Celebrating Michigan's Manufacturing Legacy
This article appeared in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.
The annual Manufacturing Excellence Awards attracts the best and brightest in Michigan manufacturing for a night of celebration and to honor the core values driving the state’s most important industry: innovation, impact, leadership, community and family.
Held in Lansing on 11/6/24, this year’s event was no exception as hundreds of industry leaders gathered at the Lansing Center to commemorate the people who make this industry a vibrant and supportive community. It was a night of fellowship and reflection, as attendees shared inspiring stories ranging from emerging technologies having a global impact to multi-generational companies that humbly started in a family basement.
Family and Community
Jackson-based Advance Turning and Manufacturing was founded in John Macchia’s basement in 1968. John’s children were the company’s first unofficial employees, being given responsibilities of washing and packaging parts. Fast forward over 55 years later and Advance has grown into a powerhouse with 300 employees. Continuing the family legacy, John’s son, John Macchia Jr., has been recognized as the 2024 John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of the Year – Large Tier.
The Manufacturing Excellence Awards was indeed a family affair for the Macchias as both father and son were present to celebrate along with an additional 16 team members from Advance. While Macchia Jr. accepted the award on behalf of the organization, he also accepted on behalf of his father — whose ideas and business philosophies continue to drive the company today.
“I see this Award as a validation as to what we’ve all done as an organization and how we’ve continued the philosophy of what the business was founded on — respect for everyone and allowing everyone to be everything that they can be,” says Macchia Jr.
Macchia Jr. took over the company from his father at the age of 27 and went to work on updating and implementing an enhanced vision for the company, which included diversification and growth. Macchia Sr. says his son’s vision for the company has been “carried out flawlessly.”
“I’m very proud of him and our whole team,” says Macchia Sr. “They have the passion and the drive to follow John’s vision, so I’d like to thank them as much as anybody.”
Husband and wife Dan and Jill Dralle attended the Manufacturing Excellence Awards to receive their dual awards — a first in the Manufacturing Excellence history — Manufacturing Lifetime Achievement and Manufacturing Woman of the Year. They also brought family support as all their children were in attendance.
For this manufacturing power couple, the recognition is a culmination of hard work and sacrifice over a combined 70 years in the industry. Dan’s career spanned nearly 40 years with 16 of those working alongside his wife at Nexteer Automotive, a global automotive supplier specializing in motion control technology.
Now retired, Dan learned over his long career that manufacturers are passionate problem solvers, as reflected by many inspiring stories at the event.
“I’ve learned over the past 40 years that everything is possible,” says Dan. “There’s nothing that we can’t do.”
Jill Dralle, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Division at Nexteer, has worked in manufacturing for 30 years and is still amazed at the industry’s ability to problem solve and innovate.
“Listening to tonight’s stories, it’s a reminder that being in manufacturing is just cool,” says Dralle. “There are things we do that are just amazing. There are problems we solve that people have no idea how to solve and that’s cool. That’s inspirational.”
Dralle says that she’s humbled and grateful for the recognition as the Woman of the Year but adds that there’s more work to create a better path for future female leaders.
“We have to do some work to get (women leaders) to flow up through the leadership ranks,” says Dralle. “The environment isn’t always conducive to people who have children, people who have families, so we have to work harder on it.”
Local Impact, Global Reach
Nathan Cox, Owner and Founder of Cox Machine in Traverse City, fell in love with manufacturing the day he stepped foot into his high school shop class. Now, Cox is leading his own company that produces high-precision, high-performance parts with a client list featuring Boeing, NASA, SpaceX and more.
Being selected as the 2024 John G. Thodis Manufacturer of the Year – Small Tier is a humbling reflection of the team and what they’ve accomplished, says Cox.
“It’s a reflection of what the team has to show and I’m just so proud of what my people are doing,” he says.
But they can’t do it alone. Because Cox is a small business, he is thankful for the partnership and resources offered by MMA.
“(MMA) helps small shops like ours and allows us to play on a much larger stage,” says Cox. “And just everything they advocate for (on behalf of manufacturers) and resources they provide like insurance and workforce development — those are all things that we can’t do as a small company on our own. We have to join together collectively and do that.”
Like Cox, other industry leaders were eager to tell their stories of global impact. For Gary Schuler, President and Founder of food stabilization company GTF Technologies, being recognized as the 2024 Manufacturing Innovation Excellence winner was a validation of the organization’s mission to eliminate food waste and have a positive impact on global hunger.
“It’s been a tremendous boost for us as a team,” says Schuler. “Especially when you’re in an emerging company, you spend so much time putting your efforts into advancing the technology. So, to be recognized in that way has given us a moment of celebration.”
Michigan’s manufacturers are also leading in the area of sustainability, and their work is having a impact worldwide. Holcim, a global producer of sustainable building solutions and materials, received a welcome surprise when they were announced as the inaugural recipient of the Manufacturing Sustainability Award powered by Consumers Energy. In addition to sustainable building products, Holcim is investing in renewable energy sources to power their plants such as installing a 100-acre solar field at its Alpena facility.
“I think as a company, the plant has a history of innovation, so being the first recipient of this sustainability award is really cool,” says Jeff Scott, Plant Manager. “Our culture has always been whatever we need to do to get better. So, when the opportunity came to look at solar as a way to shrink our carbon footprint, we were all over it.”
The 2024 recipient for Manufactured Export of the Year, Gantec’s Biodapt® technology, is also focused on creating a more sustainable future. This Midland-based company has pioneered a solution that enhances crop growth, yield and quality by providing crops more nutrients for strength, resilience and defense against the elements. Biodapt® is being utilized by farmers around the world thanks in part to state-sponsored resources for export growth.
“It is an honor to be recognized by MMA for Gantec’s work to help people and plants throughout the world by exporting its technology,” says Mark Potts, General Manager at Gantec. “We are grateful for all the support we have received, including the US Commercial Service, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and Small Business Administration.”
Empowering Through Innovation
Cool things are always being made in our great manufacturing state, which is why MMA recognizes the Coolest Thing Made in Michigan every year. This statewide, people’s choice contest has grown into thousands of participants and dozens of product nominees since its inception. It has helped raise awareness for some of the state’s most groundbreaking, innovative products from companies that are not household names.
The 2024 Coolest Thing award, presented by Endeavor IT, went to the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (ACOG®) Riflescope from Trijicon, a Wixom-based company that has been an industry leader in optics for over 40 years.
Ryan Wood, Marketing and Strategy Director for Trijicon, says recognition isn’t something they necessarily seek out but being recognized with thousands of votes for the ACOG® has been humbling and a great validation for the team.
“Day-to-day, we’re just quietly producing the world’s best optics, and what we want is for those optics to perform flawlessly,” says Wood. “When we get recognition like this, it’s wonderful, but knowing that our optics are performing their intended purpose is really what we’re all about.”
At the same time, innovation isn’t limited to products and services. It’s also a critical element for fostering culture and leadership, and Christine Sermak’s story serves as the perfect illustration. Sermak, Total Security Solutions Chief Operating Officer and the 2024 Manufacturing Talent Champion, stepped into a role that required out-of-the-box thinking which aligned well with her background as an educator. She says being recognized with the award has been humbling and also confirmation that she’s on the right path.
“I came out of the education realm of 25 years, and anytime you try and reinvent yourself, you look at what are the skillsets that you can bring with you,” she says. “For me, it was all about that teaching and coaching background.”
She says that she’s beyond grateful to MMA for bringing together the community to celebrate the state’s most important industry.
“I think just being here and having the networking opportunity has been great. It’s a great time to come together across the state of Michigan and celebrate what we’re doing in manufacturing,” says Sermak.
Leading Through Culture
For Charles Washburn, Operations Engineering Manager at Landscape Forms, being recognized as the 2024 Manufacturing Emerging Leader has certainly been validating but also indicative of the company’s culture and values.
“I like to surround myself with several mentors for different reasons and one that comes to mind who has helped lead Landscape Forms is my current leader, Blaise Beltowski, who nominated me,” says Washburn. “He leads with a lot of trust and transparency and willingness to innovate. Those are all things I like to emulate.”
Vibrant workforce cultures are also reflected in a company’s community engagement and support. At Saginaw-based Fullerton Tool, supporting the local community is fused into the leadership and employee culture which is why they received the 2024 Manufacturing Community Impact Award. Patrick Curry, President, says he was humbled and thrilled when Fullerton was announced as the winner.
“This award signifies the impact of our collective efforts to drive positive change, whether through supporting local CTE, FIRST Robotics, local charitable organizations or contributing to the growth of the manufacturing industry,” says Curry. “From the top down, we feel privileged to have a ‘Servanthood’ attitude.”
The 2024 Manufacturing Excellence Awards show-cased the heart and soul of Michigan manufacturing’s innovation, resilience and community focus. From groundbreaking technologies to family driven legacies, the night was a powerful reminder of our industry’s vital role in shaping the state’s future.
Have a manufacturing story to tell? E-mail communications@mimfg.org.
The Manufacturing Emerging Leader award is part of which celebrates the leaders and products that are pushing the industry forward. Learn more about the the annual Manufacturing Excellence Awards program, meet past winners and save the date for next year’s gala.