All posts by azmanufacturerscouncil

Manufacturing Month celebrations continue with the Arizona Manufacturers Council’s 2021 Made in Arizona tours

In keeping with tradition, Governor Ducey declared the month of October 2021 as Manufacturing Month in Arizona. During Manufacturing Month, the Arizona Manufacturers Council, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and many other organizations come together to celebrate the state’s robust manufacturing industry and its many contributions to the state, nation and the world.

Manufacturing Month is an opportunity to build excitement about careers in manufacturing, particularly for the newest generation entering the workforce. Today manufacturing is clean, diverse, high tech, and sustainable. It is no longer the dark, dirty, dangerous work of the past that so many envision.

On October 7th, the Arizona Manufacturers Council and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry kicked off Manufacturing Month celebrations with the 2021 Manufacturing Summit and Awards Luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore Resort. The morning Summit featured a panel discussion about one of manufacturers biggest obstacles – attracting and retaining quality works. Featured guest speakers at the morning Summit included Governor Ducey and Rep. David Schweikert (AZ-06). The event wrapped up with Manufacturer of the Year awards ceremony where six companies and two individuals that have made significant contributions to the manufacturing industry and Arizona’s economy, were honored.

The 2021 winners included:

Manufacturing Month celebrations continued on October 20th with AMC’s Made in Arizona tours. Attendees, comprised of elected officials, industry experts and business leaders, toured three unique Arizona-based manufacturers and one homegrown, woman-owned Phoenix brewery.

Guests saw firsthand why Arizona is rapidly becoming the number one destination in the world for advanced manufacturing investment and job creation.

Host sites included:

Dolphin Inc.
Purchased by Karsten Manufacturing Crop. In 1972, Dolphin has continued to be a leader in precision investment castings for over 48 years. Whose key markets include the railroad, automotive, aerospace, and military to name a few.

Their state-of-the-art facility offers a full range of prototyping, in house non-destructive testing, heat treatment, process engineering, wax assembly automation, and robotics capabilities.

TYR Tactical
In fall 2016 TYR Tactical broke ground on their new 78,000 sq. ft. facility in Peoria, AZ.  This expansion gave them ability to not only increase production capacity but also create hundreds of new jobs in the Phoenix area.

The utilization of state-of-the-art textiles, along with extensive field testing, has culminated in the creation of many new products with the aim to revolutionize tactical equipment for the “Next Generation Warrior®”.

EMD Electronics
With over 58,000 employees in 66 countries, EMD Electronics is driven to find solutions to some of today’s toughest challenges and create more sustainable ways to live.

Their tools, services and digital platform make research simpler, more exact, and help to deliver breakthroughs more quickly. While their solutions accelerate access to health by assuring tests are accurate and the medicine we take can be trusted.

As experts in the Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics sectors, they offer specialized and high-quality products while maintaining that they are, “The company behind the companies”.

Greenwood Brewing
The tour concluded with a tour of homegrown, woman-owned, Greenwood Brewing located in Downtown Phoenix. Greenwood’s Slogan is the Power of the Purposeful Pint, and they foster this in their beers and their brewery. Megan Greenwood, and her team at Greenwood Brewing, take pride in learning something new, having that difficult conversation, or disagreeing better – for better or worse – all over a Purposeful Pint.

SEE MORE: October Manufacturing Month Highlights

Arizona Manufacturers Council event honors innovators, discusses important issues facing sector

Leaders in the field of manufacturing from across the state gathered at the Arizona Biltmore last Thursday for the Arizona Manufacturers Council’s Awards and Summit event. The event featured panel discussions and guest speakers from the industry and culminated with the Manufacturer of the Year awards ceremony recognizing those companies that have made significant positive contributions to the manufacturing and the broader state economy.

In his opening remarks, AMC Chairman Mark Gaspers congratulated the companies represented at the event for their resiliency during the pandemic and highlighted recent significant investments, including by Intel, which is in the midst of a $20 billion expansion in Chandler.

Workforce development in focus

A panel on the state’s manufacturing sector workforce featured Darcy Renfro, the chief workforce and economic development officer for Maricopa County Community College District; Kolu Wilson, workforce program deputy administrator for the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity; Dave Garfano, executive director of the Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership; and was moderated by Dawn Grove, general counsel at Karsten Manufacturing and the past chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and previous chair of the AMC.

The main focus of the panel was the work that various businesses and community colleges were putting in to prepare young people for the workforce. One such example is Drive 48, a program at Central Arizona College that trains prospective workers for hands-on manufacturing jobs with a special focus on advanced automotive manufacturing, which is essential for the new Lucid electric vehicle plant in Casa Grande.

The panelists were in agreement that there are many programs for both workers and businesses to take advantage of to obtain additional training and recruit new skilled workers.

Sober assessment from U.S. Rep. David Schweikert

Arizona Chamber President and CEO Danny Seiden interviewed Arizona United States Rep. David Schweikert, who spoke about the activity on Capitol Hill surrounding President Joe Biden’s attempts to pass both a bipartisan infrastructure bill and a multi-trillion-dollar social spending package known as Build Back Better, which contains a litany of tax increases that would harm job creators.

Schweikert also urged businesses to become more involved in the issues that are pertinent to their success saying that he’s concerned “business has lost its voice.”

Schweikert hit an optimistic tone, however, on the rate of life changing innovations hitting the market.  He spoke about the possibility of a cure for Type 2 diabetes in the near future saying that it “could be the best thing our society does.”

Gov. Ducey touts economic achievements

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey closed out the summit portion of the program. “We’ve run a marathon in our state,” Ducey said referring to Arizona’s experience in the pandemic.

The governor said the economy is rebounding to a point where it’s surpassing the pre-Covid economy.

Ducey took the opportunity to remind the audience of the things that set Arizona apart from other states. He touted his administration’s work to push back against “anti-growth policies” that slow economic growth. Arizona, he said, can go toe-to-toe with other states such as Texas and Colorado in winning new job investments.

The event concluded with an awards ceremony that honored state businesses and leaders for everything from innovation and sustainability to economic contributions. The honorees were:

Original Chamber Business News Article HERE

SEE MORE: Chamber Business News, Manufacturer of the Year

2021 Made in Arizona Tour

Join us on October 20th for our 2021 Made in Arizona tour where we will explore unique manufacturing facilities right here in Arizona. Attendees will include state legislators, AMC and Chamber members and community leaders. Space is limited. Register today.

REGISTER HERE

 

9:00am – 10:30am – Dolphin Inc., Phoenix 

11:15am – 1:30pm – TYR Tactical, Peoria 

3:30pm – 4:15pm – EMD Electronics, Tempe

5:00pm – 7:30pm – Made in Arizona Reception at Greenwood Brewery, Phoenix.

 

SEE MORE: Events

Glenn Hamer: A Fireside Chat How Arizona is Posturing Itself as a Manufacturing Landing Place

Glenn Hamer, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President and CEO participated in the 2020 World Manufacturing Forum – North America. Mr. Hamer joined Ms. Teresa Lynn, Senior Operations Director at IMS International, where they discussed how Arizona is posturing Itself as a manufacturing landing place.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

Arizona legislators update business community on environmental policy, water legislation

After being sidelined by the pandemic last year, Arizona legislators are back in session and moving quickly this week to revive and enact bills to protect water and natural resources to provide for citizens and businesses for decades to come.

There is no time to waste. Arizona is now into its 21st year of a scorching drought that is depleting the most important water resource in the Southwest, the Colorado River.

Ground and surface water are now more important than ever. To that end, state lawmakers are rushing to revive and fast track critical bills that will help protect and conserve both.

“The name of the game this session is companion bills to move them,” state Sen. Sine Kerr, R-Buckeye, said about committee chairs in both houses working in tandem to push through “mirror” bills on water and natural resources that never made it to the finish line last year due to COVID-19.

Kerr, who is the chair of the Senate Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, was one of several lawmakers and state officials who updated the business and manufacturing community last week on the bills they are working on during the virtual Environmental Issues Breakfast Legislative Kickoff hosted by the Arizona Manufacturers Council (AMC) and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Snell and Wilmer sponsored the event.

Other speakers included Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, chair of the House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee, and Rep. Tim Dunn, R-Yuma, chair of the House Land, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee as well as officials from Governor Doug Ducey’s office and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ).

One of the measures that has been revived and is fast-tracked through committees is known as the “use it or lose” bill that is important to business and manufacturing.

“Use it or lose it” legislation  

The legislation, HB 2675, would create an important new step to conserve groundwater, the speakers said.

It would repair a quirk in current law that acts as a disincentive to conserve water. That’s because current state forfeiture law provides that a water right may be lost after five years of non-use.

That has done little to encourage water holders to conserve supplies, the speakers said.

HB 2675 would remove that barrier and ensure that water holders’ conservation efforts will not result in the loss of water rights. Under the proposal, a water right holder could file a Water Conservation Plan with the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR). Upon filing a plan, the holder’s water rights would be shielded from a claim of abandonment or forfeiture.

“If you have five acre feet of water and you only need to use three acre feet, we want you to save and not lose your right to it,” Griffin said. “Right now if you don’t use the allocation you stand the risk of losing that right.”

Surface water protection bill 

Another piece of legislation important to manufacturing and industry is a bill to protect surface water from contamination. It is needed to address changes to the federal Clean Water Act last year that removed federal jurisdiction over certain small bodies of water in states.

With that federal jurisdiction removed, Arizona needed to add some protections of its own, said Amanda Stone, intergovernmental and community affairs director for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), who spoke at the event.

If approved by the Legislature, the bill would provide surface water protections for water that is used for things like recreation, fishing and drinking, Stone said.

Other waters, called ephemeral waters, are excluded from protection unless they are connected to protected waterways. These are streams that flow only for a short time, usually after a large storm or snowmelt when there is an increase in water runoff.

The bill, HB 2456, would duplicate many of the former federal rules and place them under state jurisdiction. One rule would require that a permit must be obtained from the ADEQ before pollutants can be released into certain bodies of water.

It also provides steps to work with farmers, businesses and other organizations up front to prevent water contamination.

“It’s not only good for the environment, it’s good for the business community,” Stone said.

Wildfire prevention, removal of invasive species, nuisance lawsuits

Legislators also talked about a host of other bills the public can expect to see this session, including forest restoration and wildfire prevention to protect watersheds in the northern portions of the state.

Other measures include funding to remove invasive species like saltcedar that is sapping waters and streams and wildlife habitats across the state, continue a cleanup of contaminated groundwater wells in Tucson, and to enact “nuisance” lawsuit protection for farmers and the agriculture industry from frivolous lawsuits.

About the Arizona Manufacturers Council

The AMC is the official state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. AMC acts as the voice for Arizona’s manufacturing industry, which has been a major contributor in keeping Arizona’s economy afloat during the pandemic. Currently, the industry employs about 177,000 workers statewide and pumps about $30 billion annually into the economy.

The Council holds regular meetings to bring together environmental policy experts, industry stakeholders and state legislators to discuss Arizona’s most pressing environmental issues. These events often are free to the public. For more information, visit: AMC events.

 

 

 

SEE MORE: Chamber Business News, Feature Story

Help for Arizona manufacturers hurt by pandemic

The Arizona Commerce Authority is putting out a call to Arizona manufacturers hurt by the pandemic. It has a program to help.

Companies hit hard by disruptions, layoffs, furloughs, loss of business and other setbacks due to Covid-19 are encouraged to apply for emergency assistance through the agency’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).

Through the partnership, companies can receive subsidized or reduced rates for assistance in areas like rebuilding customer demand, overcoming supply chain disruptions, reassembling their workforce, and identifying new markets.

“There’s close to 5,000 manufacturers in Arizona and a lot of them need help but most of them don’t know that this kind of help is available to them so they don’t seek outside resources, especially the small companies that need it most,” said David Garafano, executive director of the program.

Many small manufacturers suffering setback 

Garafano said small manufacturers have been hardest hit. The goal is to bring them back to their pre-pandemic levels.

“In some cases we’ve seen companies that have seen their demand completely dry up. For example, when all of the airlines stopped flying, a lot of the aerospace work in the manufacturing supply chains stopped,” he said. “We saw furniture companies where 80 percent of their demand just evaporated. It was gone.”

Among the services MEP can assist companies with are:

  • Strategic planning and identification of new markets
  • Rebuilding customer demand
  • Overcoming supply chain disruptions
  • Financial and cash flow management
  • Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
  • Staffing, training and workforce development
  • Maintaining a safe workplace in a COVID-19 world
  • Cybersecurity risk assessment and compliance planning

Bargain rates for top level expertise and analysis 

Through the MEP program, companies pay reduced rates for top level expertise to help them improve their business and operational performance. Customized solutions and hands-on assistance are provided by a network of third party service providers and the program’s team of seasoned manufacturing and professionals.

“The one thing that’s so much fun about the AZ MEP is that we’re just here to help,” said Garafano, who has more than 30 years experience in manufacturing and business in leadership positions with companies such as AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Celiant, Andrew and ON Semiconductor.

This emergency assistance is being made possible through the federal CARES Act. Arizona is receiving $730,000 to help these struggling companies get back on their feet. So far, $350,000 has been approved for 118 companies.

Why manufacturing is so important to Arizona 

Arizona has seen steady uphill growth in the sector since 2013. One of the biggest benefits of that growth has been higher paying jobs.

In 2019, there were an average 177,000 manufacturing employees with an average annual compensation of $87,387, according to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

Manufacturing is also a revenue producer for the state. Manufacturers produced $20.93 billion in manufactured goods exports in 2019. Of that, $9.84 billion was from free trade agreement partners like Mexico and Canada. Small businesses comprised 88 percent of all exporters.

The bulk of manufacturing output in Arizona comes from three sectors: computer and electronics, aerospace and other transportation equipment, and fabricated metal products.

Pandemic changed landscape for manufacturing 

Many sectors have seen dramatic disruptions including Arizona’s most profitable, aerospace and defense.

So far, companies seeking assistance have needed a variety of services including rebuilding their workforces and finding new uses for their operations and equipment as demand has dried up, Garafano said.

“Probably one of biggest things we’re doing with these companies is a lot have been hurt financially by the pandemic and they don’t always have a CFO or a higher level finance person, so we’re bringing in CFO people to do analysis on the company and help them understand their cash flow,” he said. “They were healthy and the pandemic made them unhealthy, so we can help them build a plan to get healthy again.”

Relief needed to make it through the new year    

Allison Gilbreath, executive director of the Arizona Manufacturers Council, said there is a great need for aid for the industry right now. Not only are many industries flailing but other federal covid relief programs are about to dry up.

“The manufacturing industry in Arizona was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Gilbreath said. “Our members were faced with tough choices in 2020 and most manufacturers anticipate pandemic-related challenges well into 2021.”

For more information or to apply for assistance through the MEP program, go to: Arizona MEP emergency assistance program. 

Original Chamber Business News article here.

SEE MORE: Chamber Business News, Feature Story, Manufacturing News

Arizona’s standout leaders for manufacturing receive awards

Individuals and companies that stand out as shining role models in the manufacturing sector were recognized for their accomplishments at the 2020 Arizona Manufacturing Summit and awards ceremony Friday. The event was hosted by the Arizona Manufacturers Council (AMC) and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Seven awards were given to manufacturing champions in innovation, excellence, sustainability, and leadership. Featured speakers also talked about the successes over the past year and challenges ahead including racial inequity from the classroom to the boardroom.

This year’s event was not only about recognizing the billions of dollars in revenues manufacturers brought to the state but their efforts during the pandemic, said Mark Gaspers, AMC chairman.

“We want to celebrate their innovation amidst our current challenges and their contributions to the state,” Gaspers said.

High-paying manufacturing jobs on the rise

Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber, said the manufacturing industry has been a major contributor to Arizona’s economic success over the past year. Today, the industry employs about 177,000 workers statewide and pumps about $30 billion annually into the economy.

“We are at a point of time now, because of the good work of the Arizona Manufacturers Council, Governor Doug Ducey, and our friends at the state Legislature, where we have more manufacturing jobs in Arizona than construction jobs,” Hamer said.

2020 Award winners 

Seven companies and three individuals received awards this year:

• Large Manufacturer of the Year: Raytheon Technologies

Raytheon is Southern Arizona’s largest employer, serving customers in the commercial aerospace and defense industries. Founded in 1922, the company has become one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world. Over the years, it has won numerous awards for its innovative technology solutions and world-class engineering teams.

• Medium Manufacturer of the Year: Mercury Systems 

Mercury Systems has earned a reputation as the leader in making trusted, secure mission-critical technologies more accessible to the aerospace and defense industries. The company’s innovative solutions power more than 300 critical aerospace and defense programs. Mercury established a $1 million relief fund for employees impacted by the pandemic.

• Small Manufacturer of the Year: Service Wire Co. 

Service Wire Co. is a second-generation, family-owned wire and cable manufacturer started in  1968. Today, its nationwide network of distributors and advanced distribution capabilities enable them to meet and exceed the often complex needs of industrial, commercial, utility, pump, irrigation, and transit customers throughout North America and the world.

• Legislator of the Year: State Representative Ben Toma

Representative Toma, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, received the award for his “consistent and firm commitment to wise tax and regulatory policy to spur innovation and job creation.”  In 2020, Rep. Toma led passage of House Bill 2771, which revised and extended tax credits including a tax credit to incentivize businesses to relocate or expand manufacturing facilities in Arizona, including manufacturing related research and development.

• Advocates of the Year: Michael Denby and Eric Massey of Arizona Public Service

Denby, corporate environmental senior policy advisor for APS, and Massey, APS’ director for Environment and Water Resource Management, worked to advance policies in the water, energy, air quality, natural resources, and environmental spaces that encourage job growth and innovation while ensuring that the business community is part of the solution to promote wise environmental stewardship.

• Excellence in Sustainability: Swire Coca-Cola 

With revenues of $2 billion, Swire Coca-Cola produces, sells and distributes Coca-Cola and other beverages in 13 states across the American West. This year, Swire launched its Sustainable Development 2030 goals to increase recycled content in its packaging, decrease the amount of water it uses, and reduce its carbon emissions by converting to renewable energy. In response to Covid-19, Swire donated over 66,000 liters of water to the Navajo Nation.

• Excellence in Innovation: VB Cosmetics

VB Cosmetics conducts research and development, custom formulation, and private labeling and sale of cosmetics and personal care products including a transformational technology called Dazzle Dry, a quick-dry nail polish system. During COVID-19, the company has manufactured Personal Protective Equipment around the state for the Salvation Army.

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Dawn Grove

Grove was recognized for her tireless work on behalf of manufacturers, Arizona workers and the broader community. She is corporate counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, the parent company of PING. Grove is chair of the Workforce Arizona Council and serves on the boards of the Arizona Commerce Authority, National Association of Manufacturers and Karsten.

Two leading national figures spoke at the event  

Two national figures also spoke at the event.

Keynote speaker was Rick Wade, senior vice president of strategic alliances and outreach for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Wade discussed an intensive nationwide effort to improve racial equity in business and industry from the production floor to the board room.

Wade called on industry to continue to come together to reduce gaps in equity.

“We have made tremendous progress but we have a lot of work to do with regards to equality and opportunity,” he said.

Wade, who grew up in rural South Carolina in the 1960s when many schools were still segregated, said he was able to overcome racial barriers. But Black citizens continue to be left behind today, he said. They are more likely to be unemployed, incarcerated and poor.

Improving diversity and inclusion in business is more than a “moral imperative,” it’s also an economic one, he said. Research shows diversity increases company profits, and that if gaps in racial inequity were eliminated, the nation’s GDP would gain about $8 trillion, Wade said.

Original Chamber Business News article here.

SEE MORE: Chamber Business News, Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing News

2021 Arizona Manufacturing Summit & Awards Luncheon

 

Date:
7th October 2021
Time:
8:00AM – 11:30AM Summit
11:45AM – 2:00PM Awards Luncheon
Location:
The Arizona Biltmore

Format: In person/Virtual

Sponsorship & Pricing:

Individual Ticket
  • All Access (includes morning Summit, Congressional Panel and Awards Luncheon)
    • $150 Member | $225 Non-Member
  • Summit and Congressional Panel ONLY (8:30 – 11:30)
    • $100 Member │ $175 Non-Member
  • Awards Luncheon ONLY (11:30  – 1:30)
    • $125 Member │ $200 Non-Member
Table Pricing (10 guests):
  • Bronze Sponsor: $1,500
  • Silver Sponsor: $3,000
  • Gold Sponsor: $7,500
  • Presenting Sponsor: $15,000

REGISTER HERE

Event Description:

This event kicks off with a morning trade show and summit featuring industry experts and panelists discussing manufacturing issues and opportunities. This is followed by an awards luncheon where dynamic leaders from Arizona’s manufacturing community are recognized with awards for Excellence in Innovation, Excellence in Sustainability, Small/Medium Manufacturer of the Year and Large Manufacturer of the Year. The event concludes with a panel discussion featuring members of Arizona’s congressional delegation discussing manufacturing issues.

REGISTER HERE

SEE MORE: Events, Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing News

Interface Awarded Arizona Manufacturers Council 2019 Manufacturer of the Year

It is with great honor that Interface is recognized in the Outstanding Small Manufacturer category for Quality Products and Involvement in Community by the Arizona Manufacturers Council as recipients of the “2019 Manufacturer of the Year” award.

Interface received the award at a gala luncheon held at the Arizona Biltmore on October 3, 2019. The annual award program recognizes the best companies in the state that exemplify how manufacturing betters their local communities and the state of Arizona.

“Interface takes great pride in the role we play in manufacturing excellence, and our entire company is honored to have received this distinguished award,” said Joel Strom, CEO of Interface. “We are especially pleased because as the builders and makers of precision force measurement solutions, the award recognizes Interface for the three aspects of our business we pride ourselves on: quality products, continued innovation, and involvement in our community.”

The Arizona Manufacturers Council plays a vital role in the state as the voice of Arizona manufacturing. They are associated with the National Association of Manufacturers and work tirelessly to promote and enhance a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries in Arizona.

“Interface’s depth of expertise of breadth of products serves as a shining example in the manufacturing sector,” said Alison Gilbreath, executive director, Arizona Manufacturers Council. “We’re delighted to have presented Interface with this year’s well-deserved award and are confident they will continue to be a best-in-class example of what it means to successfully compete in the global economy and create jobs in Arizona.”

Interface is well known for premium accuracy and reliability when it comes to force measurement solutions. In the last 12 months, Interface launched one of its most disruptive and innovative solutions to date, the AxialTQ™ Wireless Rotary Torque Transducer and expanded its Wireless Telemetry System (WTS) for use in the automotive market. In the area of community involvement, the company introduced the Interface University Program to provide discounted products, services, and educational materials to innovators and educators. Interface is also continuing its involvement in the local STEM community, the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair and local Arizona universities.

Original article here. 

SEE MORE: Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing News

Mark Gaspers, Chair

Senior Manager, Government Operations, The Boeing Company

Mark Gaspers serves as Senior Manager, Government Operations at The Boeing Company in the southwest. Prior to this role, Mr. Gaspers was a Trade Control Specialist in support of Boeing’s Space Exploration division.

Before joining Boeing, Mr. Gaspers was a policy analyst for defense, homeland security, veterans, and NASA issues for the Senate Republican Policy Committee (RPC) under the chairmanship of Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ). Mr. Gaspers also served as a senior legislative assistant for Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart and as Senator Kyl’s health care legislative correspondent. He completed the Air Command and Staff College with the Air Force Fellows section while working for Representative Diaz-Balart.

Mr. Gaspers received his master’s degree in national security studies from Georgetown University in 2001. While at Georgetown, he served as an associate editor of National Security Studies Quarterly and worked as a research assistant for the Kennedy Institute of Ethics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Mr. Gaspers currently serves as chair the board of directors for the Arizona Manufacturers Council. He resides in Tucson with his wife, Dr. Mary Gaspers, and their two children.

SEE MORE: Board of Directors

Dawn Grove, Immediate Past Chair

Vice President/Corporate Counsel, Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (PING)

Dawn Grove is VP/Corporate Counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, the parent company of PING and related subsidiaries, and has served on the board of directors of Karsten Manufacturing Corporation continuously since 1995.  KMC’s main subsidiary, PING, is one of the top golf equipment brands in the U.S. and exports about half of its products outside the U.S.  In 2015, she was appointed to the U.S. Manufacturing Council, which advised the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on issues related to strengthening U.S. manufacturers and achieving policy solutions that allow them to remain globally competitive.   In  2016, Governor Ducey appointed her to chair the Workforce Arizona Council, the state’s workforce development board pursuant to the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.  Ms. Grove also serves on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers and chaired the Arizona Manufacturers Council from 2016-2020.  In 2020, she became chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

She has received many awards including the Manufacturing Institute’s STEP Ahead award for women leaders in manufacturing nationally, Pepperdine Outstanding Alumni/Women in Leadership, the Arizona Manufacturers Council’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award, and AZ Big Media selected her as its Private Company Counsel of the Year winner in 2021.

Prior to going in-house with Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, Ms. Grove practiced law in California and Arizona, primarily representing manufacturers. She received her Doctor of Jurisprudence from Pepperdine University School of Law.

Ms. Grove is married to Rawleigh Grove and they have three children.  She serves in non-profit organizations that provide community service, and enjoys songwriting and mentoring young adults.

SEE MORE: Board of Directors

NAM recognizes 115th Congress Manufacturing Legislative Excellence honorees

Each year, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recognizes U.S. legislators for their commitment to the manufacturing community. The Manufacturing Legislative Excellence Award is given to those lawmakers who score above 70 percent on NAM Key Manufacturing Votes.

This year, Arizona congresswoman and current U.S. Senate candidate, Martha McSally, was recognized with the award, scoring a 96 percent.

Arizona is proud to have champions of manufacturing advocating for sound, advantageous policies at the federal level.

Other Arizona lawmakers receiving the recognition include Senator Jeff Flake and Representatives Paul Gosar, Andy Biggs and David Schweikert.

Find the full list of U.S. Senate awardees here, and the full list of U.S. House awardees here.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

Arizona Manufacturer of the Year Awards: 2018 Winners

Each year, the Arizona Manufacturers Council recognizes creators and innovators of all sizes and industries. This year’s award recipients represent the very best of the Arizona manufacturing community, and exemplify how manufacturing betters its communities and betters the state.

Congratulations to the 2018 Manufacturers of the Year!

Outstanding Large Manufacturer of the Year: The Boeing Company

Outstanding Medium Manufacturer of the Year: TYR Tactical

Outstanding Small Manufacturer of the Year: Novembal

Excellence in Innovation: Moldworx

Excellence in Sustainability: Intel

SEE MORE: Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing News

Environmental & Sustainability Summit Presentations | 2019

Arizona’s premier natural resource event is annually hosted by the Arizona Manufacturers Council and presented by member Snell & Wilmer. This annual event convenes local and national leaders in industry and environmental policy for a robust multi-day conference in the cooler northern regions of Arizona.

Select presentations from the 2019 Environmental and Sustainability Summit are available here.

SEE MORE: Environmental Resources

The Cutting Edge – April 2018

Group of young professionals visits PING, learns about manufacturing, trade and the workforce in Arizona

The Arizona Industry Fellows, a group of young professionals and future business and civic leaders, spent a day on-site at PING. The group heard from the Chair of the AMC and Workforce Arizona Council, and Corporate Counsel for Karsten Manufacturing Corp./PING, Dawn Grove about the unique environment for manufacturers in Arizona, the crucial role that the AMC plays in advocating for policies that benefit existing manufacturers and that help attract new manufacturers to the state, the challenges that exist with the workforce and ways to address those challenges.

The group took a tour behind the scenes of PING’s Phoenix operation, and was joined by special guest, Congresswoman Martha McSally. The fellows saw first-hand the amount of hand work that takes place in PING’s facility, many of them in awe of the amount of human power and attention to detail at play on the manufacturing floor. PING employees welcomed the group and Congresswoman McSally, and spoke enthusiastically of the company’s custom-engineered, custom-fit and custom-built premium golf equipment and their culture that values and treats employees like family.

The group got a look inside PING’s gold putter vault, where they store golden casts of all the tournament-winning PING putters.

The fellows’ program for the rest of the day included discussions with some of the industry’s most well-known experts on topics including trade relationships and border efficiency, Arizona’s mining industry, career and technical education and workforce training at the community college level and navigating Arizona’s policy landscape as a small manufacturer and business owner.

Follow the AMC on Facebook for more exclusive content

The AMC is revamping its Facebook footprint. For updates from AMC Executive Director Allison Gilbreath, brief interviews with industry leaders and inside stories from AMC members, keep up with us on Facebook.

 

Watch ED Allison Gilbreath’s introduction video for a preview of what’s to come:

 

In the News

Around the Nation:

U.S.News: Adaptability to Volatile Industries Key to Rocky Mountain Economic Success

State and local government officials across the country were sent scrambling back in 2013 when Boeing announced plans to significantly expand operations outside of its Puget Sound birthplace in Washington – potentially opening up new communities to the promise of high-paying jobs, larger tax revenues and more substantial economic development.

So valuable was Boeing’s business to the state of Washington that a nearly $9 billion package of tax incentives was eventually passed by state lawmakers hopeful that they could convince the company to stick around and keep its business in the Evergreen State. That bid failed, however, and Boeing eventually announced plans to beef up operations in states such as California, South Carolina and, notably, Utah – a Rocky Mountain state known in part for its advanced manufacturing output in which Boeing for years had maintained a presence.

Read more

Manufacturing Global: Attracting investors: tech in the manufacturing sector

Sweeping changes in technology are disrupting nearly all sectors of the global market. In the home, the shop floor, the factory and the hospital, and even our daily commute, technology is leading to huge changes in commercial business models. Why should manufacturing be any different?

This is the new industrial revolution — Industry 4.0 — and as with any rapid change, new opportunities have arisen and new ways of thinking have emerged. However, there are also new hurdles to overcome for businesses large and small.

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Bloomberg: Nafta or Not, Quebec Is Putting Millions Into Manufacturing

The future of Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S. is in limbo but that didn’t stop Robert Belanger from investing C$3.6 million ($2.8 million) to upgrade his Quebec fabrics plant.

New weaving machines and a state-of-the-art dying system are helping his company, Belt-Tech Inc., produce enough of the webbing used in seat belts and pull straps to meet a 30 percent surge in orders from the North American auto industry. Part of the financing came from Quebec’s government, which is pushing manufacturers to modernize their factories despite uncertainties surrounding renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

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Around the State:

Arizona continues to be a haven for business and manufacturing

Phoenix Business Journal: Commercial Real Estate: West Valley scoring with cheaper land, access back to California

The timing is finally right for the West Valley and economic growth — at least from California businesses’ perspective.

Patrick Feeney Jr., senior vice president with CBRE’s Phoenix office, said Southern California businesses have reached the point where gathering products in California ports, shipping them to Phoenix for warehousing and then shipping them back to California for consumers has become a more affordable option than just keeping the products in the Golden State.

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Phoenix Business Journal: California manufacturer moving production, jobs to Goodyear after $4M investment

IAC Industries is moving its manufacturing operations to Goodyear from Southern California.

Brea-based IAC makes furniture, work stations and fixtures for laboratories, industrial and other workplaces.

IAC bought a 50,000-square-foot building at 3831 S. Bullard Ave. near Phoenix Goodyear Airport for $3 million from a real estate trust.

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AZ Big Media: Arizona becomes additive manufacturing (3-D printing) leader

Polymer-based 3-D printing has been all the rage, well-known for faster prototyping or novelty items that can be made on the spot, but the world of 3-D printing is about to get a lot more metal.

Many Arizona-based companies, particularly firms in the aerospace and defense industry, have been working night and day to bring metal 3-D printing, or additive manufacturing, parts to market while also gearing up to create a workforce of the future.

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Manufacturing Global: University of Arizona is developing holographic heads up display for vehicles

The University of Arizona has been developing heads-up display technology to be used in road vehicles and planes.

The technology allows for drivers and pilots to receive and read information, such as driving directions or flight data, whilst still looking through the transparent glass of the front window.

Researchers at the university are currently working on incorporating holographics to the technology, which will allow the user a wider view.

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The Arizona Manufacturers Council is the voice of Arizona manufacturing. We are a community of makers dedicated to creating the innovations that safeguard and improve people’s lives and to providing the jobs that anchor Arizona’s economy. We are the official state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and we aim to promote and enhance a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries that operate within Arizona.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

The Cutting Edge – February 2018

NAFTA

The end of January saw the sixth round of negotiations for the modernizations of NAFTA. The hope going into this round of talks, the longest yet, was that the players would finally tackle some of the more contentious issues that are far from resolved. Canada promised to enter the talks with new ideas for creative solutions while Mexico showed signs that it may be willing to compromise on some of its most important issues, such as automotive regulations within the deal.

This sixth round of negotiations still fell short of reaching any landmark decisions or compromises. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said to reporters in Montreal, “[W]e finally began to discuss some of the core issues. So this round was a step forward, but we are progressing very slowly.” Members of all three delegations seemed to walk away with the same cautious optimism about the trajectory of future negotiations, all recognizing that there is progress in the right direction but that some of the biggest obstacles remain.

NAFTA Roundup

U.S. Turns Up the Hear in Pivotal New Phase of Nafta Talks

Trade Experts Expect to See a ‘Zombie’ NAFTA

Business Groups in US, Canada, Mexico Fear Breakup of Manufacturing Supply Chain without NAFTA

U.S. rejects proposals to unblock NAFTA, will seek ‘breakthrough’

Listen in to hear NAM’s Linda Dempsey defend ISDS

Tax Reform

Since the Dec. 22nd signing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, numerous American manufacturers have announced plans to share the benefits of tax reform with employees and reinvest additional savings into expansion and updated infrastructure. The manufacturing industry makes up a significant percentage of the myriad of companies participating in tax savings bonuses, wage increases, extended benefits, raised retirement contributions and increased capital expenditures. An estimated 3.5 million Americans will receive or have already received a tax reform bonus, primarily due to the lowered corporate rate and full expensing on short-lived capital investments introduced under the new legislation. The list of manufacturers and businesses taking advantage of this burgeoning investment opportunity is continually growing. These are just a few notable examples:

  • Pivot Manufacturing, here in Arizona is now able to purchase machines and equipment that were put off for many years.
  • Nationally, Fiat Chrysler, announced that it will in
  • vest $1 billion in the United States, adding 2,500 new jobs to produce Ram trucks in Michigan.
  • Likewise, Apple is investing $30 billion in new capital expenditures and hiring 20,000 new employees for a new support center.
  • Boeing announced that it will invest $100 million in infrastructure alone. Boeing employs over 140,000 people worldwide, of which there are over 3,700 employees in Arizona.

Tax Roundup

U.S. economy to grow 2.7 percent in 2018, boosted by Trump tax overhaul

Tax reform windfall: These companies are hiking pay, delivering bonuses

Pfizer Plans $5 Billion Boost in U.S. Manufacturing From Tax Law Changes

In the News

Around the Nation:

IndustryWeek: Has US Manufacturing Been Unleashed?

“This legislation represents historic progress for manufacturers and for all Americans,” Jay Timmons, president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in response to passage of the tax reform bill, which lowered the U.S. corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. With the new bill, Timmons promised, manufacturers will “increase capital spending, expand their businesses and hire more workers…” — and “nearly half will increase employee wages and benefits.”

Tax reform is just one of a series of policy changes the Trump administration and the Republican-led Congress are seeking that business groups have lobbied for in recent years. The president has already started to push back against regulations.

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Rutgers University: Faster, Cheaper, Nano-Based Manufacturing

Engineers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Oregon State University are developing a new method of processing nanomaterials that could lead to faster and cheaper manufacturing of flexible thin film devices — from touch screens to window coatings, according to a new study.

The “intense pulsed light sintering” method uses high-energy light over an area nearly 7,000 times larger than a laser to fuse nanomaterials in seconds. Nanomaterials are materials characterized by their tiny size, measured in nanometers. A nanometer is one millionth of a millimeter, or about 100,000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

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WATCH: Why NAM CEO Timmons is Optimistic About Manufacturing Jobs

WATCH: Fluor CEO Says ‘Regulatory Morass’ Is Impacting Infrastructure

Around the State:

AZCentral: Nikola Motor Co. to bring 2,000 jobs, $1 billion investment to Arizona

A maker of zero-emissions commercial trucks said it will establish its manufacturing operations and move its headquarters to metro Phoenix, bringing 2,000 jobs here.
Nikola Motor Co. announced it will establish operations in Buckeye, jump-starting the development of the Douglas Ranch section on the north side of the city. Gov. Doug Ducey called it a “huge announcement” that will include a $1-billion capital investment, with 4,000 construction jobs, too.

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Phoenix Business Journal: New life for a shuttered Surprise manufacturing plant

A California company has bought a shuttered manufacturing building in Surprise and will expand its operations there.
The 51,000-square-foot building at Peoria Avenue and Litchfield Road in Surprise previously was home to plastics manufacturer Brentwood Industries.

The property was bought by Z&E Holdings Group LLC an arm Global Trading Marketing Inc. for $4.5 million.

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AZCentral: Company wants to turn Fountain Hills into watchmaking capital of the United States

Move over, Switzerland: Fountain Hills appears ready to become a new hub for watch manufacturing.
Large-scale watchmaking has all but died out in the United States, but that could start to change with a new venture involving high-school students and adult workers in the East Valley, a small local company and one of India’s giant conglomerates.

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The Arizona Manufacturers Council is the voice of Arizona manufacturing. We are a community of makers dedicated to creating the innovations that safeguard and improve people’s lives and to providing the jobs that anchor Arizona’s economy. We are the official state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and we aim to promote and enhance a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries that operate within Arizona.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

The Cutting Edge – November 2017

Former speaker optimistic about getting to ‘yes’ on tax reform

During an event hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Former Speaker John Boehner addressed tax reform and trade, two pivotal issues for Arizona manufacturers. Mr. Boehner expressed confidence in both a successful tax reform package as well as a revised NAFTA agreement.

On tax reform, Mr. Boehner said the odds of it getting through are “frankly better than 50-50,” reiterating that Republicans know this is a must-do.

As for NAFTA, Mr. Boehner admitted that the nearly 25 year old agreement needs some updating, and that the public may see what looks like a completely new document. Regardless of whether or not the document gets a new name, Mr. Boehner is sure that the trilateral agreement will endure despite any rhetoric to the contrary.

The article below offers more details on the event and words from Mr. Boehner. AZCentral:

John Boehner dishes on Trump, tax cuts and GOP ‘knuckleheads’

Manufacturers stand strong on tax reform

Federal tax reform efforts continue in Washington and U.S. manufacturers have much at stake in the final policy. Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers, commended the House for its passage of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” stating that the House has shown its commitment to American manufacturing workers.

NAM now looks to the Senate to move forward with the bold tax plan it has laid out. NAM summarizes their continued engagement in the article below, including the five main objectives they will continue working to realize on behalf of manufacturers:

  • A corporate rate as close to 15 percent as possible.
  • Lower rates for income from small businesses and other “pass-through” entities.
  • A “territorial” tax system that doesn’t touch U.S. companies’ foreign earnings.
  • Preservation and enhancement of the research and development tax credit.
  • Incentives for the purchase of capital equipment.

THE HILL: A running start for NAM chief

Manufacturers make clear what they need out of NAFTA

With the future of NAFTA still unclear after four rounds of negotiations, manufacturers have spoken out about the gravity of preserving the trilateral relationship and modernizing the agreement. The National Association of Manufacturers stresses the importance of enforcing certain policies identified in NAFTA in the article below.

Among the NAM’s top priorities are a functional investor-state dispute settlement system and a structure that encourages American manufacturers to invest at home and abroad.

NAM: Why America and American Manufacturers Need a Pro-Investment and Pro-ISDS Enforcement Strategy

In the News

Around the Nation:

Fox Business: Tax reform is the ‘single most important thing’ to grow economy, jobs: Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg

President Donald Trump’s pro-business agenda has been welcome news for U.S. manufacturing icons like Boeing. The airplane manufacturing giant inked a $13.8 billion deal with Singapore Airlines recently that would create 70,000 jobs in the United States.

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U.S. News: Trump Announces Semiconductor Company’s Return to US

WASHINGTON — A $100 billion semiconductor company based in Singapore will legally relocate its home address to the United States, President Donald Trump announced Thursday. Broadcom Limited, which manufactures communications chips around the world, said it would relocate its legal address to Delaware once shareholders approve the move, bringing $20 billion in annual revenue back to the U.S. The move will allow Broadcom to avoid a cumbersome federal review process.

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The Wall Street Journal: Forecasters Predict Nafta Withdrawal Would Slow U.S. Growth

The probability of a U.S. withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement is roughly 1 in 4, according to private-sector forecasters, who said such a move would likely weigh on economic growth. President Donald Trump has indicated he may pull the U.S. out of NAFTAif efforts to renegotiate it fail. The talks are set to resume Nov. 17 in Mexico City.

Read more

Around the State:

12 News: ASU students are using robots to solve problems from health to public safety

MESA, ARIZ. – Arizona State’s Polytechnic Campus in Mesa is where students and professors are exploring the potential of robotics to help meet an array of challenges in the realms of health care, education, transportation, manufacturing, national defense, public safety, environmental health, communications, sustainable energy systems and earth and space exploration.

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Daily Miner: Manufacturing Day: KAMMA tours give students a look at factory work

KINGMAN – Developing an educated and skilled workforce is a challenge for every rural community in Arizona, a tricky balance of providing high school graduates with specialized training and enticing them to stick around for meaningful employment.

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The Arizona Manufacturers Council is the voice of Arizona manufacturing. We are a community of makers dedicated to creating the innovations that safeguard and improve people’s lives and to providing the jobs that anchor Arizona’s economy. We are the official state affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and we aim to promote and enhance a positive business climate for manufacturing and related industries that operate within Arizona.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

Why manufacturers are optimistic

Glenn Hamer

June 23, 2017

Energy and confidence defined the latest National Association of Manufacturers annual summit held earlier this week in Washington, D.C.

The right mix of policy reforms and executive and legislative branch leadership has put optimism among manufacturers at a 20-year high.

The Arizona Manufacturers Council, an entity of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry, serves as NAM’s state affiliate for Arizona. I attended the summit on the AMC’s behalf and came away more excited than ever about what’s in store for this sector.

Manufacturing produces over $2 trillion in economic output and over 13 million jobs. In Arizona, we’re leaders in aerospace, defense and semiconductors. We also manufacture items ranging from golf clubs – PGA-tour-event-winning equipment by Karsten Manufacturing’s PING, for example – to the world’s best refrigerators from Sub-Zero and Wolf.

The sector is defined by cutting-edge technology and innovation, and it’s growing in jobs and output.

Summit speakers included Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Leadership at the highest levels is behind manufacturing now more than ever, a vital sector for economic growth.

We need to convert this attention and energy into the passage of NAM’s legislative agenda. The four top legislative priorities highlighted at the summit:

Tax reform. Speaker Ryan called this a once-in-a-generation opportunity. The vice president also stressed the importance of tax reform. The keys to this effort are to reduce the U.S. corporate tax rate – the world’s highest rack rate – to 15 percent, and to reduce the personal income tax rate, which applies to two-thirds of manufacturers as well.

We need to move to a territorial tax system and eliminate the death tax that harms capital intensive family businesses. Maintaining and even enhancing the permanent research and development tax credit and reducing taxation on capital expenditures are also important for our efforts to accelerate innovation.

Infrastructure investment. Manufacturers need a modern infrastructure to move goods efficiently from shop floor to market. Complex supply chains and just-in-time inventory management require no less. For Arizona, a key here is to build out Interstate 11, which would connect Las Vegas and Phoenix, the nation’s largest cities not currently connected by an interstate.

Regulatory reform. This is an area where much progress is being made, and necessarily so. A 2014 NAM study pegged the cost of regulations for manufacturers at a whopping $19,564 per employee.

Speaker Ryan spoke of implementing reforms in waves.

The first wave was to use the Congressional Review Act to reverse regulations enacted at the end of the previous administration. This mechanism has been used now a record 14 times. Executive orders and other administration activity is also moving at a feverish pace to undo some of the overregulation of the past eight years. The reversal of the punitive gainful employment regulations for higher education is one example.

The next wave is a two-out, one-in approach to any new regulations. It’s not a gimmick. NAM found in a 2016 study that manufacturers face 297,696 restrictions on their operations from federal regulations. If any sector could stand some regulatory relief, it’s manufacturing.

More difficult, but also important, is to pass into law regulatory reform bills that require more robust cost-benefit analyses to justify their necessity.

Workforce development. Skills, skills and skills. Both the vice president and speaker stressed this area. NAM is putting muscle behind legislation that would reauthorize and improve the Perkins Act, which covers career and technical education and vocational programs.

There was also excitement at the summit about the president’s apprenticeship announcement, intended to create a new workforce development program that other countries have used successfully to prepare willing workers for available jobs. As we enter what some are calling the fourth industrial revolution, workforce readiness is critical.

NAM’s work on international trade is also important. It has been a privilege to serve on NAM’s NAFTA Task Force led by Linda Dempsey, NAM’s vice president for international economic affairs. Linda is one of Washington’s most important players when it comes to the NAFTA modernization effort. NAM understands that a new and improved NAFTA is critical to our continent’s highly integrated manufacturing supply chains and our ability to sell products marked Made in the USA to the 95 percent of consumers who live beyond our borders. Let’s modernize and improve NAFTA and hold it up as a model for future trade agreements.

The energetic NAM president and CEO, Jay Timmons, cheerfully told the summit crowd, “This is our time.”

He’s right. Manufacturers have every reason to be excited.

SEE MORE: Manufacturing News

Mike Buseman, Vice Chairman

Mike Buseman

Executive VP, Global Operations, Benchmark Electronics

Mike Buseman serves as Benchmark’s Executive Vice President of Global Operations with responsibility for all worldwide manufacturing operations. Mike is an accomplished executive with broad experience in operations, quality and customer relationship management. He has an extensive background in EMS and related industries.

Mike served as Chief Global Logistics and Operations Officer of Avnet, Inc., a global electronics components company,
and was Executive Vice President of Global Manufacturing Operations at Plexus Corp., having served as their Vice President of Global Technology, Quality and Facilities previously. Additionally, Mike served as Vice President and General Manager of Operations of Celestica, Inc., as well as their Director of Operations, Engineering, and Technology. Mike began his career in 1983 with Unisys, Inc., holding positions of increasing responsibility, including Principal Process Engineer and Director of Advanced Design Manufacturing Services.

Mike holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from South Dakota State University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota.

SEE MORE: Board of Directors

Dan Marotz, Chair of Membership

Dan Marotz

Manufacturing Manager, Sub-Zero Group, Inc.

Dan Marotz is the Manufacturing Manager at the Sub-Zero Goodyear facility. He oversees the production operations where over 450 hourly employees produce high-end residential refrigeration appliances. Dan has been with Subzero almost 14 years and has been in his current role for one year. Prior to that, he held various assignments in Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance Management, and Engineering Management.
Dan started his career at John Deere and worked in various roles in Manufacturing, Test, and Facilities Engineering for five years before coming to Sub-Zero.

He has a BS in Industrial Engineering and an MS in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. He is a member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and a board member on the Arizona Manufacturers Council.

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Lucas Narducci, Secretary

Partner, Snell & Wilmer

Lucas Narducci has more than 27 years of experience in environmental and natural resources law. Luke regularly guides clients through administrative hearings, litigation and other forms of dispute resolution, striving to protect their assets and keep their business goals in mind. He has extensive experience in acquisitions, divestments, expansions, mergers, ventures, operational compliance, employee work space safety, work place and third-party toxic exposures, audits, risk reductions and control methods. He also advises on policy and legislative developments that affect or could impact his clients and their businesses. He has been a lead counsel in the divestment, acquisition, operation, curtailment, reclamation and closure of several copper, gold, coal and uranium mines.

Luke’s practice has taken him across the United States, as well as to Canada, Mexico and several countries in South America. He participates in many significant business, industry and manufacturing associations in order to advance the interests of those associations and his clients, and to influence rule-making, regulatory, policy and legislative processes.

Luke has extensive experience under all significant and some less recognized federal and state permitting and environmental assessment processes working with the government agencies and regulators to achieve client goals.

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Daniel Barajas

Daniel Barajas

Associate Vice Chancellor, Maricopa County Community Colleges District

Daniel Barajas serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development for the Maricopa County Community Colleges District, Phoenix, Arizona.

Daniel has over twenty-three years of experience working in post-secondary education. He has held many positions within both the academic and student affairs areas, with years of service as Dean of Academics and Career and Technical Education, currently serving as Associate Vice Chancellor.

With a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, Daniel has a passion for marrying educational opportunity and solutions to industry and community need. Daniel has served on many councils and boards during his career. This is exemplified in his past role as the President for the Arizona Occupational Administrators Council, and current role as Board member for the City of Phoenix Business & Workforce Board.

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Katherine Dei Cas

General Manager North America/Europe, EMD Electronics

Katherine serves as the General Manager of the North America/Europe Delivery Systems & Services business within EMD Electronics. She has demonstrated more than 20 years of experience in the delivery and storage of specialty gases and chemicals for the semiconductor and display industries.

At the start of her career with EMD Electronics (previously Versum Materials and Air Products), Katherine served as a Project Engineer and was responsible for the execution of a large-scale semiconductor greenfield project. Following the completion of this project, she served as a Production Superintendent overseeing the manufacturing of specialty chemicals. Demonstrating her deep understanding and experience in semiconductor manufacturing and delivery systems, she has successfully held various customer-facing commercial management positions over the past 15 years.

In her current position at EMD Electronics, Katherine is responsible for managing a cross- functional regional team supporting manufacturing, engineering, quality, field services, and sales for specialty gas and chemical equipment product lines and services. Katherine also serves as an advocate for her peers by actively driving the implementation of the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy and serving on the SEMI US DEI Advisory Council.

Katherine holds a B.S in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University and a M.B.A. from Arizona State University. Katherine is very active in her community and serves as a member on the Board of Directors for Child Crisis Arizona and has offered her spare time as a volunteer for the Kyrene Youth Lacrosse and 1Mission organizations.

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John Alan Doran, Ex-Officio

Attorney, Sherman & Howard Labor and Employment Department

John Alan Doran is an attorney for Sherman & Howard’s Labor and Employment Department and has over 25 years of experience counseling and successfully representing employers in all facets of employment law matters. He regularly represents employers in mass employment, wage/hour class and collective action litigation, as well as employment discrimination, public accommodations discrimination, and wrongful termination litigation. In addition, John represents employers in restrictive covenant and trade secret matters in state and federal courts. He also regularly counsels clients on prevention strategies, executive employment contracts, downsizing and personnel policies.

John is a noted speaker and author addressing labor and employment issues and presents regularly at conferences and trade association events throughout the country. In addition, he is regularly acknowledged as a leading lawyer in his field and has been recognized for his work in labor law by Best Lawyers in America every year since 2007. He was recognized by Best Lawyers in America as “Lawyer of the Year” for 2012 in Phoenix in the area of Labor Law – Management. He has been ranked in Chambers USA in the area of Labor & Employment Law every year since 2005 and has been recognized by Southwest Super Lawyers every year since 2007.

John was recognized as one of the “Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona” by the AzBusiness magazine and ranked Band 1 – Labor & Employment by Chambers USA in 2020.

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Thomas Smelker

Vice President & General Manager, Microsystems

Mr. Smelker is the Vice President and General Manager of Mercury’s Microsystems business. In this business, he is responsible for the programmatic and technical execution of the latest 2.5 and 3D microelectronics for rugged defense applications.

These capabilities are aimed at accelerating mission critical applications at the tactical edge. Tom Smelker leads a highly innovative Mercury Systems team focused on delivering high-performance signal processing solutions at the sensor edge for major defense and intelligence programs across air, ground, sea, and space platforms.

Mr. Smelker has over 22 years of experience leading and designing high assurance microelectronics for defense sensors and weapons applications. In his previous role, he was a Senior Fellow at a defense prime and was the Chief Architect and Chief Technologist for secure processing.

Under Tom Smelker’s leadership, Mercury collaborates with the leading semiconductor and defense companies as the trusted and secure conduit for the latest generation microelectronics into sensor edge applications for defense.

Tom Smelker and his team enables Mercury Systems to deliver best in class domain capability across the sensor processing chain, enabling our customers to obtain innovative, tailored solutions that meet the cost, schedule, performance, and technology demands of today’s defense industry.

Mercury’s Microsystems business is making leading edge processing profoundly more assessable under Mr. Smelker’s leadership.

SEE MORE: Board of Directors