Happy New Year! The DRMA staff hopes you had a restful holiday season, and are excited to continue to bring you excellent programs and services in the coming year. Here’s to a great 2026!

COMING UP! Operations Meet Up (1/20), Workforce/HR Meet Up (1/27), and Shoptalk (2/10)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

You’re running out of time to renew your DRMA membership! Contact Shay with any questions at (937) 949-4000.

DRMA’s 2026 Top Issues List is here! Join our Government Relations Committee at the Operations Meet Up on 1/20, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., at Clopay in Troy to share your insights and feedback on this year's issues and how they impact your business. Can’t attend the Meet Up? Click here to see what’s keeping our members awake at night.

Manufacturers! Are you looking for sources to get your light assembly or kit building work done? DRMA is excited to partner with SOCHE and TAC to bring you the Bridging Abilities program: You get your work done, and students with developmental disabilities learn about manufacturing occupations! Even better, SOCHE will pay for at least 50% of the students’ wages! Email SOCHE at soche@soche.org to learn more.



Tap into the DRMA “brain trust” by joining 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. Click here to request to join the group!

Looking to invest in your employees in 2026? Presented by Brixey & Meyer, you don’t miss these workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies. Don't miss out - workshops start in mid-February! Contact Shay with questions or to register.

• Supervisory Excellence - Unlock your employees’ leadership potential with practical insights that are vital for excelling in a supervisory role. $1,500 for 6 in-person sessions and a talent summit. More information here.
• Emerging Leaders Circle - Nurture visionary leaders of tomorrow. $3,200 for 10 in-person sessions and a talent summit. More information here.
• HR Leadership Circle - Grow your HR leaders to be indispensable business partners. $3,200 for 10 in-person sessions and a talent summit. More information here.

Get excited for 2026, lock in your sponsorship today! Get your name in front of attendees by sponsoring one of our upcoming events! Contact Susan for more details.

• Business and Bourbon - Bourbon lovers unite! Join 100+ attendees who love bourbon at this classy networking event on 4/9 at Moraine Country Club. Limited sponsorships remaining!
• Summer Golf Outing - Join 100+ attendees for play-your-own-ball golf and happy hour fun on 6/1 at Troy Country Club.
• Economic Update - Respected economist Connor Lokar is back for this annual event on Wednesday, 8/20. This is one of our most well attended and highly anticipated events of the year with 250+ attendees!
• Fall Golf Outing - Join 200+ attendees for scramble-format golf and dinner on 9/28 at Miami Valley Country Club.
• Trap Shoot - You’ll get your name and brand in front of 100+ attendees who come out to participate in this fun event on 10/15! Some sponsorships include shooters; lock in your spot by purchasing a sponsorship today!

Have you moved, updated your company name or information, had staffing changes in the last year? If so, please contact Shay with a quick update so we can update our records.

THANK YOU to the outgoing trustees from our Board, David Reger (Winston Heat Treating), Tayte French-Lutz (French Oil Mill Machinery), & Mike Sander (MLA Companies). DRMA’s trustees oversee the work of the Association and ensure you receive value from your membership. They are engaged in all aspects of the organization and devote much of their personal and professional time to DRMA. DRMA appreciates and thanks the outgoing trustees for their commitment to our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole.

Join us for the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 1/27, 11 - 12 p.m., virtual! At this this Meet Up, we will highlight an untapped employee resource for employers – veterans! Come learn more about the Department of Defense SkillBridge program and how employers can use this program to build their next generation of workforce. Register here.

Taking advantage of work-based learning programs such as offering job shadow or internship opportunities to students exposes them to great careers the region’s manufacturing industry offers AND is a powerful strategy to build your future workforce. Learn more here. 

The Greene County Career Center will be hosting a panel discussion on 2/12 featuring leaders from regional organizations involved in workforce development – including DRMA. The session will help companies learn more about local resources and strategies to strengthen talent pipelines and improve employee retention. Click here for program details.

2/10, 4 - 6 p.m., Shoptalk, Dayton. Presented by Dayton-Phoenix Group. Enjoy the casual atmosphere while learning something new and networking with your DRMA peers! More details coming soon. Register here.

2/25, 8 - 9:30 a.m., Breakfast with DRMA: Exploring the 2026 Economy with the Fed, Springboro. Presented by MLA Companies, join us as the Fed pinpoints the facts and provides insights into the dynamics that may affect you, your employees, and your business in 2026! Register here.

4/9, 5 - 7 p.m., Business and Bourbon, Moraine Country Club, Dayton. Presented by Lincoln Electric, this classy networking event benefits the DRMA Foundation. Register here.

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

• 1/20, 8 - 9:30 a.m., Manufacturing Operations, Clopay Corporation, Troy. Register here.
• 1/27, 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!

• 1/27, 8 - 9 a.m., Messer Construction, Dayton (breakfast provided).

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

Save the Date - Upcoming DRMA Events

6/1/2026 Summer Golf Outing - Troy Country Club

8/20/2026 Economic Update - Sinclair Conference Center

9/28/2026 Fall Golf Outing - Miami Valley Golf Club

10/15/2026 Trap Shoot - Wright-Patt Rod and Gun Club

12/2/2026 Annual Meeting - NCR Country Club

Community Events

• 1/13, 8:15 - 9:15 a.m., Minor Labor Laws: A Virtual Meet Up with the Department of Commerce webinar, presented by Ohio Association for Care & Technical Education. Register here.
• 1/15, 7:30 - 9 a.m., Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast, Dayton. More information/registration here. 
• 2/12, 8 - 10 a.m., Greene County Career Center’s Panel Discussion “Building Bridges: Solving the employment gap together.” More information/registration here.

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Every year as I turn the page from one year to the next, I’m hit with excitement and anticipation. This year I’m especially motivated and hope you will join me to make 2026 the best year yet. Rest assured that the entire DRMA staff looks forward to an ambitious year filled with new ideas and continued progress for our members.

We’re closing out our membership renewals! Volunteers and staff work hard to ensure your membership in DRMA is valuable to you. From growing the workforce pipeline, to advocacy, to business and economic development, to peer-to-peer connectivity, DRMA’s brand promise is to Strengthen, Advocate, and Educate. Be part of the voice in 2026! And if there is something else you would like us to do, please let me know.

The Association is led by a strong group of individuals who care about manufacturing and DRMA. Your 2026 Chairman of the Board is AJ Rolling (Cat-Wood Metalworks and Buckeye Metal Finishing), and we welcome new board members, Brittany Farmer (Norwood Medical) and Jake Borchers (PSC Crane & Rigging). See the full list of the 2026 DRMA Board of Trustees here. 

Thank you to our 2026 Premier Sponsors for saying yes to DRMA while increasing their brand exposure and engaging with us on a higher level! Nine of our 10 Premier Sponsors returned in 2026 and we’ve added 2 new Premier Sponsors to our roster. Be sure to scroll down and click their logos to check them out!

Save money with your DRMA membership: Our Legal Services Plan offers members one FREE legal consultation per month with employment law attorney Bob Dunlevey at Taft Law. Simply identify yourself as a DRMA member when you call 937-641-1743.

Last month DRMA became aware that due to the loss of both state and federal funding, Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, which funds DRMA members Fastlane and Techsolve, was pausing operations and no longer taking new business. It is unclear when this funding will be restored. FastLane and Techsolve have a strong presence in the region and are widely valued as a key support program. Upon hearing this news, DRMA has been working with stakeholders to support staff, including sharing their resumes, see link below. If you have input or concerns about the suspension of MEP funding, please email me.   



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



Welcome new DRMA members:

• Aesthetic Finishers, Inc.
• CertaPro Painters of Dayton
• CHUBB
• DixiTech CNC
• Messer Construction Co.
• Modern Services
• Solvita