The power of connection

Dear members,

I often tell the story of how I came into this role. Being around MPMA my entire life, I benefited from countless mentors and leaders in the industry that I’ve looked up to. And now I have the privilege to work with those fine people.

All of us benefit from those relationships over the course of our careers, and that is truly the benefit and the strength of the Association. Recently, the Goerges family of Pequot Tool and Precision Tool Technologies had to say goodbye to their mom, Agnes, at the age of 92. Agnes and her late husband Joe lived full lives and created an amazing family and manufacturing organization. They would often reminisce about their love for the industry, and their time spent with MPMA over those years. That level of industry engagement has carried to the next generation that many of us know today.

MPMA has helped facilitate these industry peer connections for over 68 years and consequently, each week I get calls or emails from members asking if we know other members with a certain ERP system, a referral for a general contractor, a member that has dealt with cyber-security challenges, or someone with a specific machining capability. These are just examples of things members look to others in the industry for advice on. I love being a liaison for those conversations, but it’s difficult to connect in every circumstance.

So one new offering we’re launching in 2024 is The MPMA Machine Shop. This will be a LinkedIn, member-only space where members can share insights, ask for help, and connect on matters that only manufacturers can understand. If you are connected with me on LinkedIn, expect an invite soon. If you are not, or are not signed up for LinkedIn, I encourage you to do so. This will be a great way for all of us to connect with our peers, when we are unable to do so in person. We can learn from each other, support each other and continue to build the strong community of Minnesota manufacturers.

We’re also in the process of applying for three different grant funds to expand and greatly amplify our workforce development efforts. The areas we’ve focused on for the past 2-3 years have prepared us for taking them to a new level in 2024. Get ready!

Steve Kalina, MPMA President/CEO