Leadership

March 15 Webinar Will Provide Supply Chain Update

At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 15, the Ohio Small Business Development Center Export Assistance Network at Youngstown State University will provide a virtual update on the global supply chain. Register here for this no-cost event. 3/9/2022

U.S. Trade Deficit Sets New Record

The U.S. trade deficit reached a record high in January. Strong domestic demand continued to push imports higher, especially oil, while exports were dampened by the omicron surge, according to this summary by OMA Connections Partner RSM. 3/9/2022

Officials: Restoring U.S. Chip Manufacturing Critical to National Security

Leaders from federal agencies say Congress must act now to approve funding that will boost domestic microchip production. (Ohio has much riding on this.) In an editorial published by The Hill, officials say the chip shortage is not only harming manufacturers, but it’s also hindering the military’s ability to acquire advanced weapons systems. 3/7/2022

Latest Cyber Threat: ‘Zero-Click’ Hacks

A new threat — known as “zero-click” hacks — is emerging from well-documented state-sponsored spyware schemes. OMA Connections Partner Vorys has spotlighted this new threat, noting it allows cyber criminals to gain unauthorized control of smart phones and computers without the user’s knowledge — and without a malicious link or attachment. 3/10/2022

Summary of Sanctions on Russia

The U.S. has imposed a variety of unprecedented sanctions and export controls against Russia and two regions of Ukraine. OMA Connections Partner Thompson Hine has published this summary of sanctions, advising businesses to “heighten internal controls related to direct or indirect dealings in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.” 3/9/2022

Hiring a Salesperson? Start With a Solid Job Description

Is your business hiring a salesperson now or in the near future? OMA Connections Partner Sales Xceleration has published this hiring checklist aimed at reducing salesperson turnover while increasing sales productivity. The checklist includes a no-cost template to help you construct a strategically targeted job description. 3/9/2022

Study: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Ohio

Ohio knows how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, according to a new study from WalletHub. The personal finance site compared the nation’s 200 largest cities across 18 key metrics and found that Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton were all among the best cities for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. 3/10/2022

OMA Publishes New Edition of ‘Manufacturing Counts’

The 2022 edition of “Ohio Manufacturing Counts” is now available. It shows Ohio manufacturing is responsible for:

• Nearly 18% of Ohio’s private-sector GDP;
• More than 650,000 Ohio jobs;
• An annual payroll of $42 billion; and
• More than $45 billion in exports to 209 countries and territories.

OMA President Ryan Augsburger said: “These latest figures are further proof that manufacturing continues to power Ohio and its economy.” Sponsors of this publication are Constellation, Health Management Solutions, MAGNET, NRG, and Vistra Energy. 3/1/2022

Rachael Carl to Oversee OMA’s Advocacy Operations

The OMA has promoted Rachael Carl as managing director of public policy services. Rachael, who joined the OMA staff in February 2021, will lead the OMA’s advocacy efforts and member engagement through the association’s public policy committees.

A native of Grove City and graduate of The Ohio State University, Rachael previously served as a legislative liaison for Gov. Mike DeWine, legislative director for the Ohio Department of Commerce, and a legislative aide in the Ohio House. 3/3/2022

Regulatory Reform Bill Sent to Governor

This week, the Ohio House passed Senate Bill 9 – a bill aimed at reducing regulatory restrictions within the Ohio Administrative Code.

Earlier in the legislative process, the OMA worked with the House Government Oversight Committee to adopt changes to ensure the bill did not negatively impact regulations governed by the federal government through state delegation. (For example, many Ohio EPA rules implement federal programs. As drafted in a previous version of SB 9, some Ohio programs would have been out of compliance — forcing Ohio EPA programs to revert to the U.S. EPA.)

With the adoption of an OMA-supported amendment, rules implementing the minimum requirement for federal programs can now receive further consideration when determining the appropriate way to reduce regulatory restrictions. The bill awaits the governor’s signature or veto. 3/3/2022