More than two decades of leadership and service to Ohio manufacturing earned William “Bill” Sopko the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association’s (OMA) Dan French Legacy Award, presented Thursday at the Ohio Manufacturers’ Annual Forum in Columbus.

Sopko, president of Cleveland-area Wm. Sopko & Sons Co., Inc., and a longtime leader at Stamco Industries, has served on the OMA board since 2004, including a tenure as chairman. Throughout his service, he has brought the perspective of a family-owned manufacturer to the association, helping guide its leadership and champion the interests of Ohio’s manufacturing community.

“Bill Sopko has never been afraid to challenge us, tell us what we need to hear or roll up his sleeves and get to work,” said Ryan Augsburger, OMA president. “He understands what it takes to run a manufacturing business, and he’s spent more than 20 years making sure that perspective shapes this association. Bill has given us his time, his judgment and, when we needed it, a piece of his mind. That’s leadership, and OMA is better because of it.”

Established in 2023, the Dan French Legacy Award recognizes exemplary service and leadership on behalf of Ohio’s manufacturing community. It honors the late Daniel P. French, who served on the OMA board for 19 years and helped shape the association’s leadership and governance. Sopko’s decades of service reflect the same commitment to strengthening OMA and the industry it represents. 10/1/2026