March 24, 2022 - The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) has elected Doug Johnson, owner and president of Cheshire, Connecticut-based Marion Manufacturing Co., as its 2022 chairman of the board. Jeff Aznavorian, president of Plymouth, Michigan-based Clips & Clamps Industries, will serve as vice chairman and treasurer. Both will serve one-year terms.

Johnson succeeds outgoing PMA Board Chair Troy Turnbull, president and CEO of Grandville, Michigan-based Industrial Innovations Inc.

“I’m honored to be elected chairman and thank Troy Turnbull for his exceptional leadership over the past two years,” said Johnson. “Troy worked closely with the board, PMA President David Klotz and staff to deliver incredible support to our members during the COVID-19 pandemic, even extending his term as chairman to help guide the association through an incredibly challenging time.”

As the industry continues to rebound from the pandemic, Johnson’s term as chair will focus on building momentum and strengthening the metalforming community.

“My goal as chairman is to help PMA President David Klotz and his staff to build a larger, stronger community by developing and implementing new ideas to help our member companies, and the industry overall, evolve,” said Johnson. “PMA will continue to deliver numerous benefits, including a stronger lobbying voice in Washington, D.C., on critical issues including workforce development and supply-chain resiliency. A stronger, larger metalforming community will allow PMA to expand training programs and increase its menu of networking opportunities for human-resource professionals, quality managers, company owners and CEOs, and others.”

Johnson stressed PMA’s essential role helping the industry through the pandemic by providing critical information and support: “We’re doing so via multiple avenues, most notably through workforce development and advocacy. The PMA advocacy team, under its One Voice partnership with the National Tooling and Machining Association, has really stepped up these last couple of years, exceeding expectations in terms of dedicating their time and efforts to help members navigate the pandemic.”

On the workforce-development front, PMA has been active in bringing its METALFORM EDU online training package to metalforming companies of all sizes.

“At Marion Mfg., we used METALFORM EDU heavily in 2020,” said Johnson. “We purchased software licenses for every employee. The star performers here really want to learn, so we want to provide them with those opportunities to grow and take on more responsibilities.”

Using METALFORM EDU to promote workforce development and drive membership in PMA has helped grow the community, with the association adding 300 new member companies in the last two years.

Another top PMA priority is to improve the public image and awareness of metalforming careers. “We will continue to promote to our young people that manufacturing provides great career opportunities,” said Johnson. “If you ask the young people working at Marion Mfg., they will tell you that manufacturing is cool, and rewarding. We make it that way, and other company leaders must do the same.”