Leadership

Allison Glasgow Joins OMA Staff as Director of Marketing and Events

Allison Glasgow recently joined the OMA staff as director of marketing and events. In this role, Allison will focus largely on member outreach while coordinating with OMA Public Policy Services. In this way, she will ensure members can maximize engagement via the OMA’s policy committee meetings, webinars, and special events.

Allison previously worked for the Ohio secretary of state and in the Kasich administration. She is a 2013 graduate of the University of Akron, where she was a part of the Ray C. Bliss Institute and majored in political science.

Allison has lived in Columbus for the last 11 years. She has a dog named Oshie, who loves to walk around the Scioto Mile. She likes to stay active by taking trips to explore new national parks or travelling to new cities with friends. Say hello to Allison by dropping her an email. 1/18/2024

Meeting Dates Set for OMA Policy Committees

OMA policy committee meetings are a key benefit of your membership. They allow members to gather insight from subject-matter experts, policymakers, and government agency officials while networking with peers. They also allow members to help set policy priorities for Ohio manufacturing.

With five standing policy committees — Energy, Environment, Government Affairs, Safety and Workers’ Compensation, and Tax and Finance — members may participate either virtually or in-person.

The OMA has released this schedule of its 2024 policy committee meetings. Make sure you’re signed up to receive the information, alerts, and meeting invitations by subscribing to the OMA communities relevant to you. 1/11/2024

OMA Questions Language in Civil Justice Bill

The Ohio House this week passed House Bill 179, which touches on key legal principles addressing Ohio’s civil justice system.

Among other things, HB 179 seeks to clarify vicarious liability — that is, when an employer is liable for an employee’s actions that cause personal injury to another employee. Because the bill’s language is unclear, HB 179 could potentially result in the over-naming of defendants, thereby increasing a business’ litigation costs.

As a member of the Ohio Alliance for Civil Justice, the OMA in 2023 provided testimony to express concerns regarding HB 179, which is now before the Senate for its consideration. 1/11/2024

Manufacturing Trends to Watch in 2024

Changes in data use, cybersecurity, and supply chains are among the top manufacturing trends to watch in 2024, according to this insight from OMA Connections Partner RSM. The firm has also published this analysis of manufacturers’ increased use of third-party e-commerce giants to sell their products. 1/8/2024

Leadership Skills for Frontline Managers

Frontline managers directly impact company culture. OMA Connections Partner Vistage, a CEO coaching and peer advisory organization for small and mid-size businesses, has published this top 10 list of traits possessed by effective frontline leaders.1/8/2024

CEOs: U.S. Debt Is Top Geopolitical Risk

A new survey finds that U.S. CEOs and C-Suite executives view the ballooning federal debt as the biggest geopolitical risk. The potential for an increase in cyberattacks was their next highest geopolitical concern, according to The Conference Board’s “C-Suite Outlook 2024.”

Just 37% of American CEOs and 27% of global CEOs said they were prepared to deal with a recession. 1/11/2024

Study: Ohio a Top State for Starting a Business

Ohio is the eighth-best state in which to start a business, according to a report by HubScore and public data it used to produce the ranking. The comparison considered business climate, cost of doing business (including taxes, labor, and energy), and workforce availability, among other things. Ohio was best in the U.S. for business costs, the comparison found. 1/9/2024

OMA Releases Updated Advocacy Results

Hot off the presses, the OMA has released this updated report, highlighting the value of manufacturers’ presence at the Ohio Statehouse and before the executive branch.

The report summarizes recent advocacy results, including key victories in the areas of workforce development, energy, and other areas impacting Ohio’s top industry. 1/3/2024

U.S. Manufacturing’s Continued Contraction

The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased to 47.4 in December, up from 46.7 the two previous months. A PMI score below 50 indicates contraction.

December marked the 14th consecutive month of contraction for the nation’s manufacturing sector, the longest decline since 2000-2001.1/3/2024

Feeling the Effects of December’s Railroad Closures?

In response to a surge in illegal migration, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol last month closed rail bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. While the crossings were reopened a week later, Union Pacific Railway estimates $200 million in economic activity was lost each day the crossings were closed.

Some manufacturers continue to suffer supply chain shortages following the rail closures. If your business has been impacted, contact OMA Public Policy Director James Lee so the association can better gauge the impact to members. 1/3/2024