Leadership

OMA Board Elects Jane Neal as New Chair

On Tuesday, June 18, the OMA Board of Directors met for their quarterly meeting at the OMA headquarters. Key actions taken by the board included the election of officers and new directors.

Jane Neal, senior vice president of AMG Vanadium LLC, was elected new chair of the OMA, replacing Scott Balogh, president and CEO of Mar-Bal, Inc., following his two years of leadership as chair. Billy Vickers, president and CEO of MAI-GLA, was elected first vice-chair.

To recognize Balogh’s service, the OMA made a donation in his name to Modern Warrior Live — a theatrical production of a combat veteran’s journey.

The following new directors were elected to the board:

• Cathy Lyttle, senior vice president & chief human resources officer, Worthington Industries.
• Greg Muhlenkamp, vice president, Hartzell.
• Bob Nelson, senior vice president, Honda of America Mfg.

Guest speakers at the meeting included Ohio Excels President Lisa Gray, who discussed efforts to enhance Ohio’s K-12 education system and graduation standards. Lydia Mahalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency, briefed the board on House Bill 2, which would boost industry-recognized credentials and regional industry sector partnerships. 6/18/2019

In his last board meeting as OMA chairman, Scott Balogh of Mar-Bal, Inc. this week recapped his experience leading the association.

Senate Passes State Operating Budget

The Ohio Senate on Thursday passed House Bill 166, the state operating budget. The passage came following the Senate Finance Committee’s acceptance of an omnibus amendment that was comprised of eight pages of bullet-point changes. Among these changes were new graduation standards, H2Ohio provisions, and increased funding for the TechCred program. The House did not concur with the Senate changes.

The House and Senate will soon designate appointees for a conference committee, which will begin negotiations as the House, Senate, and governor will work towards an agreement on the bill’s final provisions. The deadline for final budget passage is Sunday, June 30. The OMA will continue to work with the legislature to protect Ohio’s manufacturers in this final stage of consideration. 6/20/2019

Have You Started Planning for MFG DAY?

Manufacturing Day — the annual celebration of modern manufacturing that is meant to inspire the next generation — will be held this year on Friday, Oct. 4. Now is the time to begin planning.

MFG DAY is an opportunity to educate young people — and their parents and educators — about 21st century manufacturing. According to Deloitte’s 2016 survey, 84% of students who attended MFG DAY events emerged “more convinced that manufacturing provides careers that are interesting and rewarding.”

The OMA encourages its members to open their doors to students, parents, teachers, and community leaders. (Here is who has already registered.) While MFG DAY is Oct. 4, companies and organizations should plan their events on the date in October that works best for them. Events can be marked as public or invitation-only. To register, or for help with publicizing your event, click here. 6/17/2019

OMA More Active Than Ever on Social Media

When the Pew Research Center began tracking social media use in 2005, just 5% of American adults used at least one of these platforms. Today, 72% of the public uses some type of social media. For those under 30, the figure exceeds 90%. That’s why the OMA has become more active in its use of LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. If you’re using one or more of these social media platforms, be sure to check out the OMA’s pages for manufacturing news and information, as well as announcements and updates. 6/19/2019

State Budget Nears Vote by the Full Senate

The Ohio Senate this week made their first round of amendments to the state’s two-year, main operating budget, contained in House Bill 166. Early next week, the upper chamber will make further revisions before voting on the final Senate version and sending it to a joint House-Senate conference committee that will reconcile various differences between the two chambers.

The current Senate version of the bill includes $33.58 billion in General Revenue Fund spending in Fiscal Year 2020, down $10.64 million from the House version, and $35.24 billion in FY 2021, up $23.15 million from the House version. Across all funds, the Senate version allocates $69.83 billion in FY 2020, up $18.20 million from the House, and $71.88 billion in FY 2021, up $187.36 million from the House.

The final budget must be presented to Gov. Mike DeWine no later than June 30. 6/13/2019

Top Three Factors Disrupting the Food Industry

In a recent blog post, JobsOhio’s Joe Needham — director of food and agribusiness for the state’s private economic development corporation — writes about the key factors currently disrupting the food industry: financial pressure, consumer preference, and technology. “These trends are causing and enabling significant shifts and disruption in the Ohio and the U.S. food manufacturing system,” Needham writes. See the article here. 6/10/2019

Study: Ohio Gets High Marks for Fun

Looking for fun this summer? You’ll find it in Ohio, which has just been ranked the 13th “most fun” state by personal finance website WalletHub.com.

To determine the states that have more fun, WalletHub examined dozens of comparisons within the broader categories of “entertainment & recreation” and “nightlife.”

According to the website’s analysis, Ohio is fifth best for number of golf courses and country clubs per capita; ninth for movie theaters per capita; and 11th for fitness centers per capita. The state also scored well for number of restaurants, amusement parks, and performing-arts theaters. 6/13/2019

Officials, Policy Experts Headline OMA ‘Food Day’

On Wednesday, state officials and policy experts addressed industry leaders at the OMA’s 2019 Ohio Food Manufacturers Policy Council — also known as “Food Day.”

The well-attended event — chaired by Jennifer Sweeney, director – government affairs for Campbell Soup Company — featured key members of Gov. Mike DeWine’s cabinet. Providing executive branch insight were Directors Jack Marchbanks of the Ohio Department of Transportation; Dorothy Pelanda of the Ohio Department of Agriculture; and Laurie Stevenson of the Ohio EPA.

The day was filled with expert analysis on several issues, including:

• Foreign trade and tariffs;
• Pending legislation in the Ohio Legislature;
• Lake Erie Bill of Rights and Ohio water regulations;
• Laws banning plastics and single-use packaging; and
• Economic development efforts to grow the food industry.

The production of food and beverages contributes nearly $13 billion annually to Ohio’s economy, making it the state’s third-largest manufacturing sector. Ohio has approximately 1,300 food manufacturers, which employ more than 61,100 Ohio residents. 6/4/2019

Barry Named One of Northeast Ohio’s Top Executives

OMA board member Lissa Barry has been named one of Northeast Ohio’s top executives by Smart Business magazine and Corporate College, a division of Cuyahoga Community College. Barry is president and CEO of Delta Systems Inc., the Streetsboro-based company that provides the outdoor power equipment industry and adjacent markets with high-quality electronic components products.

The magazine stated that “much of Delta Systems’ success comes from collaboration, with Barry fostering an environment with the flexibility to encourage new ideas and experimentation.” Congratulations, Lissa! 6/4/2019

JobsOhio President Addresses OMA Government Affairs Committee

J.P. Nauseef, the president and chief investment officer of JobsOhio, addressed the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee this week, sharing his vision and strategy to create and retain jobs, while growing the state’s economy.

Nauseef told committee members that since taking the reins at Ohio’s top economic development entity three months ago, he has spent considerable time meeting with economic development professionals and business leaders across the state to better understand their needs. He has repeatedly heard concerns regarding available workforce to fill existing jobs, as well as the need for a “robust inventory of sites.” As an Air Force veteran, Nauseef said he is also prioritizing the Ohio’s ability to attract and support additional military activity.

Chaired by Scott Corbitt, region vice president for Anheuser-Busch, this week’s OMA Government Affairs meeting also included briefings on key policy issues including: transportation funding, energy legislation, workforce development, tort reform, and workers’ compensation policy.

The committee will meet again August 22. 6/5/2019

JobsOhio’s J.P. Nauseef (upper right) addressed the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee meeting on June 5.