COMING UP! Business and Bourbon (4/9), Workforce/HR Meet Up (4/28), and Workforce Shoptalk (5/7)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Bring your co-workers, family members, and friends for a fun night out with the Dayton Dragons on 6/25! It’s DRMA Night with the Dayton Dragons as the hometown team takes on the West Michigan Whitecaps. For every ticket that DRMA sells via this link, a contribution will be made to the DRMA Foundation to advance our career outreach activities. You can also purchase tickets by using this order form. DRMA members are encouraged to buy tickets for employees and clients – a fun way to help us raise money for the DRMA Foundation!

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!

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 #2, Visual Workplace/Standardized Work, is 4/30. More information here. 
• GD&T Workshop - Learn how to read and interpret engineering drawings and better understand the ASME Y14.5 GD&T standard. More information here.

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

• The Ohio BWC offers the Disability Relief Program (formerly known as Handicap Reimbursement) to potentially offset claim costs and encourage employers to hire and retain employees with disabling conditions. Read more on the program and eligibility requirements here.
• Power tools play an essential role in manufacturing, making a lot of work more efficient, but they also introduce risks when not used properly. Read more on developing training on power tool safety here.
• Sedgwick Ohio has a new look! See their new logo and read more about their rebranding here.

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 for more details.

• Workforce Shoptalk - Join 200+ attendees as we celebrate DRMA’s workforce successes at the next Workforce Shoptalk on 5/7 at American Testing Services.
• Summer Golf Outing - Join 100+ attendees for play-your-own-ball golf and happy hour fun on 6/1 at Troy Country Club. Purchase a tee sign to get your name in front of the golfers at this sold out event!
• Economic Update - Join 300+ attendees as respected economist Connor Lokar is back for this annual event on 8/20. We have several sponsorships available. This is one of our most well attended and highly anticipated events of the year!
• Fall Golf Outing - Join 200+ attendees for scramble-format golf and dinner on 9/28 at Miami Valley Golf Club. Purchasing a sponsorship now will lock in your spot to play!

THANK YOU to the wonderful group of volunteers that worked last month's Inspire to Hire event: Tricia Bayer (BarSplice), Lauren Bergman (FC Industries), Carly Yanity (Huntington Bank), April Angel (FC Industries), Noelle Cossick (FC Industries) Beth Casella (FC Industries), Billy Fultz (BarSplice), Mike Monnier (BarSplice), Antijuan Davis (Dayton-Phoenix Group), Sam Young (RAM Precision), Jacob Moore (Brinkman Aero), and Ryan Van Loo (Metallus). DRMA appreciates and thanks these wonderful volunteers for their support of our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole. 

Sponsored Content

Join us for the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 4/28, 11 – 12 p.m., virtual! At this this Meet Up, we will discuss Co-Ops and internship programs. Chrysa Theodore, Senior Vice President with Cornerstone Research Group will break down how to strategically plan and implement an experiential learning program that creates a positive, successful win-win for both your company and the students. 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.

Tired of not being able to find talent? Build your pipeline of future workers by hosting student tours. We’re doing MFG Day year-round. . . host tours on any day that works for you and your school partners. We’ll help you plan your tour and connect you to schools! Learn more here.

Grow your workforce pipeline through high school and college interns. Now is the time to hire for summer! Work with SOCHE to build your next generation of workforce through intern solutions – 72% of interns convert to permanent employees! It’s really easy to get started. Contact Amy to learn more.

Hiring interns is a great way to grow your future workforce. Consider mentoring a senior STEM intern through Dayton STEM school! This opportunity allows students to gain real-world experience, build professional skills, and explore potential career pathways while contributing meaningfully to your organization. Contact Stephanie to learn more. 

Advanced Manufacturing instructor needed at Fairborn High School. It is critical that manufacturers support manufacturing training programs; without qualified instructors, schools will not be able to produce employees for you! Encourage recently retired manufacturer colleagues looking to teach the next generation of talent to apply here.

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

• UVCC Adult Career & Job Fair on 4/23 at 5:15 p.m. Click here for more info/registration.
• Liberty High School Career Exploration Day, Dayton, 4/29. Contact Sean Sims for details.

4/9, 5 - 7 p.m., Business and Bourbon, Moraine Country Club, Dayton. SOLD OUT! Presented by Lincoln Electric, this classy networking event benefits the DRMA Foundation. Thank you to all our sponsors and registrants for your support; we look forward to a fun evening! More details here.

5/7, 4 - 6 p.m., Shoptalk: Celebrating Workforce Successes, American Testing Services. Registration open! 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.

6/1, 12:30 - 7 p.m., DRMA Summer Golf Outing, Troy Country Club, Troy. SOLD OUT! 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! More details here.

6/1, 5 – 7 p.m., Happy Hour, Troy Country Club, Troy. Not able to golf in the outing or just want to have fun networking? Hang out with your DRMA peers on the TCC patio and congratulate the winners of the Summer Golf Outing held earlier in the day. Register here.

6/25, 7 - 11 p.m., DRMA Night with the Dayton Dragons, Dayton. Come join other DRMA members and have a great time as the Dayton Dragons take on the West Michigan Whitecaps – and support the DRMA Foundation as well. More details here.

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

• 4/28, 11 - 12 p.m., Workforce/HR, virtual. Register here.

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

• 4/16, 7:30 - 9 a.m., Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast, Dayton. More information/registration here. 
• 4/22 - 4/23, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., More Than MFG Expo, CBT Company, Cincinnati. More information/registration here.
• 4/23, 5:15 - 8 p.m., UVCC Adult Career & Job Fair, Piqua. More information/registration here.
• 6/8 - 6/10, Sinclair Workforce Development’s Digital Transformation Summit. More information here.

Happy April!

March was an amazing month as our career outreach staff and volunteers were present at numerous events to showcase the great careers we have in manufacturing. If you’d like to volunteer for future event, please shoot me an email!

One of the early architects of our career outreach program was current DRMA Board Member Shannon Cox who serves as the Superintendent of Montgomery County Educational Service Center. Shannon – along with Learn to Earn CEO Stacy Schweikhart – presented at the Oxford Education Research Symposium in Oxford, UK last week on how strong partnerships can drive meaningful impact for students and communities. This opportunity not only elevated the great work happening in our region but also allowed Shannon & Stacy to hear from global leaders and bring back new ideas, insights, and research to further support students, partners, and our community. Congrats Shannon & Stacy!

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

Welcome new DRMA members:

• Apex Commercial Group
• Commercial Metal Fabricators Inc
• Dayton Winfastener
• D9 Technologies
• Hawthorn Aero
• Scyber