COMING UP! Workforce/HR Meet Up (2/24), Breakfast with DRMA (2/25), and Happy Hour with DRMA (3/12)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.



Looking to invest in your employees in 2026? You don’t want to miss these workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies. Contact Shay with questions or to register.

Presented by Brixey & Meyer:

• 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 (now starting in April). 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 (now starting in April). More information here.

Presented by Sinclair's Workforce Development Division:

• Lean Manufacturing - Participants learn how to implement lean concepts and techniques to make systematic, lasting improvements within their operations. Session #1, Lean Overview and Workplace Organization, is next week, 2/26. More information here.
• Problem-Solving Skills - Participants will gain skills and knowledge to effectively solve problems by systematically identifying root causes and applying corrective actions (think “Six Sigma lite”). $1,100 for 5 in-person sessions. More information here.

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

• Need help submitting your OSHA Injury Tracking Application? Unsure if you even need to submit one? You’re in luck! Get all the details you need here.

Manufacturers take note: our region will soon be hosting a national Digital Transformation conference with more than 500 nationwide leaders and researchers in engineering, manufacturing, defense, aerospace, AI, and cyber-physical systems. The Digital Transformation Summit, hosted by Sinclair Workforce Development on 6/8 thru 6/10, will explore advancements in next-generation technologies, including digital engineering, cybersecurity, Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). More information here.

Ready to swap safety tips and make some new connections? Registration is officially open for the 2026 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo and it’s your pass to one of the biggest FREE safety events around. Learn more and register today!

DRMA’s Wage and Benefit Survey Report will help you adjust your compensation program in order to attract and retain employees. Contact Shay to purchase the 2025 report.

Consider the DRMA Business Leads service as a source for connecting with potential customers who are looking for manufacturing suppliers. And remember to use the service if you are over capacity and need to outsource work. Email Shay and she’ll explain the process.

Do you enjoy being in a leadership role? DRMA’s committees are always looking for new, driven manufacturing members. To learn more about the types of committees at DRMA, take a look at our website.

THANK YOU Dayton-Phoenix Group for hosting our Shoptalk event last week! They welcomed over 100 members into their facility and just like their first time hosting a Shoptalk, they provided a perfect space for members to gather, learn, and connect. DRMA appreciates and thanks Dayton Phoenix Group for their support of our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole. Did we catch you there? Click here to see photos. 

Join us for the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 2/24, 11 – 12 p.m., virtual! At this this Meet Up, we will have industry partner Rick Kremer with Crown Equipment share details on what it takes to plan and host an effective student tour. Whether it’s your first time hosting or you’ve hosted many tours, you will be sure to takeaway helpful tips and tricks when it comes to planning your next student tour. Register here.

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 Amy to learn more.

Hosting a student tour to grow your future worker pipeline? Be sure to let DRMA know by submitting your tour data here. By letting us know, it helps us show the state all the wonderful outreach efforts we are doing to expose students to manufacturing careers!

DRMA is working with OMA and Sinclair to create a new entry-level technician “earn and learn” training model designed to significantly expand the technician talent available in Ohio. If you have employees that would be interested in increasing their earning potential, please contact Amy. Sinclair is considering starting a fall cohort. If your company is interested in sending candidates or you have employees who want to participate, we want to hear from you!

Supplement your recruiting strategy by attending the following career fairs and events:

• Spring Reentry Reverse Career Fair, Dayton, 3/25. More information here.
• Fairmont Hight School Job Fair, Kettering, 4/2. More Information/registration coming soon!

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! Sold Out! Contact Susan to join the waitlist.

3/12, 4 - 6 p.m., DRMA Happy Hour, Dayton. Come have a drink and meet with other members at the DRMA Happy Hour hosted by Mechanical Services & Design. 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. Act quickly – limited tickets remain! Register here.

6/1, 12:30 - 7 p.m., DRMA Summer Golf Outing, Troy Country Club, Troy. Presented by Greenpoint Metals, the format is play your own ball with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. Proceeds go to the DRMA Foundation and its efforts to develop and retain a skilled workforce for the region’s manufacturing industry. Registration opens soon, but you can lock in your spot now by purchasing a sponsorship! Watch your email for registration forms coming on 3/31; reminder that this outing sells out quickly so please mark your calendars! More details here.

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

• 2/24, 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!

• 3/10, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Modern Office Methods, Centerville (lunch provided).

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

Save the Date - Upcoming DRMA Events

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

• 2/19, 7:30 - 9 a.m., Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast, Dayton. More information/registration here. 
• 2/26, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Ohio BWC's Monthly Employer Update. More information/registration here.
• 3/4, 7:30 - 10 a.m., Sinclair Work-based Learning Apprenticeship Team: Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeship Info session, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 3/19, 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Dayton Business Journal's Dayton Works: A Community Career + Education Connection Event, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 3/25, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., Montgomery County Office of Reentry Spring Reverse Career Fair, Dayton Job Center. More information here.
• 6/8 – 6/10, Sinclair Workforce Development’s Digital Transformation Summit. More information here.

February is proving to be a busy month for DRMA. In addition to working on renewals and making preparations for 2026’s programs, services and events, the DRMA staff is also heavily engaged in career outreach efforts to prepare your future workforce. We’re meeting with community partners to initiate new programs and applying for grants to help fund our current efforts. We’ll keep you posted as new opportunities arise. Also of note: last week I attended the Dayton Development Coalition’s Annual Meeting, which focused on the power of progress over time for economic development efforts in our region. Look no further than our own Manufacturing Impact Document, with data provided by the DDC, to see how our regional manufacturing sector in 2025. Also, many thanks to our partners at Greene County Career Center for having me moderate their panel discussion on the power of internships last week. It was a great discussion and a packed house.



Make it easier on yourself to find qualified 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. We’ll help you plan your tour and connect you to schools! Interested? Let us know.

Are workforce challenges keeping you awake at night? 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. Do you know that 70% of interns convert to permanent employees? Let me know if you want to learn more, and we’ll connect you to partners who will make participating easy for you. And there might even be $$ to offset costs!

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

Welcome new DRMA members:

• AMG, Inc.
• Brinkman Tool & Die/Aero
• ElectroShield, Inc.
• EOS Worldwide - Kutter Coaching Services
• GMD Industries dba Production Screw Machine
• Ghostwerks LLC
• Purdy Company
• Sierra Nevada Corporation
• Starwin
• Sweet Material Handling
• TPI Efficiency