10/1. Details: Amy Wittmann.

Supplement your recruiting strategy by attending the following career fairs:

• Fall Career Fair at Cedarville University, Cedarville, 10/9. Email Cam to register.
• College and Career Fair at Stebbins High School, Dayton, 11/12. Email Jeff to register.

Your Government Relations Committee is holding a series of virtual Candidate Chats leading up to the November election, giving you the opportunity to talk with candidates in a small, focused setting. On the schedule are Dion Green, running for Ohio House District 39 (9/11); Johnathan Newman, running for Ohio House District 80 (9/18); Andrea White, running for re-election to Ohio House District 36 (9/25); Amy Cox running for U.S. House District 10 (10/2); Laura Marie Davis running for Ohio House District 55 (10/9); and Kyle Koehler running for Ohio Senate District 10 (10/23). Click on each name for more info and to register. Free and for members only!

9/10, 2:15 - 6 p.m., Economic Update: 2025–2026: Preparing for Cyclical Changes, Sinclair College, Dayton. Registration is open! Don’t miss our largest event of the year! Listen to an engaging update from one of the country's premier economists, Connor Lokar of ITR Economics. His presentation will provide the information you need to guide your business moving forward. Register here.



9/17, 12 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch & Learn Webinar: Maximize Employee Satisfaction/Retention, virtual, presented by Gateway Now. Learn how to stop working in your business by maximizing employee satisfaction/retention and pay yourself back with free time! Register here.

10/10, 4 - 6:30 p.m., Business and Bourbon, Moraine Country Club, Kettering. Presented by Lincoln Electric. This classy networking event benefits the DRMA Foundation. Register here.

10/17, 1:30 - 5:30 p.m., Trap Shoot and Happy Hour, Wright-Patt Rod and Gun Club, Fairborn. Presented by Bruns General Contracting and Back to Business I.T. Have fun with your DRMA peers! Fill out your registration form ASAP to reserve your spot! Sponsorships are available, contact Amy!

10/17, 4 - 5:30 p.m., DRMA Happy Hour, Clubhouse at Twin Base Golf Club. Come have a drink and meet with other DRMA members at the DRMA Happy Hour after Trap Shoot. Register here.

11/7, 4 – 6 p.m., Shoptalk: Voice of the Blue Collar Worker, AIDA, Dayton. Hear a short presentation from ResourceMFG, followed by peer-to-peer networking and drinks at this impressive manufacturing facility! Register here.

12/5, 4:30 – 7 p.m., – Annual Meeting, The Steam Plant. 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.

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.

• 9/17 - Register here.
• 10/23 - Register here.

Meet-Ups - They are FREE and for members only. Join the conversation on these topics.

• 9/11, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Dion Green, candidate for OH House District 39, virtual. Register here.
• 9/18, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Johnathan Newman, candidate for OH House District 80, virtual. Register here.
• 9/19, 8 - 9:30 a.m., Manufacturing Operations, Staco Energy Products, Miamisburg. Register here.
• 9/24, 11 - 12 p.m., Workforce/HR, virtual. Register here.
• 9/25, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Andrea White, candidate for OH House District 36, virtual. Register here.
• 10/2, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Amy Cox, candidate for U.S. House District 10, virtual. Register here.
• 10/9, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Laura Marie Davis, candidate for OH House District 55, virtual. Register here.
• 10/23, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Kyle Koehler, candidate for OH Senate District 10, 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!

• 9/18, 12 – 1 p.m., at TAC Industries, Springfield (lunch provided).

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

Community Events:

• 9/19, 8 – 9 a.m., Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 10/8, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Instrument Calibration Solutions Showcase, Clayton. Register here or contact Koti for more info.

Thinking about your 2025 budget? I hope you include your membership in DRMA, your local industry association. The volunteers and staff work hard to bring you value. Please let me know if there is something we can do to make it better for you.

Make it easier on yourself to find skilled workers in a couple of years. If your facility shows well, host a student tour, whether on national MFG Day (the first Friday in October), during Ohio’s Manufacturing Month (October), and on any other day that works for you and your school partners to show students, educators, and parents the great occupations and careers your company offers. Interested? Let Amy know.

Congratulations to DRMA member, TAC Industries for the Dayton Business Journal article about their newest upgrade on their manufacturing operations.

Welcome new DRMA members:

• Airwave
• Bond Machine Company
• Dayton Photonics Systems LLC
• DMG Tool & Die, LLC
• Just-In-Time Consulting
• People’s Bank