COMING UP! Workforce/HR Meet Up (4/22), Workforce Shoptalk (5/6), and Operations Meet Up (5/20)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Happy 91^st Birthday DRMA! For 91 years, DRMA has been the member-driven advocate for the manufacturing industry in the greater Dayton Region. Thanks to all of our members, volunteers, and partner organizations who support our mission and volunteer their time and talents to help strengthen manufacturing in our region.

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 report.

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

Don’t miss these upcoming workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies. Contact Shay for more information and 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. LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER - Starts 4/25. More information here. 
• Lean Manufacturing - Participants learn how to implement lean concepts and techniques to make systematic, lasting improvements within their operations. Presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College. $225 per session. 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”). Presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College. $1,100 for 5 in-person sessions. LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER - Starts 5/1. More information here.
• GD&T - Did you miss this workshop? Let Shay know if you’re interested so she can notify you when we schedule the next session!



Membership exclusive: get a quote for our Workers’ Comp Group Program! Contact Paul at Sedgwick today!

DRMA is continuing our series on family business succession planning. The campaign will include articles in upcoming issues of News Bits and culminate with a webinar on this topic to be held later this summer. We’ll post all resources and content on DRMA’s website for private viewing/watching. The first article in this series was posted earlier this month, and we now have the second article, both written by Doug Meyer from Brixey & Meyer. This week’s article talks about considerations when transitioning your family business to your children. Look to News Bits in the next three months as we continue to post new articles written by local experts related to this topic.  

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

• This is a great time of year for businesses to look at their Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and review appropriate procedures and responsibilities of employees during potentially hazardous weather events. Read more on developing your EAP here.

Attention OMA members: OMA is offering a virtual briefing to provide valuable insights into the latest trade and tariff developments, giving you the opportunity to hear from subject matter experts and engage in a meaningful dialogue with a community of manufacturers from across the state. 4/17, 12 - 1:30 p.m. Register today.

Did we catch you at the Business & Bourbon event? Click here to see photos.

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 Susan to learn more.

• Workforce Shoptalk - Join 120+ attendees as we celebrate DRMA’s workforce successes at the next Workforce Shoptalk on 5/6 at United Grinding.
• Economic Update - Join 200+ attendees as Conor Lokar, one of the nation’s most informed economists provides business leaders with economic information, insight, analysis, and strategy on 8/20 at Sinclair.
• Fall Golf Outing - Join 200+ attendees for scramble-format golf and dinner on 9/29 at our new location at Miami Valley Country Club. 

THANK YOU to our Bourbon Event Committee for planning another amazing event last week! Brian Ault (Bruns General Contracting), Kim Coomer (D &E Machine Co.), Laura Fenlon (Buckeye Metal Finishing), Jon Foley (Johnson Electric), Colleen Gilardi (A & B Machine, Inc.), Chris McHenry (Lincoln Electric Automation), & Jon Schmiedebusch (Acuren). This group has worked hard to put on this classy networking event and helped raise funds for the DRMA Foundation! DRMA appreciates and thanks the entire Bourbon Event Committee for their 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 4/22, 11 - 12 p.m., virtual! At this meet up, Kathleen Davenport, with Bureau of Worker's Compensation will give an overview of available grants and programs that can help you improve your businesses processes! Register here.

Ignite students’ interest in exciting, high-skill, high-pay, and high-tech manufacturing careers! 10/3 is the perfect opportunity for you to host a MFG Day student tour at your facility. Or do it any day that works for you and your school partners. Learn more here.

NOW IS THE TIME to line up a student intern for summer jobs! Why should you do this? 70% of interns convert to permanent employees! Contact SOCHE today! And if you’re considering hiring interns in technology-focused roles, you can receive up to 75% reimbursement for hiring interns through the Ohio High School Tech Program (up to $5,000 per student, but they must start work by 6/13). Click here for details or contact patty.buddelmeyer@soche.org to apply.

Want to improve your company’s productivity while reducing turnover? Or make sure your workers are competent BEFORE you hire them? Consider workers who’ve earned an industry recognized credential. Learn more here.

Want $$ to offset your training cost for tech credentials? Funding is available thru TechCred, a program that reimburses employers for employee training up to $2,000 per industry-recognized credential and up to $30,000 per company each application round! The next application round opens 5/1! Contact a DRMA education partner now – they can help you apply! Learn more here.

Help grow your future workforce by purchasing a sponsorship for student giveaways! We are preparing for our 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.

Supplement your recruiting strategy by attending the following career fair and event:

• Lebanon High School Job Fair, 4/16. If you’re interested in attending, contact Bunny Brooks.
• Montgomery County ESC Skills Showcase at Montgomery County ESC’s Learning Center North, 5/8. Register here. 

5/6, 4 - 6 p.m., Shoptalk: Celebrating Workforce Successes, United Grinding North America, Miamisburg. Join us in celebration of DRMA’s workforce initiatives! Networking and drinks will follow a short presentation and member awards. Elevate your support with a sponsorship – contact Susan for more information. Register here!

6/2, 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 is SOLD OUT! More details here.



6/2, 5 - 7 p.m., Happy Hour, Troy Country Club, Troy. Hang out with your DRMA peers and congratulate the winners of the Summer Golf outing held earlier in the day. Register here.

6/26, 4 - 6 p.m., DRMA Happy Hour, Dayton. Come have a drink and meet with other DRMA members at the DRMA Happy Hour hosted by PNC Bank. Register here.

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

• 4/22, 11 - 12 p.m., Workforce/HR, virtual. Register here.
• 5/20, 8 - 9:30 a.m., Manufacturing Operations, Libra Industries, Dayton. 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!

• 4/23, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Waibel Energy Solutions, Vandalia (lunch provided).

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

Save the Date - Upcoming DRMA Events

8/20 Economic Update - Sinclair Conference Center

9/29 Fall Golf Outing - Miami Valley Country Club

10/16 Trap Shoot - Wright Patt Rod and Golf Club

12/3 Annual Meeting - NCR Country Club

Community Events

• 4/16-18, Ohio Bureau of Worker's Compensation, 2025 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, Columbus. More information/registration here. 
• 4/17, Montgomery County Spring Job Fair, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 4/24, Cincinnati Regional Chamber, Winning in a Crazy World, Cincinnati. Register here.
• 5/20, 2025 Taft Dayton Employment and Labor Relations Seminar, Miamisburg. Register here.
• 6/10, 8:30-10 a.m., Sinclair’s Office of Work-based Learning, Creating Pathways: Connecting Employers to Internships and Apprenticeships, Dayton. Register here.
• 6/17-18, Investment Casting Institute, Advanced Manufacturing for Investment Casting Symposium, Dayton. More information/registration here.

Struggling to fill open positions? Consider participating in the WorkAdvance program, which is designed to recruit, screen, and train people from our untapped workforce to fill entry-level manufacturing positions. We have candidates ready to interview right now! Email Susan to learn more.

Celebrate DRMA’s workforce successes at the next DRMA Shoptalk! We’d love for you to join us on 5/6 at United Grinding as we celebrate our workforce initiatives and recognize the volunteers that help make it happen. All while you enjoy a drink and network with your peers! While you register, you can also become a sponsor and help grow the workforce pipeline in the Dayton region! 

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 member Phillips Tube Group and Angela Phillips for being named as a 2025 Women MAKE Awards Honoree by the Manufacturing Institute.

Welcome new DRMA members:

• LubriSource, Inc.
• Midwest Precision Tool Company
• Motion AI
• The Champion GSE Company