Leadership

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Political Action Committee endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor Wednesday during an event at Stamco Industries in Euclid.

Stamco founder Bill Sopko opened the event by crediting the employees who built the company through decades of precision, quality and pride.

“All the people here made it possible,” Sopko said.

OMA President Ryan Augsburger said the endorsement reflects the importance of electing a governor who understands Ohio’s product-based economy and the policies that determine whether companies invest, expand and create jobs.

“Ohio is not just a manufacturing state. Ohio is the manufacturing state,” Augsburger said. “This is an amazing state of makers and creators and innovators. But if we’re going to succeed in today’s globally competitive marketplace, we need government leadership that understands and supports the product-based economy.”

Augsburger said Ramaswamy’s business experience, market-based approach and ability to work with President Donald Trump’s administration make him best prepared to help Ohio win the next wave of reshored manufacturing.

Ramaswamy pledged to lower taxes, cut burdensome regulations and expand reliable, affordable energy.

“As governor, I’ll fight every day to make Ohio the nation’s leading state for manufacturing,” Ramaswamy said. “Together, we will create more high-paying jobs and better opportunities for this generation and the next.” 7/22/2026

Apparently, not everyone is thrilled about the conversations happening at this year’s Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) Energy Conference. We will take that as a sign the program is hitting the right nerves.

Perhaps the consultant class is worried that a room full of customers might hear something beyond the utility industry’s preferred narrative. Either way, skip the boycott and get the rest of the story on Ohio’s energy future Aug. 27 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Early-bird pricing ends Thursday, July 30.

“When the people paid to defend the status quo start grumbling, you know the conversation is worth having,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “Our members deserve more than polished talking points. They deserve the full story.” 7/24/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) President Ryan Augsburger joined U.S. Bridge employees, company leaders and community partners in Cambridge last week to celebrate the longtime OMA member’s 90th anniversary.

The event included plant tours, remarks from state and local leaders, and the official renaming of the company’s address to 100 U.S. Bridge Way.

During the tour, Ryan saw employees building the new Front Street bridge for downtown Columbus, including the precision bending of massive steel girders under 800 tons of force.

“What stayed with me was the pride these employees take in building something that thousands of people will depend on every day,” Augsburger said. “They understand that every weld, bend and measurement matters. That skill, care and pride in getting it right are what make Ohio manufacturing so special.”

Founded in 1936, U.S. Bridge remains family-owned and operated and is now moving forward with a multimillion-dollar expansion expected to create 41 jobs and increase production for domestic and international markets.

Congratulations to the Rogovin family and the entire U.S. Bridge team on 90 years of building bridges and strengthening communities. 7/20/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Hynes Industries has earned a 2025 Platinum Award from Wabash for excellence in supply chain performance. The Youngstown-based company was one of 32 suppliers nationwide recognized for its commitment to quality, innovation and operational excellence.

“Hynes Industries is showing the country what Ohio manufacturing excellence looks like,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “This is a tremendous honor, and we are proud to count them among our members.” 7/23/2026

In a new guest column published by the Dayton Daily News, Lindsey Short, managing director of energy and advocacy services for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, argues that Ohio lawmakers should reject House Bill 646 and its utility-backed approach to serving data centers and other large electricity users.

The central question is simple. Who should pay for the infrastructure required by a massive new customer?

“Who should pay for the enormous cost of serving new data centers and other large electricity users? The answer should be straightforward. The customer creating the cost should pay the full cost upfront.”

Short warns that House Bill 646 would give utilities a path to build more infrastructure, recover those costs and an approved profit for decades, and leave existing customers exposed when projects are delayed, downsized or abandoned.

She also challenges the use of speculative load forecasts to justify new spending before demand is proven. Projected electricity use should be independently reviewed and supported by signed, enforceable commitments, not treated as certain simply because it appears in a utility forecast.

A pending AES Ohio case illustrates the stakes. Two proposed data centers could require $837.5 million in new grid projects, while other customers could ultimately be left covering a gap of more than $1.3 billion.

As Short writes, “Lawmakers should not write a utility business model into statute and call it customer protection.”

Manufacturers take responsibility for the risks and costs of their own expansion plans. Utilities and data centers should be held to the same standard. 7/15/2026

Ohio’s economy has likely surpassed $1 trillion, and a new column argues that manufacturing deserves much of the credit.

Drawing heavily from the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s Manufacturing Counts report, Rick Platt, president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority and a JobsOhio board member, notes that manufacturing accounts for 15% of Ohio’s economy, supports one in seven jobs and generates more wages than any other sector.

The column also highlights a fact that is often overlooked: More than 60% of Ohio manufacturers employ fewer than 20 people, while midsized manufacturers account for the largest share of manufacturing employment.

“The bottom line? It’s personal,” Platt writes. “It’s our neighbors who work in manufacturing.”

Ohio did not reach a $1 trillion economy by accident. It got there because manufacturers of every size continue to invest, hire and produce in communities across the state. 7/13/2026

Do your customers and prospects know why they should choose you? If your website says one thing, your sales team says another, and your distributors say something else entirely, that disconnect is costing manufacturers more than they realize. Ohio Manufacturers’ Association member Akhia explains how to strengthen value proposition alignment. 7/17/2026

Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA), will join U.S. Bridge today as the longtime OMA member celebrates its 90th anniversary and the renaming of its Cambridge address to 100 U.S. Bridge Way.

“U.S. Bridge has spent 90 years building bridges, creating jobs and investing in Cambridge,” Augsburger said. “That is a legacy worth celebrating and a strong foundation for the company’s next chapter.”

Founded in 1936, the family-owned company has grown into a global bridge designer and manufacturer known for pioneering factory-produced, all-welded steel truss bridges.

The milestone comes as U.S. Bridge moves forward with a multimillion-dollar expansion expected to create 41 jobs and increase production for domestic and international markets.

Today’s celebration will include an open house, plant tours and remarks from company, state and local leaders before the official unveiling of 100 U.S. Bridge Way. 7/17/2026

Ohio has been named CNBC’s top state for business in 2026, a recognition the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) says reflects decades of progress that have strengthened the state’s economy and manufacturing base.

That progress did not happen overnight. It was built through sustained investment in infrastructure, workforce and the conditions manufacturers need to compete.

“Ohio did not stumble into the No. 1 spot,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. “This ranking reflects decades of progress, investment and hard work by Ohioans who produce what the country needs and solve problems others cannot. Manufacturing is not simply part of Ohio’s success story. It is the reason Ohio leads.”

Ohio’s central location, skilled workforce, strong transportation network, competitive cost structure and deep manufacturing expertise continue to set the state apart.

“Other states are trying to build a manufacturing advantage. Ohio already has one,” Augsburger said. “Our job now is to protect it, strengthen it and make sure the next 250 years of American manufacturing run through Ohio.” 7/9/2026

U.S. Sens. Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno are supporting draft bipartisan legislation that would protect the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nationwide program that helps small and midsized manufacturers modernize, improve productivity and compete.

The proposal would limit the Department of Commerce’s ability to suspend or cancel funding for a center without first conducting a formal performance evaluation. It follows federal funding decisions that have disrupted the MEP network, including the closure of six Ohio centers after the loss of more than $6 million in support.

“Ohio manufacturers do not need another speech about rebuilding American manufacturing. They need the proven programs that help them compete,” said Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “The Manufacturing Extension Partnership delivers real results for small and midsized manufacturers across Ohio. We commend Senators Moreno and Husted for cutting through the rhetoric and working to restore a program that supports jobs, investment and manufacturing strength in communities across our state.” 7/9/2026

U.S. manufacturing activity expanded again in June, marking the sixth consecutive month of growth, according to the Institute for Supply Management.

Five of the six largest manufacturing industries reported expansion, while new orders also grew for the sixth straight month. The broader U.S. economy expanded for the 20th consecutive month.

“Six straight months of manufacturing growth and 20 months of broader economic expansion are encouraging signs,” said Dave O’Neil, director of communications for the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturers remain resilient, and stronger demand combined with lean customer inventories could create additional opportunities for production and investment in the months ahead.”

The pace of manufacturing growth eased slightly from May, and manufacturers continue to face price volatility and global uncertainty. Still, the report found optimism beginning to improve as demand remained positive and customer inventories stayed low. 7/6/2026

As America prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence, Ohio manufacturers can take pride in a truth too often forgotten. This country was built by people who make things.

It was built by workers, welders, machinists, engineers, toolmakers, technicians, entrepreneurs and risk-takers. People who showed up before sunrise, solved hard problems, built what others only imagined and turned raw materials into American strength.

Ohio has always been at the center of that story.

Our manufacturers helped arm democracy. They built the parts, materials, machines, vehicles, food, chemicals, steel, glass, plastics, polymers, medicines and technologies that carried America through war, growth, crisis and competition. And they are still doing it.

Every day, Ohio manufacturers keep supply chains moving, families working, communities strong and America less dependent on the rest of the world. They make the things this country cannot afford to outsource, forget or take for granted.

This is what Ohio does. We make. We build. We compete. We lead.

America’s 250th is not just a celebration of where this country has been. It is a reminder of what makes it strong. Freedom needs production. Prosperity needs industry. National strength needs people who know how to make things.

The next American century will not be built on speeches, slogans or wishful thinking. It will be built on factory floors, in machine shops, in labs, in foundries and in manufacturing communities across Ohio.

Ohio manufacturers are not just part of America’s history. They are carrying America forward. 7/1/2026

This holiday week is expected to bring intense heat across much of the region, with temperatures climbing into the mid- to high-90s. Ohio manufacturers should also be watching the electric grid, as the heat could drive some of the highest demand hours of the summer.

Regional grid operator PJM procures electric capacity to ensure enough power is available when demand is highest. This year, customers across PJM will pay more than $16 billion for capacity, compared with about $2 billion just two years ago.

A manufacturing facility’s capacity costs are based on how much electricity it uses during the five highest “coincident peak” hours between June 1 and Sept. 30. In other words, five peak hours can affect what a plant pays all year. Reducing usage during those peak hours can help lower a facility’s share of capacity costs.

Based on PJM load forecasts, the period from June 30 through July 4 could produce several of this summer’s peak hours, most likely between 4 and 8 p.m. Members that manage peak usage or participate in demand response should be prepared for potential action this week. Those that are not already managing peak demand should consider how these strategies can help control costs.

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) encourages members to connect with OMA’s energy engineers to learn more about peak management, demand response and other strategies to reduce electricity costs.

This week’s heat will also intensify broader questions about electric reliability and rising capacity costs. Ohio manufacturers are already paying significantly higher prices for the promise of reliability. If customers are being asked to pay billions more, grid planning must be grounded in verified demand, sound forecasts and clear accountability.

Members can learn more through OMA energy resources and are encouraged to register for the OMA Energy Conference on Aug. 27. 7/1/2026

A recent U.S. Senate hearing offered a timely reminder for policymakers heading into America’s 250th celebration. Manufacturing is not nostalgia. It is strategy.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Ohio State University’s Ned Hill highlighted the role manufacturing has played in America’s economic development and the role Ohio continues to play today. Hill described Ohio as a “portfolio state” that competes globally through goods and services produced across regional labor markets and rural communities.

One statistic should stand out to every Ohio policymaker. Eighty-eight percent of Ohio’s 13,307 manufacturing establishments employ fewer than 100 workers. These are the manufacturers anchoring main streets, filling business parks, sustaining rural counties and proving that American industrial strength is built community by community.

Hill’s testimony also underscored how Ohio manufacturers are helping define the next industrial wave. From advanced production and digital tools to defense readiness, automation and entrepreneurship, Ohio’s manufacturing future is being shaped by companies solving real problems in real communities.

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) says Hill’s testimony reinforces a basic point. If America wants to stay strong, independent and competitive, it must keep making things here.

“America’s strength has always come from people who build, make and produce,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “That story runs straight through Ohio. From small manufacturers anchoring local communities to advanced manufacturers competing on the world stage, Ohio’s makers have helped build this country and will help determine whether America remains strong, independent and competitive for the next 250 years.” 7/1/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Scotts Miracle-Gro this week announced a major leadership transition, with Jim Hagedorn stepping down as CEO and board chairman after nearly 40 years with the Marysville-based company, including 25 years as CEO. Nate Baxter, who joined Scotts in 2023 as part of the company’s succession planning, has been named CEO, while Pete Shumlin will serve as board chair.

“Jim Hagedorn helped turn a Marysville company into a household name while keeping Scotts Miracle-Gro deeply rooted in Ohio,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “That kind of long-term leadership matters. We congratulate Jim on an extraordinary career, and we look forward to working with Nate Baxter as Scotts continues to grow, invest and lead from Ohio.” 6/30/2026

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) member Honda once again demonstrated the strength of Ohio manufacturing, placing seven Honda and Acura models among the nation’s top 20 most American-made vehicles in Cars.com’s 2026 American-Made Index. Four of those vehicles are built in Ohio, including the Honda Accord and Acura Integra in Marysville and the Acura MDX and Acura RDX in East Liberty.

The annual ranking evaluates vehicles based on factors including assembly location, domestic parts content, engine and transmission sourcing, and manufacturing employment. Honda placed five vehicles in the top 10 this year and has had more vehicles rank in the index’s top 10 over its 21-year history than any other automaker.

“This recognition reflects decades of investment, innovation and manufacturing excellence in Ohio,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “The men and women building vehicles in Marysville and East Liberty produce world-class products that compete with the best anywhere. Their skill, dedication and craftsmanship help power Ohio’s economy and reinforce our state’s reputation as a manufacturing leader.”

Honda’s performance in this year’s rankings is another reminder that Ohio remains at the center of American manufacturing. From the assembly line to the supply chain, Ohio manufacturers continue to set the standard for quality, productivity and innovation. 6/24/2026

A new Toledo Blade editorial puts a spotlight on one of the biggest problems in Ohio utility regulation. Too often, utility forecasts are treated like facts, and customers are left paying the price.

The editorial board pointed to Public Utilities Commission of Ohio acceptance of utility demand forecasts as a prime example of how overly friendly regulation can pad utility profits while leaving customers exposed. That is exactly the risk OMA has warned about as utilities seek to turn speculative data center projections into generation, transmission and capacity costs paid by manufacturers, families and small businesses.

There is a better way. The bipartisan Electricity Forecast Integrity Act, sponsored by Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson, D-Toledo, and Sen. Mark Romanchuk, R-Ontario, would require independent review before utility forecasts are used to justify costs that can show up in Ohioans’ electric bills.

“Utility forecasts should not become customer bills just because a monopoly utility says so,” said Lindsey Short, OMA managing director of energy and advocacy services. “The Electricity Forecast Integrity Act is a better way because it requires utilities to show their work before manufacturers, families and small businesses are asked to pay.”

OMA supports transparent, independent review of utility forecasts, verified demand and clear cost responsibility. Forecasts should be tested before they become customer costs. 6/22/2026

Business leaders gathered this week at The Boat House at Confluence Park in Columbus for an Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA)-PAC roundtable featuring Vivek Ramaswamy, with the discussion focused heavily on the energy issues shaping Ohio’s economic future.

OMA members emphasized the need for affordable and reliable electricity, stronger accountability for monopoly utilities and real customer protections before the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and in grid planning decisions that can push costs onto customers. The conversation gave manufacturers a direct opportunity to press those concerns with the Republican nominee for governor as energy costs become a defining issue in Ohio’s economic future.

Rising electric bills do not just hit the meter. They hit hiring, equipment purchases, expansion plans and production in Ohio.

“Energy policy is economic policy,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “Ohio cannot be the best state in the country to make things if manufacturers are asked to absorb higher electric bills without proof, discipline and accountability. Anyone serious about Ohio’s economic future needs to understand that electricity costs are now a competitiveness issue, and customers should not be left to clean up the cost of utility wish lists.” 6/15/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) convened its Board of Directors in Columbus this week around a central question. What will it take for Ohio to compete?

The discussion centered on many of the issues now shaping the state’s manufacturing economy, including rising electricity costs, monopoly utility accountability, workforce development, tax policy, environmental regulation and the 2026 election landscape.

“These conversations matter because they are grounded in what manufacturers are actually seeing every day,” said James Lee, OMA managing director of public policy services. “Our members can have serious, civil discussions about difficult issues because they are focused on the same goal, making Ohio the best state in the country to make things.”

OMA will continue bringing that member-driven perspective to policymakers as the association works to protect and grow Ohio manufacturing. 6/16/2026

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) has elected Amy McDonald, president of MANE, Inc., and Kirk Vashaw, chairman and CEO of Spangler Candy Company, to its Board of Directors.

McDonald leads MANE’s North American flavors business, helping serve customers across the food and beverage sector, while Vashaw leads Bryan-based Spangler Candy Company, the maker of Dum-Dums, candy canes and other iconic confectionery products.

“We are excited to welcome Amy and Kirk to the OMA board,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger. “They know what it takes to build, grow and sustain manufacturing businesses in Ohio. Their leadership strengthens an already outstanding board and reinforces a simple truth. The future of Ohio’s economy will be shaped by the people who make things here.”

With McDonald and Vashaw joining the board, OMA continues to draw leadership from manufacturers that are investing in Ohio, creating jobs and strengthening communities across the state. 6/16/2026