14 MiMfg Magazine July 2020
faced COVID-19, we’ll be ready and MMA will
be there, by your side, as the go-to source for all
things manufacturing.
MMA: Looking Forward
I want to first thank Bill Henderson, Chair of
the MMA Board of Directors, the Board itself as
well as the MMA Search Committee for providing
me with this opportunity. I will continue to rely on
your input, influence and ideas. Together, I see great
things ahead for this Association.
Membership, Marketing & Events
Associations can’t function without every member
of the team moving in the same direction and with
similar goals. In June, I announced the promotion of
Delaney McKinley to the role of Vice President of
Membership, Marketing & Events. While she will
continue to provide insight and experience to the
Association’s advocacy efforts, this move will bring
focus to three essential MMA departments.
The reorganization brings membership and
marketing functions together with the communications
and events team to present a more unified vision to
members, prospects and external stakeholders. This
team is tasked to re-envision and amplify MMA’s
powerful brand to create outstanding experiences for
members and prospects to grow the Association’s
diverse membership.
There is strength in numbers, and we are
laser-focused on growing the Association’s
diverse membership to ensure that MMA’s
strength and influence are second to none.
We are committed to creating outstanding
experiences for members and prospects —
through timely and relevant member
communications, innovative and engaging
educational opportunities and meaningful
connections with your peers and partners.
— Delaney McKinley, MMA Vice President
of Membership, Marketing & Events
This will include investment in our staff to ensure
we have the resources necessary to connect with members
and build an awareness of and commitment to MMA
with manufacturers in every region of Michigan.
We will improve and increase how we engage with
members and the questions that we ask to better
understand your needs and areas where our focus
needs improvement.
The strength and power of MMA’s advocacy
efforts is rooted in the economic power of our
members in their communities. Manufacturers
are often the greatest economic drivers in
their local communities and make significant
capital investments and provide high paying
jobs. We will continue to leverage our
members’ economic and geopolitical footprint
to affect positive policy changes for all
Michigan manufacturers.
— Mike Johnston, MMA Vice President
of Government Affairs
You will see changes in 2020 and beyond — this
won’t be done overnight but it also can’t be delayed.
This year has proven that unexpected obstacles can
always appear and we need to move forward in a way
that ensures your membership is as effective and
rewarding as it can be.
Government Affairs
My familiarity with the MMA began while
serving in Michigan Legislature. Too many groups
are given a seat at the table and never do anything
with it. MMA isn’t one of those groups — we have
always taken the opportunity to influence decisions
that affect manufacturers.
Mike Johnston, MMA Vice President of
Government Affairs, and his team will continue to
drive that powerful arm of advocacy which has made
the Association so effective. With Delaney’s promotion
mentioned earlier, I’m excited to welcome David
Worthams to the role of Director of Human Resource
Policy. Along with Dave Greco, MMA Director of
Regulatory and Environmental Affairs, and assisted
by Brianna Mills, MMA Director of Political and
Strategic Partnerships, I see a formidable team of
lobbyists who can move the needle on Michigan
policies to better reflect the needs of our members —
large and small alike.
I will continue to echo the importance of
communication in all my conversations and I
encourage every member company to connect with
our Government Affairs team. I assure you that
every manufacturer brings a unique perspective and,
the more we can understand the challenges you face,
the better prepared we will be to push for solutions
at the Capitol.
Member Services & Insurance Programs
Members join and derive value in their membership
for many different reasons. Some join to support the
industry, some to be directly involved in advocacy or
to deal with specific regulatory issues, some for