Leadership

Ohio’s Aug. 2 Primary Election Recap

Ohio’s primary election season has officially wrapped up following an unprecedented second primary for Statehouse races, which was held Aug. 2 — the result of legal challenges to the redrawn state House and Senate districts.

The OMA has published this summary of the election results.

OMA staff is preparing the biannual Ohio Election Guide. The publication will include the new district maps and details about all the candidates. Look for its release sometime in September. 8/3/2022

OMA Members, Supporters Among Crain’s ‘Notables in Manufacturing’

Crain’s Cleveland Business (subscription) recently published its “Notables in Manufacturing” list, spotlighting 25 industry leaders in northeast Ohio. Among the honorees were:

• Jessica Borza, executive director, Mahoning Valley Manufacturers Coalition;
• Michael Canty, president and CEO, Alloy Precision Technologies;
• Ward Dumm, senior vice president, Swagelok Co.;
• Mark Gryskiewicz, plant manager, 3M;
• Ramya Ramadurai, program management office manager; Rockwell Automation; and
• Neal Restivo, CEO, Oatey Co.

The OMA congratulates these deserving individuals. 8/1/2022

Manufacturing Indexes Show Slowing Activity

The Manufacturing Outlook Index — published by OMA Connections Partner RSM — show the U.S. manufacturing sector recorded its third consecutive month of sub-standard economic activity in July.

At the same time, the ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index remains in positive territory at 52.8%, but shows the sector hit its lowest level in two years, as last month’s new orders and employment were in negative territory for the third straight month. 8/2/2022

Report: Major Spike in Ransomware Attacks

A new report by OMA Connections Partner Verizon shows a major year-over-year increase in ransomware attacks. The report notes that roughly four in five breaches were attributed to organized crime. Heightened geopolitical tensions are also driving increased sophistication, visibility, and awareness around nation-state affiliated cyber attacks. Read the full report and see this infographic. 8/2/2022

Ohio Set to Hold Special Primary Election

As a result of disputed redistricting maps, Ohio will conduct its primary election for Statehouse races Tuesday, Aug. 2 — three months later than originally planned. Check out this voter toolkit for details on the primary, including help with locating your polling place.

The Aug. 2 primary ballot will include the following:

• Ohio House races;
• Ohio Senate races;
• Democrat/Republican State Central Committee candidates; and
• Local issues and measures.

State officials say that voter confusion over an unprecedented second primary election could lead to low turnout. At last check, Democrats have far outpaced Republicans in early voting and requests for absentee ballots. A county-by-county breakdown can be found here. 7/28/2022

Congress Passes Semiconductor Bill

On July 27 and 28, the U.S. Senate and House passed long-awaited legislation to significantly boost America’s semiconductor manufacturing sector. Known as the CHIPS-plus or Chips and Science Act, the bill is considered critical in expediting Intel’s initial $20B investment in Ohio. (Here are the OMA’s comments following the Senate vote and House vote.)

According to industry analysis, the U.S. share of modern global semiconductor manufacturing capacity has declined from 37% in 1990 to only 12% today — posing a threat to national security and America’s overall manufacturing sector. 7/28/2022

OMA Recognized as a Top Manufacturing Advocacy Group

The OMA was recently spotlighted as one of the top manufacturing advocacy groups in the country when it was named as one of three finalists in a nationwide competition conducted by the Conference of State Manufacturers Associations (COSMA), which is overseen by the National Association of Manufacturers.

COSMA members serve as NAM’s official state partners and drive manufacturers’ priorities on state issues, while helping move federal policy in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

With approximately 1,500 members statewide, the OMA was recognized by COSMA for its advocacy achievements, workforce development initiatives, and member service. OMA President Ryan Augsburger said the OMA staff is “honored to represent the Buckeye State’s manufacturing community, which leads the way in solving real-world challenges and making Ohio an even better place to live.” 7/28/2022

Ohio’s Economic Barometer: Late July 2022

• Ohio lost 11,300 jobs in June. Approximately 3,600 were from the manufacturing sector. (There were 676,400 manufacturing jobs statewide at last check.)
• Ohio saw a 16% year-over-year decrease in new business filings last month. It was the third consecutive month in which the number of new businesses was lower than the previous year.
• Ohio’s unemployment rate for June was unchanged at 3.9% — slightly higher than the U.S. average of 3.6%. (For a look at jobless rates in all 88 Ohio counties, see this map.)

With the announcement that the U.S. economy shrank for the second consecutive quarter — meeting the criteria for a technical recession — read this guidance from OMA Connections Partner Fisher Phillips on the top four things employers can do to prepare for a possible recession. 7/28/2022

7 Steps to Resilient Supply Chains

The Manufacturing Leadership Council — a division of the National Association of Manufacturers — recently announced the findings of a new study on how to improve supply chain resiliency in the face of current disruptions. Also, here is a recording of the Council’s July 19 discussion about how manufacturers can improve their supply chain processes. 7/26/2022

OMA Seeks Cybersecurity Experts to Evaluate Training Program

The OMA is preparing to offer a statewide cybersecurity training to members through the use of Ohio’s Defense Manufacturing Community grant. The Cybersecurity Certificate program, developed by Columbus State Community College, is designed for IT practitioners and results in a Systems Security Certified Professional credential.

The OMA seeks cybersecurity subject-matter experts to validate that the credentials and curriculum will meet small- to mid-sized manufacturers’ workforce needs. Volunteers will review the program and provide feedback on its relevance. If you’re interested in participating, fill out this brief survey by Aug. 15. 7/28/2022