Leadership

Ohio should demand clear answers from JobsOhio on the recent podcast contract, OMA President Ryan Augsburger writes in a new guest column in The Columbus Dispatch. Public confidence, transparency and performance matter, especially for an organization central to Ohio’s ability to compete.

But Augsburger warns that turning one bad episode into a broader attack on JobsOhio would be a mistake. Major manufacturing projects move fast, and other states are competing every day with incentives, sites, workforce strategies and speed. JobsOhio has helped Ohio stay in that fight, and its model is worth preserving, improving and holding to a high standard.

As Ohio looks toward new state leadership, manufacturers look forward to working with the next governor to keep JobsOhio moving forward in the right direction. 5/14/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) invites all manufacturing members to attend the upcoming Ohio Food & Beverage Manufacturers’ Policy Council and Reception on Wednesday, June 3, at The Athletic Club of Columbus.

The event will offer timely policy insights on regulations affecting daily operations, including 2026 trade impacts, packaging mandates, ingredient bans and new labeling requirements. Attendees will also hear from Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge and JobsOhio’s Tim Derickson on industry growth, state support and available incentives.

“This is a direct line into the policy issues shaping Ohio’s food, beverage and consumer product sectors,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “Trade, labeling, packaging mandates, ingredient restrictions and state support all affect how manufacturers operate, invest and compete. This event gives members a timely opportunity to hear from experts, connect with peers and show lawmakers what Ohio manufacturers make every day.”

Following the 2 to 4 p.m. council briefing, members are invited to a 5 to 7 p.m. reception showcase with members of the Ohio General Assembly. The reception will provide valuable access to lawmakers, peer networking and an opportunity for food, beverage and consumer product manufacturers to feature Ohio-made goods for the policymakers who shape the business climate in Ohio. 5/15/2026

Ohio manufacturing took center stage in Washington this week as Ned Hill, a longtime voice on manufacturing policy and frequent contributor for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship during a hearing tied to America 250 and the rise of small manufacturers.

Hill’s testimony highlighted manufacturing’s central role in Ohio’s economy, noting the sector accounts for $137.9 billion of Ohio GDP and more than any other private industry. He also emphasized that Ohio’s manufacturing strength depends not only on major anchors, but on the thousands of smaller manufacturers that make up the state’s supply chains.

“Ned Hill understands what makes Ohio manufacturing work,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. “As America prepares to mark 250 years, his testimony reinforced a core truth: manufacturers of every size are driving Ohio’s economy, strengthening American supply chains and building the next generation of industrial growth.”

Ohio’s manufacturing strength is not accidental. It depends on policies that help companies invest, innovate, grow and compete. 5/13/2026

This week, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) testified in support of House Bill 126, urging lawmakers to prevent public nuisance law from being turned into a backdoor litigation tool against lawful products and businesses.

In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, OMA Legal Counsel Anne Marie Sferra said Ohio manufacturers need a civil justice system that is rational, fair and predictable in order to invest, grow and compete globally. The bill would help preserve that stability by codifying the Ohio Supreme Court’s recent decision in In re National Prescription Opiate Litigation, which made clear that public nuisance claims tied to the sale of a product must be handled under Ohio’s product liability laws.

“House Bill 126 helps maintain Ohio’s stable legal climate and promotes a common-sense civil justice system,” Sferra told lawmakers. “In particular, this bill protects against misuse of public nuisance claims.”

The bill is an important safeguard against lawsuit abuse and legal theories that stretch public nuisance law far beyond its original purpose. OMA urged lawmakers to support House Bill 126 and keep Ohio’s legal climate predictable, rather than allowing product liability disputes to be repackaged as open-ended nuisance lawsuits. 5/13/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Anheuser-Busch is investing $5 million in its Columbus brewery, strengthening one of Ohio’s most recognizable manufacturing operations and expanding local production capacity for Michelob ULTRA and Michelob ULTRA Zero. The investment is part of the company’s $600 million Brewing Futures initiative across U.S. operations in 2025 and 2026, aimed at modernizing facilities, supporting domestic manufacturing and building the next generation of skilled manufacturing talent.

The Columbus project includes a new technical skills training center, one of 15 planned nationwide, to prepare workers for high-demand roles in modern brewing and advanced manufacturing. Anheuser-Busch has operated in Columbus for more than 50 years and has invested more than $71 million in the brewery over the past five years.

“Ohio’s strongest workforce solutions start with employers,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. “Anheuser-Busch’s Columbus investment puts that model into action by building technical skills, strengthening an iconic Ohio operation and helping keep Ohio manufacturing competitive.” 5/13/2026

Sherwin-Williams just changed the Cleveland skyline.

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member company has unveiled its new global headquarters downtown, a 36-story, roughly 1 million-square-foot tower that will bring more than 3,000 employees into the heart of the city. The project is a major investment in Cleveland, in Ohio and in the future of one of the state’s most iconic manufacturers.

“Sherwin-Williams did not just build a headquarters. They planted a flag,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “This is what confidence in Ohio looks like. Big investment. World-class manufacturing leadership. Thousands of people coming to work in the heart of Cleveland. That is a skyline-changing statement.” 5/12/2026

U.S. manufacturing continued to expand in April, but rising costs remain a major warning sign for the sector. The latest ISM Manufacturing PMI held steady at 52.7%, marking the fourth straight month of expansion, while new orders rose again and customer inventories remained low. But the report also showed mounting pressure on manufacturers, with the prices index climbing to 84.6%, its highest level since April 2022, and manufacturing employment remaining in contraction.

The report is another reminder that manufacturers are still moving, but they are doing it in a tougher cost environment. Demand is not the problem. The problem is the pile-on of inflation, energy costs, supply chain strain and policy uncertainty that makes it harder to plan, hire and invest.

“Ohio manufacturers have proven again and again that they can compete, grow and lead through difficult conditions,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “The strength in new orders is encouraging, but policymakers need to do their part by avoiding new costs and giving manufacturers the certainty they need to keep investing.” 5/11/2026

The 2026 primary narrowed the field but widened the stakes for Ohio manufacturers.

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) members joined a special post-primary briefing Wednesday for an analysis of the results, turnout trends and key matchups now shaping the general election.

OMA staff were joined by leading political strategists Brenton Temple of MAD Global Strategy and Joe Rettof of RT Advisors, who offered bipartisan perspective on the races, trends and ballot issues shaping Ohio’s political landscape.

With competitive races for governor, U.S. Senate and the Ohio Supreme Court, along with potential ballot issues on property taxes and data centers, manufacturers are entering a consequential election cycle.

“Ohio manufacturers cannot afford to watch this election from the sidelines,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “This briefing and our post-election report give members the context they need to understand what is at stake, what is coming next and where manufacturers must stay engaged.”

Read OMA’s full post-election report for the races, trends and issues that will shape Ohio’s general election. Members can continue the conversation at the June 4 Government Affairs Committee meeting, featuring Senate President Rob McColley. 5/6/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) is helping bring more manufacturing career pathways into Ohio schools through a new $3.2 million Career Technical Education Access Grant announced by Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director (ODEW) Stephen Dackin.

The grant will help schools create, expand or improve manufacturing programs by supporting equipment purchases, instructor hiring, curriculum development and employer partnerships. ODEW plans to fund at least 10 projects, with awards of up to $320,000 each. Each program will incorporate OMA’s WorkAdvance model, connecting classroom learning, hands-on technical training, employer engagement and support services that help students stay on track and succeed.

“Ohio’s manufacturers need talent pipelines that are built around real employer demand,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “This effort strengthens the bridge between education and industry while advancing the goals of Ohio’s Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint.”

Programs are expected to launch by the 2027-28 school year. 5/7/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) board member Mark Lamoncha, president and CEO of Humtown Products, earned the 2026 National Small Business Person of the Year award earlier this week and received White House recognition from President Donald Trump.

The honor is a proud moment for Lamoncha, the Humtown team and Ohio manufacturing. Under Lamoncha’s leadership, Humtown has grown from a Columbiana pattern shop into a national leader in 3D sand cores and molds, helping modernize one of the world’s oldest manufacturing industries while proving that small businesses can lead on a national stage.

“Mark Lamoncha is the kind of manufacturer who makes Ohio impossible to ignore,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “He builds, innovates, takes risks and creates opportunity right here at home. This national recognition belongs on Ohio’s highlight reel. America’s builders are not waiting for the future. They are making it, and Ohio is helping lead the way.” 5/5/2026

Ohio has been selected as one of 10 states to participate in the national Apprenticeship America cohort, a new Future Ready Apprenticeship Center initiative designed to expand industry-led registered apprenticeship systems and strengthen career pathways for young people. The effort positions Ohio as an early leader in helping advance President Donald Trump’s national goal of 1 million active apprentices, while supporting the state’s need for 70,000 workers in advanced manufacturing.

“Ohio is honored to be selected, and we’re ready to get to work,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA). “Manufacturers need talent systems built around real jobs and real skills.”

OMA will play a leading role, building on Industry Sector Partnerships, the Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint and Technician Fast Track. 5/4/2026

Ohio’s primary will be over. The matchups will be set. And the race to November will begin immediately.

That is why Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) members will not want to miss Special Member Briefing: Election 2026 on Wednesday, May 6, from 2 to 3 p.m. via Zoom.

Just hours after the final primary results, members will get a first-read breakdown of key races, voter trends and what the new political map means for Ohio’s business climate, taxes, energy policy and the broader legislative landscape.

The briefing will also feature top strategists from both political camps: Republican strategist Brenton Temple of MAD Global Strategy and Democratic strategist Joe Rettof of RT Advisors.

“If you wait for the headlines, you’re already behind,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “This briefing is where manufacturers get the real story before everyone else starts guessing.”

Register now. 5/1/2026

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder’s appeal, leaving intact his corruption conviction and 20-year sentence tied to the House Bill 6 scandal. With his final legal appeal exhausted, Householder is now expected to seek a presidential pardon from President Donald Trump, according to The Associated Press.

The case remains a stark reminder of what happens when utility policy is shaped behind closed doors and ratepayers are left holding the bill.

“House Bill 6 showed the danger of energy policy built around utility interests instead of customers,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “Ohio needs transparency, accountability and strong customer protections to make sure this never happens again.” 4/28/2026

Ohio’s 2026 statewide races are taking shape as competitive contests, with Republicans holding an edge, but not a commanding one. Cook Political Report recently moved the governor’s race from Likely Republican to Lean Republican and shifted the Senate race from Lean Republican to Toss Up, signaling that both marquee races are firmly in play.

A recent BGSU/YouGov poll found Republican Vivek Ramaswamy leading Democrat Amy Acton 48% to 47% in the governor’s race, while Republican Jon Husted led Democrat Sherrod Brown 50% to 47% in the U.S. Senate contest. An Echelon poll pointed in the same direction, showing Ramaswamy ahead of Acton 49% to 44% and Husted leading Brown 51% to 45%.

The BGSU poll also found a sour public mood, with 55% of voters saying the country is on the wrong track and 46% saying the same about Ohio. In a memo on the survey, strategy consultant Scott Millburn wrote, “The current data represents a soft warning but not one that rises to a more definitive, uniform, anti-incumbent sentiment.”

Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, said that competitive environment is exactly why these races matter to manufacturers.

“Close races are good for manufacturers because they force candidates to compete for support instead of taking Ohio’s industrial base for granted,” he added. “That creates more pressure to offer serious answers on energy, runaway utility spending, workforce and the cost of doing business.” 4/23/2026

At Wednesday’s Columbus Metropolitan Club forum at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger argued that Ohio’s data center debate should focus on whether the state is making disciplined, accountable energy decisions as growth accelerates.

Augsburger said the bigger risk is a regulatory structure that rewards utilities for building capital projects instead of demanding accurate forecasts before billion-dollar investments move forward. That leaves manufacturers and other captive customers exposed if projected demand never materializes.

“We’re seeing some downright outlandish future load forecast numbers being bandied about by investors and utilities,” Augsburger said. “These are projections that the utilities did not defend in their proceedings at the PUCO in the last year.”

Augsburger also called for greater transparency and accountability in electricity forecasting as Ohio policymakers debate the future of data center development.

Other panelists included Jeffrey Bielicki, Timothy Chadwick and Christopher Wyche, who brought perspectives from academia, industry and local government to the debate. Other topics included the environmental impacts of data centers and what data centers will look like 10 years from now. 4/22/2026

Longtime Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) board member and past chairman Dave Johnson, chief executive officer of Summitville A Brand of General Shale Brick, has been elected Ohio’s Republican National Committeeman, adding a national leadership post to his long record of service in manufacturing and public life.

“Dave Johnson has long been one of the most respected voices in Ohio manufacturing,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of OMA. “This appointment reflects the leadership, credibility and commitment he has brought to our industry and our state for many years.”

Johnson previously was honored by OMA with the Dan French Legacy Award for exemplary service to Ohio’s manufacturing community. 4/22/2026

Jessica Borza, managing director of workforce services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), will return to her hometown next month as commencement speaker for East Liverpool High School’s Class of 2026. A 1994 graduate, Borza has spent more than two decades advancing workforce development and connecting students to in-demand career pathways. The ceremony is set for May 24.

“Jessica has dedicated her career to helping people see what is possible and how to get there,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “There is no better person to deliver that message to the next generation.” 4/24/2026

A coalition of more than 20 organizations, including the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) and major employers across the state, is urging Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted to support nearly $9 million in FY27 Congressionally Directed Spending requests aimed at strengthening Ohio’s manufacturing workforce pipeline.

In a joint letter, manufacturers said workforce availability remains one of the most significant constraints on growth in Ohio manufacturing, particularly in production and technician roles. The letter backs two OMA proposals: $3 million to implement the Ohio Manufacturing Workforce Blueprint and $5.92 million to expand Ohio Manufacturing WorkAdvance, a model designed to connect more Ohioans to manufacturing careers while helping employers fill critical jobs.

“Ohio cannot outcompete other states if manufacturers do not have the people to grow,” said Lindsey Short, managing director of energy and advocacy services for the OMA. “These requests are about building a workforce system that matches the scale of the opportunity and gives employers a real shot at filling the jobs they have right now.”

Signers include OMA; AMG Vanadium; Ariel Corporation; The Belden Brick Company; Cenovus Energy; French Oil Mill Machinery Company; American Honda Motor Company; Humtown Products; Mar-Bal, Inc.; The Marzetti Company; Mechanical Rubber; Pentaflex Inc.; Phillips Tube Group; PPG; PRO-TEC Coating Company; The Sherwin-Williams Company; Starr Manufacturing, Inc.; Staub Manufacturing Solutions; William Sopko & Sons Co., Inc.; Summitville Tiles, Inc.; and Zaclon. 4/16/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Whirlpool Corp. plans to invest $60 million to expand its manufacturing footprint in northwest Ohio, adding a factory in Perrysburg that could create roughly 100 to 150 jobs in the coming years.

The project will support production of washer and dryer components and strengthen Whirlpool’s long-standing manufacturing presence in the region. The company already operates major appliance manufacturing facilities nearby, including its large washer plant in Clyde.

“Manufacturers invest where they can compete and succeed,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “Whirlpool’s continued investment in Ohio reflects the strength of our manufacturing workforce, supply chains and communities that support making things here.”

The expansion reinforces northwest Ohio’s role as a key hub for appliance manufacturing and highlights the continued momentum of manufacturing investment across the state. 4/13/2026

Following discussion with the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) board of directors, OMA has joined Ohioans to Protect Public Services, a broad-based statewide coalition urging caution around proposals to eliminate local property taxes without a plan to replace the revenue.

The coalition includes more than 65 business, public safety, labor and community organizations, including the Associated General Contractors of Ohio; Buckeye State Sheriffs’ Association; Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police; Ohio Association of County Boards of Developmental Disabilities; Ohio Association of Professional Firefighters; Ohio Realtors; and the Ohio State Building & Construction Trades Council.

Coalition members say Ohioans are right to expect serious conversations about property tax reform, but eliminating property taxes outright without a credible replacement plan would create major uncertainty for the services, schools and local systems that communities and employers depend on.

“Ohioans have every right to expect a real conversation about property tax reform,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the OMA. “What they should not accept is a proposal to eliminate a major funding source with no serious plan for what replaces it.” 4/16/2026