Leadership

New Movie Attacks Manufacturer, Ignores Science

The producers of an upcoming feature film that casts aspersions on a manufacturer in the Ohio River Valley region has just released the movie’s trailer. The film ignores sound science and truth in order to foster a trial-lawyer agenda.

For years, the OMA has worked to improve Ohio’s legal climate from junk lawsuits that allege injury without proving causation. The OMA will be communicating to set the record straight and rebut the myths of this Hollywood fantasy. In doing so, we will also be defending our region’s job-creators and employees who make great products. Stay tuned. 9/19/2019

Guidance for Automakers and Their Suppliers

OMA Connections Partner RSM has published this article to highlight methods and strategies that OEMs and their suppliers can adopt to help them ride out times of turbulence. 9/17/2019

Ohio’s Business Stock is Rising

JobsOhio is celebrating the state’s solid rankings in recent competitiveness studies. Throughout the past year, the Buckeye State has made the top 10 lists of several annual comparisons of state business climates.

Most notable were Ohio’s rankings in the annual comparisons published by CNBC and Chief Executive, both of which showed significant improvement since the end of the Great Recession. Meanwhile, Area Development Magazine credited our state for having the most-improved economic development policies, and the ninth-best business climate overall. 9/18/2019

NFL Offering $3M for Football Helmet Design Contest

The National Football League — with its roots in Ohio — wants ideas for the next generation of football helmets. The winner of the 18-month contest will receive $2 million for development capital, as well as an additional $1 million prize. For those interested, a symposium will be held Nov. 13-15 in Youngstown to kick off the contest. Register before Oct. 2. 9/16/2019

AG Yost Moves to Consolidate Class Action Proceedings

Ahead of next month’s huge opioid trial in Cleveland, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recently asked the court with jurisdiction over the multi-state litigation to consolidate the more than 2,000 local-government lawsuits under state attorneys general. After a federal judge denied the motion, AG Yost assailed the decision and announced his support for legislation to ensure that attorneys general control the means and fate of any settlement or judgement money — not lawyers for cities and counties.

AG Yost explained that the continuation of the settlement negotiations would effectively deprive 86 of Ohio’s 88 counties of having a voice in the proceedings, possibly preventing relief to some of the hardest-hit counties. 9/19/2019

Former OMA Board Member Mary Anne Gale Passes

We were sad to learn that former OMA board member Mary Anne Gale, 71, passed away at her home in Michigan late last month. Mary Anne had a remarkable 35-year career with The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G). Working her way through the ranks, she became the company’s first female plant manager. In 1994, she moved into a corporate role at P&G’s headquarters in Cincinnati — and in 1999 was named the first female vice president in P&G’s manufacturing organization. Read Mary Anne’s obituary. 9/16/2019

School Report Cards Released

This week the Ohio Department of Education released the 2019 school report cards. You can search for your schools’ report cards here.

Schools are graded from A to F. More than half of each school’s overall grade depends on how students perform on state tests each spring. Six factors are nearly evenly weighted: achievement, progress, and “gap closing” on state tests, plus graduation rate, improvement in K-3 reading, and a “prepared for success” measurement based on high school accomplishments. 9/12/2019

U.S. Chamber Index: Small Biz Optimism at Record High; Manufacturing Slips

Published this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index reached an all-time high of 70.7 this quarter, up two points from 68.7 last quarter. The survey showed that two-thirds of U.S. small businesses felt good about business health — but manufacturing optimism fell to 63%, down from 69% in Q2. The index found that 32% of manufacturers said they planned to increase staffing in Q3, compared to 39% last quarter. 9/11/2019

Ohio Gets Solid Marks in Small Business Study

Ohio’s small business environment has improved over the past year, according the 2019 Small Business Friendliness Survey. The annual report card by San Francisco-based Thumbtack considered several factors, including licensing requirements, taxes, and labor and hiring regulations. Ohio received an overall grade of B+, an improvement from its 2018 grade of B. The Buckeye State scored an A+ for its regulations affecting employment, labor, and hiring. However, it received a D in the “ease of hiring” category, reflecting owners’ frustration with Ohio’s ongoing workforce shortage. 9/9/2019

Without Action, Ex-Im Charter Expires in 17 Days

This week, a letter signed by more than 200 companies and organizations — including the OMA — was sent to federal lawmakers urging the U.S. House and Senate to pass a “robust and long-term re-authorization” of the Export-Import Bank.

Ex-Im operations are threatened by a Sept. 30 deadline by which Congress must re-authorize the bank’s charter. (See the NAM’s story here.) As the official export credit agency of the United States, Ex-Im has served 200 Ohio exporters — mostly small businesses — since 2014, with a combined $1 billion in exports. 9/12/2019