Greetings RRMEA members!
 
Fall is here, and with it comes a chance to appreciate the hard work and dedication of our manufacturing community!!
 
Happy manufacturing month to our valuable manufacturers!
 
Throughout October, manufacturing facilities across Minnesota and North Dakota are celebrating Manufacturing Month and opening their doors for the Statewide Tour of Manufacturing. These tours are especially valuable for students and educators. By fostering connections between schools and manufacturers, we can shed light on the exciting career pathways available in this vital field. I encourage all our members to get involved! Consider reaching out to local schools to offer presentations, sponsor VEX Robotics programs, or even establish scholarship programs with local colleges. Every effort counts in inspiring the next generation of manufacturing leaders.
 
We have an exciting RRMEA luncheon meeting at GPK Products in Fargo in two weeks! On October 22 please join us for lunch, a presentation by John Henning, Engineer at GPK Products, followed by a tour of their facility. Register now!
 
We also have a luncheon meeting at Spectrum Aeromed in Fargo coming up on November 19! This is a joint meeting with Tri-State Manufacturers Association. The speaker is Jeff Edberg, VP of Operations, but I would advise you to register right away because it will fill up fast!
 
Did you know the leading carrier for each state (Blue Cross) is proposing over a 15% average rate increase in 2025? You may be affected by this and remember that you have options! Join us to learn more about our program with lower costs and more employer/employee control at the webinar on October 25. You only need to have two or more employees to take part in Employer Health Plans. Register today.
 
Please help me welcome the new Executive Director Lynda Bailey. Lynda recently moved to Northeastern Minnesota from California and brings substantial experience directing a non-profit organization with her. Her first day was September 3. Massive shoutout to Sandy Kashmark for stepping in as Interim Exec Director while we filled the position left by Rachel Lolmasteymaugh. Thank you so much for all you did to keep RRMEA running!
 
We are very excited to welcome three new members to RRMEA: Baillow Recruiting LLC, Gavnat and Associates, and the MN State Engineering Center of Excellence. See more details in the New Member section of the newsletter. All new members are invited to register and attend the new member orientation online on November 19.
 
As we look ahead to the fall and winter RRMEA is looking for speakers, manufacturer tours, and sponsors for upcoming meetings. Please contact Carolyn with your ideas and information.
 
I would also like to encourage your registration and participation in all our upcoming events. We are here to help you succeed, but we need your help and your participation for us to continue to succeed!
 
Together, let's celebrate the power and potential of manufacturing! See you at the meeting on October 22!
 
Regards, 
Kriss Burns
Interim RRMEA President