Rep. Jordan Meets with Champaign County Manufacturing Human Resources Council at Urbana University11/28/2017 By Christopher Selmek, Urbana Daily Citizen- cselmek@aimmediamidwest.com U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) spoke to the Champaign County Manufacturing Human Resources Council at Urbana University on Monday. He spent about a half hour answering questions from the group of about 20 business representatives. Jordan talked about politics in Washington, D.C., but also addressed audience concerns about federal debt, health care and education. “Lots of things voters hate about Washington, but the two at the top of the list are when politicians say one thing at election time and get in office and do something else,” Jordan said. “It drives them crazy and it should. We’ve seen way too much of that. We make the job way too complicated and it should be pretty basic: what’d you tell the voters you were going to do when you ran for the job, they elected you, now go do what you said. Keep your promise. “The second thing that also drives voters crazy is when they perceive that there are two standards: one set of rules for regular Americans, and a different set of rules if you are part of the political-connected class,” he continued. “That drives them crazy, and it should, because it goes right to the heart of what our country is about. It’s supposed to be equal treatment under the law regardless of station, regardless of status, regardless of type. But unfortunately we’re not seeing that, so I spend a fair amount of my time as your member of Congress on that issue: trying to hold people accountable who I think have done something wrong, and trying to get answers to questions that my constituents come up and ask me all the time.” Jordan asked a series of questions about the Clinton campaign during the summer of 2016, including why FBI Director James Comey called the Clinton investigation a matter and not an investigation, and why Attorney General Loretta Lynch met with Bill Clinton on the tarmac in Phoenix. Near the end of the meeting, he also said that he enjoys working with President Donald Trump. “Whatever you may think about the president, I like the guy,” he said. “I wish every single American – all 333 million of us – could get a chance to visit with him in person, because if you could you would like the guy. He has a charisma and energy about him that is unbelievable. You can tell when you’re around him he genuinely cares; he cares about our military, our law enforcement, our business owners. He does. And you may not always agree with some of his tactics, but I think he is genuinely trying to improve the country and move it in the right direction.” Jordan told the Urbana Daily Citizen there has been zero evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia to affect the election, although it may be obvious they did attempt to impact the election. Jordan said he is concerned with the end of year spending bill, which he said will be too high. He added Democrats may try to attach an immigration bill, which he said would be disastrous. He said he was cautiously optimistic that Congress would pass a tax bill by the end of the calendar year and that it would be good for manufacturing. Possible tax cut “Revenue neutrality is Washington saying we’re going to keep the tax burden the same, we’re just going to shift around who pays what,” he said. “In that zero-sum game scenario, what always happens is the big corporate interests get a good deal, and middle class families get a bad deal, so it’s just a bad idea. Plus, it starts on the premise that somehow letting you keep your money is a cost to government. I just never adopted that premise; my premise is letting you keep more of your money is called freedom.” Jordan called for a tax reform bill that cuts taxes, simplifies the tax code and promotes economic growth. He said there will be stronger growth under Trump. He was critical of the Affordable Care Act and said that health care was the one place where politicians had forgotten what the marketplace looks like. He said the ACA was based on a lie, but that the process of repealing and replacing the ACA involved a lot of compromise between parties. “Never forget what we were all told as Americans when this thing passed,” he said. “I call them the nine lies of Obamacare: ‘like your plan, keep your plan,’ ‘like your doctor, keep your doctor,’ ‘premiums are going to decline,’ the president told us premiums will decline $2,500, the president told us deductibles will go down. Remember when they told us the website was going to work? They told us at one time our information was secure. Then they told us these co-ops they created – they created 23 co-ops that only started three years ago – and only four are still in business … and then finally they told us that emergency room visits would also decline. So everything they told us was a lie.” He suggested reforming welfare to give people a greater incentive to get back to work, and that federally-qualified health clinics in almost every community were still available for people to get health screenings. Also on this visit, Jordan spoke to the Urbana’s Rotary Club and took a tour of Sarica Manufacturing and the Hall Company. He will next visit Urbana for a tour with some private business owners on Dec. 15. Christopher Selmek can be reached at 937-508-2304.
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Manufacturers opening doors to high school students Friday By Gary Schenkel Eight local manufacturing companies are opening their doors Friday to allow about 150 Champaign County high school students to observe modern, high-tech manufacturing in action. The Champaign County Manufacturing Human Resources Council and the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) planned the tours in conjunction with the national observance of Manufacturing Day, sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership. “The county school superintendents have been helpful providing us direction on what students would like to learn from Manufacturing Day,” Jill O’Neal, member of the Champaign County Manufacturing Human Resources Council and CEP board member, said. “We heard that students would like to see not just the manufacturing environment, but a chance to ask questions about particular jobs, pay ranges and skills or knowledge required.” O’Neal is human resources manager at WEIDMANN Electrical Technology in Urbana. Between touring manufacturing facilities in the morning and afternoon, students will gather at the Urbana University Student Center from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. There they will visit trade show-style displays set up by the manufacturers and talk with company representatives. They’ll also have lunch provided by the university. Marcia Bailey, CEP director, said that parents interested in learning more about manufacturing careers for their children may attend the session at Urbana University. “Or they can contact the local manufacturers to schedule a visit with their students for a more personalized experience,” she added. Each student will tour two facilities, including the Hall Company, KTH Parts Industries Inc., ORBIS Corporation, Rittal, Rosewood Machine and Tool Company, Sarica Manufacturing, Ultra-met and WEIDMANN Electrical Technology. Bundy Baking Solutions will join the others with a display at the university. Urbana University, Ohio Means Jobs, Clark State Community College, the CEP, FASTLANE (West Central Ohio’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership) and Community Job Connect, Champaign County’s new online job posting and search board, will also set up displays at the university. About 150 students will participate from Graham, Mechanicsburg, Triad, Urbana and West Liberty-Salem high schools. Triad offers Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s Advanced Manufacturing program. Todd Bodey, who teaches Advanced Manufacturing at Triad, said the Manufacturing Day activities provide students a good introduction to manufacturing careers and technology. He added that a Manufacturing Day tour is what got Zack Zizzo, a 2017 Triad graduate, interested in manufacturing. “Zack toured ORBIS and became really interested in their injection molding processes.” Zizzo is now interning at ORBIS, which is supporting his education in the two-year mechanical engineering technology program at Clark State Community College. “I see students coming back with an interest in something, and the students see the enthusiasm people have for their jobs in manufacturing,” Bodey said. “I’m very pleased the manufacturers can accommodate this many students.” Manufacturers to be honored The CEP will honor local manufacturers at the Manufacturers Celebration Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, in the Champaign County Community Center auditorium, 1512 S. U.S. 68, Urbana. “Manufacturing plays a significant role in strengthening our local economy and making Champaign County a better place to live and work,” Bailey said. Local manufacturers employ nearly 4,000. “Through efforts like our Manufacturing Day tours and partnerships with local schools, we are preparing the next generation for manufacturing careers and ensuring the future success of local industry,” Bailey said. Gary Schenkel is records manager of Champaign Economic Partnership. Urbana University will host its 2017 Urbana University Activities Fair on Wednesday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be held outside of the Urbana University Student Center or inside the Urbana University Student Center in the event of rain. The UU Activities Fair attracts faculty, staff, residential and commuter students, and it provides new and returning students with an opportunity to learn about the many events and activities that are available to them in the Urbana community. Student groups, businesses and community organizations participating in the event have the opportunity to display information about their organization and even recruit new members or volunteers. Last year, over 70 groups participated in the fair. The university will provide table space, chairs, water, and lunch to the representatives from participating groups. Information, discount offers, or samples are welcome and encouraged. Register online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/UUActivitiesFair. The event is free of charge. Due to the event being held outdoors, access to internet and electricity is very limited and is not guaranteed. Vendors are also encouraged to bring a small pop-up tent for shade. Day-of information, as well as a map, will be sent prior to the fair. Those with questions or concerns can contact the Campus Life Office by calling 937-772-9281 or sending an email to campuslife@urbana.edu. Submitted by Urbana University Urbana University has been approved for branch campus status effective Aug. 1 as a division of Franklin University. Franklin, a private, nonprofit institution, founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, has received approval for its change of status application by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). While the Urbana University name will be maintained, it will now add the descriptor “a branch campus of Franklin University,” or “a division of Franklin University” after its name. In addition, as an element of moving under Franklin’s accreditation, Urbana’s current accredited (probation) status no longer applies. “This change is of great significance as it positions Urbana to move forward with growth strategies that leverage existing academic strengths, as well as offer new academic programs and athletics that align with the interests, needs and workforce skills necessary for economic prosperity,” according to a statement released Friday by Franklin University. Franklin acquired Urbana University’s assets in April 2014 to assure Urbana’s ability to continue to serve students effectively. Working together, Franklin and Urbana’s executive leadership have spent the past three years identifying strategies to position Urbana University for short- and long-term success, according to Friday’s statement. Reportedly investing more than $15 million, Franklin University has provided funding for scholarships as well as a number of improvements to the Urbana campus. Infrastructure improvements have included upgrades to science labs, upgraded security features, resurfacing of all parking lots, installation of new sidewalks and new stadium turf, as well as upgrades to Grimes Hall. In addition, the university is currently in the process of refreshing the dining commons and installing stadium lights. Through Friday’s announcement, Franklin and Urbana further solidify the foundational support needed to continue efforts to better serve Urbana’s students, alumni, faculty and staff. Under the leadership of Dr. Christopher Washington, Urbana University will continue on its path toward revitalization by assessing organizational needs, and service configurations that leverage the shift to branch campus status, while maintaining a strong focus on Urbana’s unique brand in its own market. Urbana is distinguished from Franklin’s other offerings because the campus has NCAA Div. II athletics. During an interview with the Urbana Daily Citizen in June, Washington – UU’s executive vice president and provost – affirmed Franklin’s commitment to athletics, saying he is a firm believer in universities supporting opportunities for athletes who choose to pursue higher education. Franklin will spend the next few weeks updating web content followed by an update of marketing materials to reflect the new accreditation status. For additional information regarding the branch campus accreditation status, visit this Frequently Asked Questions link: https://www.urbana.edu/about-us/urbana-franklin-university-information By Matt Sanctis - Springfield News-Sun Urbana University’s new executive vice president said Wednesday he plans to develop closer ties between the university and local businesses. Christopher Washington was named executive vice president of Urbana University last month after former President George Lucas resigned. Washington said Wednesday the university will play a more active role in the region and will develop deeper ties with area businesses, particularly in fields like manufacturing. “We have to offer programs of study that are relevant to the surrounding community,” Washington said. Washington is taking over at a time when Urbana University will shift to a branch campus of Franklin University. Franklin acquired the Champaign County campus in 2014 after Urbana University faced years of lean enrollment and financial struggles. As part of the deal, Urbana now functions as a division of Franklin but retains its name. Franklin is a private, nonprofit institution based in Columbus. Read more at SpringfieldNewsSun.com The Champaign Economic Partnership website, launched about a year ago, will be updated early next year with more resources to help businesses locate and expand in Champaign County, said CEP Director Marcia Bailey. The CEP was designated Champaign County’s economic development agency in July 2015.
The CEP website, CEPOhio.com, will expand listings of available commercial land and buildings, information on economic development incentives and the CEP’s “playbook,” which is currently in development. The playbook, expected to be completed early next year, will serve business developers as a resource guide through the process of beginning or expanding a business in Champaign County. The playbook will include information about the local and state resources critical to business success as well as contact information for these resources. “As the economic development agency serving all of Champaign County, the CEP serves as the starting point for local business development,” Bailey said. “We will offer businesses our economic development playbook as an easy-to-use resource to help smooth the planning process and prevent missing any key steps along the way.” CEP newsletter published More details about the CEP playbook and other economic development news can be found in the CEP’s recently published fall newsletter, CEP Developments, the third quarterly edition of the publication, which launched in spring 2016. The newsletter can be accessed on the “news” tab of CEPOhio.com, and. visitors can subscribe to receive the newsletter by email. Among other news covered in the latest edition: New local businesses; Manufacturing Day activities coordinated by the CEP and local manufacturers and schools to present high school students career opportunities in manufacturing; the CEP’s and local manufacturers’ display at the Champaign County Fair; and the Inventors Camp at the Champaign Family YMCA, where local manufacturers provided campers a taste of manufacturing. Manufacturing careers have been a key focus of the CEP, as manufacturers locally and across the country are having difficulty filling skilled job openings. Several workforce training initiatives have resulted from CEP’s partnership with manufacturers and local schools: Ohio Hi-Point Career Center’s advanced manufacturing program at Triad Local Schools and other Hi-Point satellite programs at Champaign County schools New manufacturing and engineering programs at Clark State Community College Urbana University looking at new workforce training opportunities Development of training to help the existing workforce update skills to remain competitive Job shadowing, internships and factory tours to expose local students to manufacturing careers “Workforce initiatives like these are vital to current employers and will help us attract new businesses to Champaign County,” Bailey said. “Businesses are more likely to move to communities with a well-trained workforce.” Ohio economic development newsletter Champaign County and the CEP received prominent coverage in the November edition of the Ohio Economic Development Association’s Dateline newsletter. The article featured the continuing growth of the county’s largest employer, KTH Parts Industries, and the CEP’s role in helping KTH gain approval of a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) application. The CRA agreement grants KTH a 50 percent, 15-year real estate tax exemption on the company’s latest construction project, a 128,950-square-foot expansion expected to cost $6.7 million. As part of the agreement, KTH also pledges to add 20 new full-time jobs. The company has experienced massive growth since opening in 1985. KTH started with 195 full-time associates in a 239,122-square-foot facility and now employs 914 full-time permanent and 223 temporary associates, who make automobile subassemblies in a 1,110,448-square-foot complex.
By working together during and after Manufacturing Day, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.”
For the past five years, local leaders, manufacturers and education institutions have come together on Manufacturing Day to celebrate the county’s ever-growing manufacturing sector and to introduce high school students to the job opportunities available in their own back yard. 2016 event In honor of Manufacturing Day 2016, the Champaign County Ohio Manufacturing Human Resources Council with assistance from the Champaign Economic Partnership (CEP) hosted an event Friday in which dozens of students from Urbana, Mechanicsburg, Graham and Triad high schools were introduced to the following manufacturers: Honeywell Aerospace, WEIDMANN, Bundy Baking Solutions, Rittal, ORBIS, The Hall Company and KTH Parts Industries. The event consisted of three sessions – a morning tour, a presentation period/lunch at the Urbana University Student Center, and an afternoon tour. “Our community is fortunate to have the welcoming environment from the local manufacturers,” CEP Economic Development Director Marcia Bailey said. “They are anxious to showcase their products, explain the skills needed to work in today’s manufacturing environment, and offer time for the students to have a true hands-on learning experience. “We are also fortunate to have our local school systems (local school districts, Ohio Hi-Point and Urbana University) that want the students to have the opportunity to visit and learn more about the various career options that are available to them in manufacturing,” she added. During Friday’s two tour sessions, Triad students visited Rittal, ORBIS Corporation and WEIDMANN; Mechanicsburg students went to Bundy Baking Solutions and Honeywell Aerospace; Urbana students toured The Hall Company and WEIDMANN; and Graham students stopped by Honeywell Aerospace and Rittal. Graham Superintendent Kirk Koennecke said Manufacturing Day ties in well with the district’s Career Gears program, which focuses on the three “E’s” – enlistment, enrollment and employment. “It provides a great opportunity for our younger students to learn about careers close to home in a variety of settings to spark their personal interests and to help them set goals,” he said. “We applaud our community partners for helping us provide these important examples and for building relationships with our students.” At Mechanicsburg High School, Superintendent Danielle Prohaska said the district’s participation in Manufacturing Day helps support its increased focus this school year on the three “E’s.” “We also believe that partnerships throughout the county will provide additional connections, skills development, and employment opportunities for our students,” she added. “Our involvement is important in growing those partnerships. “We want our students to make connections with manufacturers and leave school prepared for employment, enlistment or enrollment.” Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-652-1331 (ext. 1774) or on Twitter @UDCKeeran. By Michael Cooper, Springfield News Sun
Champaign County has a growing need for skilled labor at local plants as many in the workforce prepares for retirement, which is why county leaders and local manufacturers teamed up Friday to reach out high school students. About 100 high school students attended Manufacturing Day at Urbana University on Friday, held annually by the Champaign Economic Partnership. The event aims to educate students about the manufacturers located in the community, their products and the skills needed for employment, Economic Development Director Marcia Bailey said. Champaign County has about 3,725 manufacturing jobs, Bailey said, up from about 2,900 in 2013. >>RELATED: Honda supplier plans $24M to $34M expansion in St. Paris However a majority of the local manufacturing workforce has neared retirement age, including many who at the higher-end of the pay scale, Bailey said. About 49 percent of local manufacturing employees are between 45 and 64 years old, while just 3 percent are between the ages of 19 and 24, she said. “We need these students, this younger workforce to fill the positions that will need to be filled,” Bailey said. “It’s a huge, huge issue.” The average annual earnings of a manufacturing worker is about $66,000 in Champaign County, she said. “You don’t find those kind of jobs immediately, but you start working your way up,” Bailey said. The students toured several manufacturing facilities and participated in an interactive workshop Friday with companies such as KTH, Honeywell and the Hall Co. among others. It’s the third manufacturing education event held in Champaign County this year. >>DETAILS: Champaign County sees growth in manufacturing Rittal, which makes metal enclosures for industrial and information technology systems, also held tours for local students, Benefits Specialist-Human Resources Michele Mandelik said. “A lot of them said, ‘We didn’t even know you were here,’” Mandelik said. The company has several employees with 10 and 20 years of experience retiring in coming years, she said, and will need skilled employees to take their place. “When they leave, we’re losing that experience, so we want to transfer that experience to new hires,” Mandelik said. A group of sophomores from Graham High School toured the Honeywell plant on Friday morning, said Ali Peterson, who runs the career-based intervention and career connections program through the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center. The program helps students create both academic and career goals, some of which include manufacturing and aviation. “It was a highlight for them,” Peterson said. “It gave them some different options than they had previously considered and allowed to do some networking with them as well.” Each student has a different plan for the future, she said, which doesn’t always include college. Some students are encouraged to go to a career technical center or a trade school. “It will help them succeed and make them employable for years to come past graduation or that first job,” Peterson said. Students need to be as employable as possible before leaving high school, especially in light of state and national unemployment statistics, Mechanicsburg High School Teacher Kurt Forrest said. Many students complete four years of college, but sometimes can’t find a job in their field and are left with thousands of dollars in debt. “We need to make sure every single kid has a plan that fits that individual,” Forrest said. “When you do that you’re going to set them up for success.” Education is still vitally important, Bailey said. Students can also enroll in college while they’re still a high school student through Ohio Hi-Point, she said. “It’s not just one path, there are many paths,” Bailey said. The tour at Rittal was a great experience, Triad High School freshman Daniel Lake said. “I learned a lot just walking through the factory,” Lake said. “It’s a place I might be interested in after leaving high school. … (Manufacturing) is just a high-demand field. There are so many things you can apply the skills you learn for it, too.” By the numbers 3,725: Manufacturing jobs in Champaign County 49: Percentage of manufacturing employees ages 45-64 3: Percentage of manufacturing employees ages 19-24 Source: Champaign Economic Partnership Unmatched coverage The Springfield News-Sun provides complete coverage of jobs and the economy in Clark and Champaign counties, including recent stories on monthly unemployment statistics and expansions at Navistar. First Posted on UrbanaCitizen.com: March 10th, 2016 Chairman Dr. David R. Decker has announced the appointment of Marcia Bailey to the Urbana University Board of Trustees. Bailey is director of the Champaign Economic Partnership, a collaborative regional economic development agency of Champaign County and the city of Urbana. She is board president of the Monument Square District, which supports the city’s central business district, and she serves on other local and regional boards. An alumna of Urbana University, she earned her B.S. in Social Sciences from Urbana in 1995. She is a Triad graduate, mother of three adult sons and married to Ned Bailey. “I am proud of Urbana/Champaign County and proud to call it home,” she said. “I am both elated and honored to serve my alma mater as a member of the board of trustees. The university is a tremendous resource for our region and is on a path for growth and long-term sustainability. It’s an exciting time to become more deeply involved with the university and I am looking forward to the opportunities ahead.” “I am very pleased that Marcia has joined the board,” Decker said. “Along with her perspective as a graduate, she also brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of the local and regional business and industry to the board and will deepen and extend the productive relationship between Urbana University and the region it serves.” Submitted by Urbana University |
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