Manufacturing voice | Workforce | Relationships | Health plans
Spring 2023
Greetings to TSMA members, associates, and friends!

My name is Philip Johnson, and I am excited to have stepped into the role of the President of the TSMA Board of Directors. I own PAYDAC Plastics in Fergus Falls with my wife Teresa. I’d like to thank and acknowledge Mark Petersen for serving as the TSMA President for past five years!

We are excited to announce the TSMA Luncheon Meeting on Tuesday, April 4 at the Foundry in Fergus Falls. Following a presentation by Jeff Ackerson, President, and CEO of Vector Windows, we will tour the new second location of Vector Windows. Please register to attend today and bring a prospective member that can attend for free.

If you are new to TSMA... Read more.
TSMA luncheon meeting
April 4 • 12:00 pm • Fergus Falls

Speaker: Jeff Ackerson, President and CEO of Vector Windows
Tour: Vector Windows new location
Meeting location: The Foundry

Employee stock ownership plan
April 11 • Online • 10:00 am

What is an ESOP and is it right for you? We will discuss what this type of retirement plan is and how it can benefit business owners, their companies, and their employees.

New member orientation
April 18 • Online • 2:00 pm
Join us to learn more about:
  • the relationship between AMFA, CMMA, RRMEA, TSMA, and MMA
  • the staff
  • the Member Information Center
  • the four central pillars
  • promotional options
  • and more

Marketing for Manufacturers series
April 19 • Online • 11:00 am

Session 26
Topic: Marketing Matters! Results Driven Strategies.
Presenters: WhiteBox Marketing

Workforce development series
April 26 • Online • 11:00 am

Session 5
Topic: Manufacturers Guide to Implementing a High School Internship Program
Presenter: Amy Johnson of Cardinal Consulting Solutions

Webinar and meeting recordings
Ice Golf Tournament Followup
A fun time was had by all at the first annual Ice Golf Tournament held on March 9 at Lake Reno Bar & Grill near Glenwood. Around 40 golfers participated in the 9-hole contest on a 30-degree day with 14 mph winds. Shout out to our valued sponsors Blackhawk Industrial, Massman Automation, Dayta Marketing, Cedar Creek Energy, and Vye. See more photos.
The purpose of the TSMA Manufacturing Career Dream Team is to change the public image of manufacturing in West Central Minnesota and attract the next generation of manufacturing talent. Our new initiative is to get the Dream Team into the middle school grades in our area. Sam Ewald, Massman Automation, recently spoke to a robotics class at Discovery Middle School (pictured above). Read more updates.
Web marketing minute
There's a reason why Pay Per Click (PPC) is a popular marketing tool. When done correctly this method offers great benefits to manufacturers, including fine-tuned audience targeting, increased company visibility, lead generation and conversion, decent ROI, and higher revenue. Adding PPC to your marketing strategy is quick and easy, though not quick and easy to perfect. PPC can drive traffic quite quickly to your website, especially for manufacturers who have a reasonable budget to invest. Getting started is a simple process, especially if your manufacturing business already has a Google account. You will need to create a robust set of ads with clear messages and relevant wording and split-test your ads. Your ads should also be linked to relevant, well-designed pages that leads want to explore. Contact Becky, Communications Director, with questions.
TSMA 2023 board of directors officers
President: Phil Johnson, PAYDAC Plastics
Vice President: Tim Kindel, Blackhawk Industrial
Treasurer: Alex Thorstad, Cosmos Enterprises
Secretary: Jodi Yandle, Brenton
Legislative action alert
One of the hot items in the current Minnesota Legislative session is legalizing cannabis. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce recently shared this fact sheet on the topic.
Board bio
Donna Hetland, CSP, is a field safety lead at OSHA + Environmental Compliance Systems (OECS) in West Fargo, ND. She is responsible for providing health and safety services to clients throughout ND and MN. She has 23 years in education and is CSP certified through the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. She has been a safety professional for over 20 years and has clients in agriculture, construction, and general industry.
2023 Sponsorship packages
As the central office serving TSMA, our job is to help your business succeed. We are proud to offer the 2023 sponsorship packages and are ready to help you reach your prospects, customers and fellow members. Save 33% if you act by April 15. Learn more!
2022 TSMA Snapshot
The 2022 TSMA annual report is available here.
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West Central Area Schools
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Responding to your needs, we have carefully selected three partners —
vetted by our board and endorsed by fellow members— to provide
a cost savings to your operation, including...
Interested in adding dental and vision to your employee benefits? Dental health has a profound impact on overall health. Vision care is important to prevent visual impairment. We offer a range of plan designs. Learn more.

Contact us to learn more: 800-654-5773 or Rachel@MidwestManufacturers.com.
Thank you to our valued sponsors!
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