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The Monthly Newsletter of the Council of Industry
July 24th, 2025
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Council of Industry Updates
What's Happening in Your Association
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Council of Industry Board Names
Johnnieanne Hansen CEO
Harold King to Remain as President
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The Council of Industry Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Johnnieanne Hansen as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1st. This decision reflects the Board’s strong confidence in her leadership and marks an important milestone in the continued growth and evolution of the association.
Ms. Hansen has been an integral part of the Council since 2017, implementing, expanding, and leading many of the organization’s programs and initiatives, and playing a key role in building meaningful connections with manufacturers and the broader community. Her deep understanding of the Council’s mission and unwavering commitment to the manufacturing sector have positioned her as a trusted and respected leader across the region.
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“Johnnieanne has earned the confidence of manufacturers, educators, and stakeholders throughout the Hudson Valley,” said Peter Stanway, Chair of the Board. “Her appointment is a natural next step for the Council and a reflection of her strategic vision, dedication, and proven track record of success.”
This transition is not a departure from what makes the Council strong, but a forwardthinking continuation and strengthening of it. Harold King will continue as President, focusing on statewide partnerships, advocacy and economic development. His extensive experience remains essential to the association and its growth.
Read the full release here
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Apprenticeship: You’ve Got Questions – We’ve Got Answers
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We all know apprenticeship offers real benefits—building a skilled workforce, accessing grant funding, and taking advantage of available incentives. Whether your firm is new to apprenticeship or has years of experience you have questions about how to make your program better and take full advantage of all the resources available. From small firms with 1 or 2 apprentices to larger firms with dozens, every company wants to make their program stronger and more effective.
Since the Council of Industry began offering the Manufacturing Intermediary Apprentice Program (MIAP) in 2018 we have helped dozens of companies and hundreds of apprentices navigate the apprenticeship path – and we’ve learned a thing or two along the way. This summer we are providing 2 forums for us to share what we have learned with Hudson Valley manufacturers who are both currently apprenticing workers and those who are considering starting a program.
Webinars:
We will be presenting a series of webinars centered on each of the Trades we offer, (Industrial Manufacturing Technician, Quality Assurance Auditor, Electro-Mechanical Technician, CNC Machinist, Toolmaker, Maintenance Mechanic)
Perfect for:
- Companies considering a registered apprenticeship program
- Employers who want to better understand program benefits, incentives, and available support
- Companies who prefer a structured overview with time for Q&A
Click here for a list of dates and times
‘Office Hours’
Experienced Council of Industry Staff will be available on select dates and times to answer questions from employers and/or registered apprentices. Need help with bluebooks, paperwork, incentive or tax credits, or just interested in learning more? Drop in and ask!
Perfect for:
- Registered employers and apprentices looking for quick answers or support
- Supervisors, HR staff, or program coordinators managing apprenticeships who have questions about forms, processes, or next steps
- Companies who prefer live Q&A and direct interaction over a formal presentation
Click here for ‘Office Hour’ dates and times
For more information, contact Emma Olivet, Workforce Development Manager.
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Insight Exchange On-Demand Video Series:
Episode 9: Safety is No Accident: Build a Safer Workplace
Presented by Insperity
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NOTE: Insight Exchange along with other Council of Industry programs and services will soon require members to log into their Member Compass account.
Join Jennifer Libby and Peter Zaretskiy from Insperity in this Insight Exchange episode as they explore how manufacturers can implement a sustainable, organization-wide safety culture that goes beyond compliance. Hosted by the Council of Industry, this session is part of Insperity’s ongoing commitment to helping businesses thrive through practical HR and safety strategies.
About Insperity
Since 1986, Insperity has been helping businesses succeed by providing HR support, workforce optimization, compliance guidance, and safety services—tailored to the unique needs of growing companies.
Learn More
Insperity: Insperity.com
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Insight Exchange Playlist:
Upcoming Schedule:
If you are interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise, please reach out to Johnnieanne Hansen at info@councilofindustry.org.
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Council of Industry Golf Outing has been Bringing Hudson Valley Manufacturers Together for more than 30 Years.
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On a damp May afternoon in 1996, the Council of Industry started it's now Annual Golf Outing with just 40 players on the Apple Green Golf Course in Highland.
Today, the event attracts over 100 participants from companies all over the Hudson Valley, at The Powelton Club in Newburgh, including some members who have been attending the event since it began more than 30 years ago.
“I always look forward to the Council Golf Outing because I get a chance to connect with Harold, play with members of the Viking team, and reconnect with business owners and managers that I don’t get to see that often," said Richard Croce Sr., Viking Industry's retired owner and president, and former chairman of the Council's Board of Directors.
This year's event, on August 25th, is expected to have a very high turnout, and a few sponsorships - especially tee sponsors - are still available. Click here for more information.
Reach out to Harold King with any questions!
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Thank You Sponsors!
Shirt Sponsor - Thank you NRG
Best Ball Prize Sponsor - 1,250
Closest to the Pin Prize Sponsor - Thank you Fisch Solutions
Hole In One - 1,050 - Thank you Elna Magnetics
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HV Mfg Fall 2025 Edition in the Works - Secure your Ad Space Today!
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Work has begun on the Fall 2025 Edition of HV Mfg – the magazine by, for and about Hudson Valley Manufacturers.
Each HV Mfg issue includes articles showcasing local manufacturers, including a company profile, Q&A with industry leaders, workforce development programs, industry innovations more.
The HV Mfg Fall 2025 Issue will feature the Manufacturer’s Resource Guide that includes contact information for elected officials, workforce and economic development agencies and programs, 2 and 4 year colleges, state and federal agencies and departments and more.
HV Mfg is an important tool in our efforts to inform the public of the vital role manufacturing plays in our regional economy and of the important and rewarding careers available in the sector. Advertisors make publication of HV Mfg possible and your support is very much appreciated.
Click here to learn more about advertising
Click here to view the digital edition of HV Mfg Spring 2025.
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Two Spots Left in the Summer/Fall Leadership Cohort
Starts August 13th!
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The Council of Industry's Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership program offers attendees a range of leadership skills through concentrations of courses. Participants who complete the required courses are presented with the Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership by the Council of Industry.
All courses are interactive full day sessions (8:30 am to 4:00 pm) with lunch, scheduled breaks, networking, and group discussions.
"The Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership cohort is about different companies coming together and learning from each instructor, as well as learning from one another," said Emma Olivet, workforce development manager at the Council. "I think that shared experience is really valuable and has been since the program began 25 years ago."
Location
Fair-Rite Products Corp.
Wallkill NY 12589.
Though participants are encouraged to complete the course series for the most comprehensive supervisory education, the Council welcomes individual course registration as well.
Summer 2025 Certificate in Manufacturing Leadership Schedule:
August 13th & 20th - Fundamentals of Leadership (2 Sessions)
August 27th - Making a Profit in Manufacturing
September 10th - Human Resources Management Issues
September 17th - Risk Management: Environmental Health & Safety Issues
October 8th - Effective Business Communication
October 29th - Lean Overview & Simulation
November 5th - Motivation, Coaching, and Managing Difficult People
Full Program Cost:
Individual Attendee: $1,975
Two or More Attendees: $1,875
Reach out to Emma Olivet for more information!
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Manufactuirng Industry News
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Yes, Manufacturing Matters.
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The Trump administration has identified reindustrialization as an economic priority and is betting on a mix of tax reform, deregulation and a heavy tariff hand to achieve it. One of those tools, the tariffs, regularly comes under lots of criticism. But the criticism often extends to the effort itself. Because, the detractors ask, who wants to work in a factory anyway? Naysayers often claim a reversal of domestic manufacturing’s fortunes can’t and won’t work and, further, that we don’t need to care. But it takes a selective understanding of our industrial history to arrive at this conclusion.
Manufacturing still very much matters.
More manufacturing, automated or not, begets innovation, invention and more manufacturing. That means more work. And that’s why factories are coveted: The economic development they bring is why at both national and global levels we’re awash in industrial policies trying to induce it. It’s why the Trump administration is pursuing it too, although it’s leaving valuable tools on the table. Its current efforts, framed around tariffs, should be paired with the steady public investment needed to create an environment that manufacturing thrives in. Factory construction boomed in response to industrial policies and the aftermath of recent supply chain shocks. There’s no reason why that can’t be sustained.
Read more at Industry Week
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Combating Tariffs With Leaner Processes And Nearshoring
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The arrival of tariffs earlier this year brought only marginal clarity to the economic future of the industry, instead ushering in a pause in deal activity and decision-making, said Streamliners Management Consulting CEO Andreas Haag. Considering the volatility of the tariff landscape — and the uncertainty of their extent or even existence in the future — Haag predicts that manufacturers will only invest in those solutions that might benefit them regardless of the fate of tariffs.
For many, that’ll involve following trends such as nearshoring, or relocating production closer to markets, and optimizing existing processes to absorb cost increases. For others, nearshoring will help cushion the shock of tariffs — and may pay dividends even if they disappear in 2026. “Nearshoring to say, Mexico or Central America (electronics in Costa Rica, for example) is justified when tariff costs outweigh savings from low-cost countries like China or there are short product life cycles due to new editions, models, etc, [making] response time to market key,” said Ted Stank, co-executive director of the Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Tennessee Knoxville.
Read more at Manufacturing Dive
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Manufacturing Purgatory and the 'Unknown Unknowns'
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Roughly a quarter century ago, during the Iraq War, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld shed some light on how military leaders manage uncertainty. In what became his most memorable analysis Rumsfeld sorted military intel into categories: There are “known knowns,” things we are aware of and can plan for. There are “known unknowns,” things we know exist but can’t yet fully comprehend their impact. And there are “unknown unknowns,” the things we are unaware of and cannot predict.
Guess which category is currently driving—or, perhaps more aptly, pausing—manufacturing leaders’ business strategies? Nothing leads more to greater uncertainty, to a deer-in-the-headlights reaction, than fear of the unknown. There is, after all, no way to easily plan for events that are unanticipated, much less inconceivable.
Not that manufacturers haven’t had plenty of experience in the inconceivable recently: the past five years have been filled with unknown unknowns, even black swan events. Manufacturing leaders were blindsided by the pandemic and its subsequent supply chain fiasco. They were caught off guard by the dramatic rise of cyber-attacks and the abrupt appearance of generative AI. And now they’re being whiplashed by geopolitical uncertainty, including the on-again, off-again cadence of American trade policy and its further disruption of long-time sourcing and supply chain connections.
The manufacturing sector could learn a few things from the military. The “Rumsfeld Matrix,” as that categorization of levels of uncertainty has come to be known, has long been a standard analysis by the American military. So has the concept of “VUCA”—Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity—which was first introduced by the U.S. Army War College in the 1980s. Why shouldn’t business leaders adopt a similar perspective? Whether their next body blow stems from a pandemic, a geopolitical risk, or an alien invasion, preparation for an unconventional future is well-advised. Thoughtful evaluation of potential disruptions, no matter how unfathomable at this time, would help them hedge against uncertainty.
Read more at IndustryWeek
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National Semiconductor Technology Center Opens At Albany NanoTech
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The country’s first National Semiconductor Technology Center opened Monday at Albany Nanotech as part of a broader federal effort to boost the United States' competitiveness in the industry. The Albany NanoTech complex was selected last year by federal officials as the national headquarters for research into a cutting-edge semiconductor technology known as extreme ultraviolet, or EUV, lithography.
The lab will have the most advanced chip-making machinery in the world and allow researchers from the semiconductor industry to collaborate with their university counterparts.
The Albany hub opened three years after the signing of the federal CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to build the U.S. manufacturing of microchips that power cell phones, automobiles and other devices.
"The AI revolution is just starting," Natcast CEO Deidre Hanford said. "And all of the semiconductors that live in the data centers today, all the advanced processing semiconductors are leveraging this type of capability now and into the future." The new technology will spur hundreds of jobs in the Capital Region. Anderson said Albany's new lab will have the most advanced chip-making machinery in the world.
Read more at Spectrum
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Who Do You Trust? In Manufacturing, The Answer Is No One
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Today’s factories are no longer isolated silos of machines. Manufacturing has become a hyperconnected ecosystem where IT and operational technology (OT) systems share data, AI automates decisions, digital twins simulate entire operations, and third-party devices plug directly into production lines. These systems are built for efficiency, but they also introduce new risks to operational security. If trust is misplaced or unverified at any point, the consequences can threaten worker safety, product quality and public welfare. And even minor lapses in trust can have severe consequences, as they can ripple through complex manufacturing environments.
Zero Trust starts with a simple principle: never trust, always verify. Every access request—whether from a person, machine or application—is assessed in real time against a set of dynamic criteria: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Which? This is more than identity verification. It’s about understanding behavior, device health and context before granting any level of access. In manufacturing, that goes beyond verifying people. Machines need identity too. Every system must enforce least-privilege access, allowing users and devices to do only what they’re authorized to do. And every action must be logged automatically, so teams can track who did what, when and why to support compliance and incident response.
Read more at DXC Technology
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IBM 2025 CEO Study: 5 Mindshifts To Supercharge Business Growth
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First it was AI, then generative AI and AI assistants. Now it’s agentic AI and artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can, in theory, mimic the cognitive capacity of the human brain. Soon we’ll be hearing about embodied and physical AI. And whatever comes next. But, no matter the pace of change and depth of disruption, leaders still need to push their organizations forward, finding new avenues to efficiency and more direct paths to growth. In this complex environment, it’s not always clear how CEOs can keep their organizations standing strong.]
The good news: CEOs don’t need to be clairvoyant. Rather than constantly reacting, they can capitalize on disruption by using AI tools to forecast the future more accurately—and more comprehensively. Here are 5 mindsets CEOs can cake to make risk-taking less risky and cut through chaos with courage and a cool head.
Make Courage Your Core
Embrace AI Fueled Creative Destruction
Cultivate a Vibrant Data Environment
Ignore FOMO, Lean Into ROI
Borrow the Talent You Can’t Buy
Activate these five mindshifts to create clarity in crisis—and supercharge your organization’s growth.
Read more at IBM Institute for Business Value
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AI Enhancements to CAD and CAE: Faster and Better Design with More Possibilities
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The integration of artificial intelligence capabilities into CAD (computer assisted design) programs and CAE (computer-aided engineering) is changing everything, from cutting out entire steps that massively speed up the design process to offering unprecedented realms of co-creation. Here are some of the most revolutionary current examples of how AI is now not only taking over a wide range of routine and error-prone tasks throughout the design process but also allowing engineers to collaborate on designs that would be difficult or impossible to conceive of alone.
Repetitive CAD Task Elimination: One Click Away - Edge smoothing in a design is a time-consuming and low-skill task that nevertheless must be completed in finishing a design. Proteus Motion, a New York-based designer of cutting-edge strength measurement and training equipment and software for elite athletes, has significantly reduced design time with the help of the AI Selection Helper in SOLIDWORKS.
Automatically Applying Constraints - Ensuring designs are properly constrained is another tedious process that’s also error-prone—and if a constraint is missed, the design typically has to be re-worked. Autodesk’s new AutoConstrain tool, released in January 2025, automatically applies constraints and dimensions during 2D sketching, speeding up workflow significantly, says Autodesk Senior Director (Product Management) Daniel Graham. He reports that since it became available about six months ago, AutoConstrain has applied almost 900,000 geometric sketch constraints for commercial users in every sector.
3D Scanning: Another Way AI is Transforming CAD - AI integration is its ability to scan a part and create a 3D CAD file to work with. This unprecedented development saves an enormous amount of time for engineers when the CAD file for a particular machine part is not available, for example because the part was fabricated without using CAD.
Read more at Machine Design
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IoT Enhances Predictive Maintenance in Manufacturing Shops
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Maintenance is both necessary and costly in the manufacturing sector. It accounts for between 15 and 70 percent of the total costs of goods sold, making it one of the industry’s most significant ongoing expenses. However, it does not have to be as disruptive as it often is. Many facilities rely on run-to-failure repair strategies, which result in substantial downtime and losses from lost productivity. Others use a schedule-based preventive plan, which is more cost-effective, but still entails a high amount of downtime.
Conventional preventive approaches may also miss signs of wear before they lead to larger, more expensive issues. IoT solutions can help by enabling predictive maintenance in manufacturing. This approach uses IoT devices to monitor real-time equipment data to predict future failures and allow workers to schedule repairs before breakdowns occur. Doing so has several significant implications for manufacturers. IoT predictive maintenance’s most immediately evident benefit is its impact on uptime. Predicting issues before they cause larger production problems helps manufacturers prevent breakdowns, but the practice goes even further.
Read more at IoT for All
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Addressing Supply Chain Challenges in 2025
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Amid tariffs, trade wars, and continuing geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions remain one of the primary concerns among manufacturers in 2025. Let’s look at some of the supply chain-related challenges manufacturers are currently facing, as well as some of the ways businesses are attempting to mitigate these challenges. Fictiv, a global manufacturing and supply chain company, published its 10th Annual State of Manufacturing & Supply Chain report for 2025 based on insights from leaders in the industry.
Navigating supply chain challenges and implementing strategic solutions is no simple task, especially given the current climate. The following are some of this year’s most significant supply chain challenges and strategies, according to Fictiv’s report.
Read more at RBT CPAs
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Waymo Vets Are Automating Construction Sites With Self-Driving Dirt Diggers
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A team of engineers from self-driving robotaxi leader Waymo is eyeing another huge market to automate: construction equipment. Last year, Boris Sofman, previously a star engineer at robotaxi leader Waymo where he worked to automate trucks, teamed up with former Waymo colleagues Ajay Gummalla and Kevin Peterson, along with engineer Tom Eliaz, to start Bedrock Robotics.
They’re starting with excavators, the ubiquitous machines that do the heavy digging. The San Francisco-based startup isn’t designing its own line of construction machinery, but instead plans to modify existing equipment with cameras, lidar, computers and AI software that enables them to work around the clock–including in blistering heat when human workers would need regular breaks.
Laser lidar, which can instantly create 3D images of the world, even at high speeds, is critical for safe driving on the road. On a construction site, it's able to map ground conditions in detail and precisely measure how many cubic yards of dirt are removed with each scoop of the excavator, essential information for contractors. Autonomous excavator testing is underway at Bedrock’s sites in Arizona, Texas and Arkansas, and the company plans to expand testing to a customer’s work site next month. If all goes well, “we expect to get the first operator-out form in 2026,” said CEO Sofman, who has a PhD in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University.
Read more at Forbes
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Demand Response Programs Can Help Boost Reliability
The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) offers programs to customers to reduce electricity usage when demand on the network is highest. Known as demand response programs, they help avoid overload, reduce emissions, and avoid expensive equipment upgrades. Large energy users can participate in a demand response program and receive payments for reducing the use of electricity from the grid during periods of highest electricity demand. These periods of extreme energy use usually occur on the hottest days in the summer.
If operated correctly, it is possible for a large commercial building, industrial facility, or other large energy user to use energy storage to lower their energy bill, while simultaneously receiving additional revenue for participating in a demand response program from their utility or the NYISO. Energy storage makes it possible to meet your demand reduction commitment and receive payments without significantly changing your operations during period of high electricity demand. Contact your utility for information on their demand response programs:
Reach out to the Council of Industry and NRG today to develop an energy strategy tailored to your business needs.
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Condiment Cannon Chaos: Special Effects Engineer Weaponizes Single-Serve Packets
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Engineers are always at the forefront of innovation, whether they’re solving problems in the workplace or using their creativity at home. In this video collection, watch as industrial engineers, designers, programmers, and STEM professionals showcase how they channel their skills to build a more fun, imaginative world during their free time.
In this video, special effects engineer Davis DeWitt weaponizes single-serve packets in a surprisingly complex condiment cannon build.
Watch at Plant Services
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