Page 40 - MetalForming August 2012

Creating a New Deal for
Middle Managers
MDA
New from the Precision Metalforming Association: the Management Development Academy, a series of workshops, instructional seminars and structured networking sessions designed to develop the business and leadership acumen of mid-level managers in metalforming companies.
BY BRUCE BROMAN
The Precision Metalforming Asso- ciation’s (PMA) has launched its Management Development Academy & Network (MDA), a three- part series of forum-style workshops, instructional seminars and structured networking sessions designed exclu- sively for mid-level managers looking to advance their business and leadership acumen. Attendees will learn practi- cal skills and strategies useful for ana- lyzing markets, conducting marketing research and managing assets and budgets. Also on the agenda is course-
Bruce Broman is program director, PMA Educational Foundation; bbroman@pma.org.
Chris Knape, senior account executive from SeyferthPR, Grand Rapids, MI, addressed MDA students on 21st Century Business Communications, including a discussion on effective use of Internet and web-based forms of business communications.
38 MetalForming/August 2012
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work aimed at helping mid-level man- agers develop and manage the supply chain, financial and customer accounts, contracts and human resources. MDA Enrollees learn through case-study analyses, facilitated brainstorming, lec- tures and lesson presentations, round- table discussions, expert panels and structured forums, testimonials, guest speakers, instructional exercises, peer- to-peer breakout sessions, applied proj- ects, and multifaceted group interac- tion, learning and networking.
Inaugural Session a Big Hit
P.J. Thompson, PMA 2012 Chair- man, welcomed more than 20 atten- dees to the inaugural MDA session, held June 3-5 at PMA headquarters in Cleveland, OH. Following Thompson’s welcoming remarks on Sunday after-
noon, June 3, MDA lead facilitator Rus- ton Simon offered a program orienta- tion, after which a chartered bus carried attendees into downtown Cleveland for a networking dinner at one of Cleve- land’s renowned restaurants.
Training sessions got underway Monday morning, June 4, addressing the first of three topics—Planning Strat- egy and Business Models, with guest speaker and expert Craig Fitzgerald of Plante Moran. The afternoon session addressed Objective Setting, Delega- tion and Time Management, led by Robert Stander, vice president of advanced product development at Trans-Matic Manufacturing.
Business Communications
Tuesday morning, the conversa- tion turned to 21st Century Business
Management Development
Academy