MAGNET: The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network

Join the Giving Tuesday Movement — 25 Gifts to Power Northeast Ohio’s Future In honor of Giving Tuesday 2025, we’re calling on 25 champions to step up and make an impact today. When you join this circle of supporters, your $100 gift helps spark real change, and any amount strengthens the momentum we’re building for Northeast Ohio’s future. We have already started with 5 gifts this morning! Can you help us get 20 more? Become a part of that 25 here: https://lnkd.in/evg992tg Thank you to our supporters! You helped us build this. Now let’s keep growing. In just three years since our new building opened, MAGNET and our partners have helped fill 3,000+ manufacturing jobs and opened new doors for students, families, and companies across Northeast Ohio. Our future vision is bold — and achievable: Every student a pathway. Every company a partner. Every family a future. This Giving Tuesday, the moment to act is here. We’re calling on you to fuel the momentum, to join a focused group of partners who will power opportunity, careers, and innovation across Northeast Ohio. 🎥 Watch how far we’ve come—and imagine what’s next when we grow together. Become a part of that 25 here: https://lnkd.in/evg992tg #GivingTuesday #Manufacturing #MAGNET #NortheastOhio #Innovation #CommunityImpact #WorkforceDevelopment #GiveBack #FutureFocused

With zero dollars, Harvey Nelson and his best friend started a muffin shop in a run down building in Akron. Fast forward hundreds of recipe experiments later: they built Main Street Gourmet, one of the most successful custom bakery manufacturers in the country. On this episode of Make It: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing find out how grit, creativity, and a focus on people transformed their scrappy startup into a national force. Watch the full series here: https://lnkd.in/eeksJYR9

Meet Steve Peplin, a manufacturing entrepreneur with a résumé like no other—cowboy, sailor, logger, chef, and also founder of one of Cleveland’s most successful metal stamping businesses. Talan Products, Inc went from making a single obscure part to producing hundreds of millions of parts a year. Steve’s story is one of grit, reinvention, and building a team-first culture that powers real performance. On this episode of Make It: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing we talk about succession, innovation, and the secret to long-term growth. Watch the full series here: https://lnkd.in/eeksJYR9

Meet Miguel Lugo—COO at E.C. KITZEL & SONS, INC., a nearly 100-year-old toolmaker in Parma, Ohio. He started in manufacturing as a teenager with one dream: to own a factory. After two decades of climbing from general laborer to the executive team, that dream is finally within reach. Miguel is on track to take over the company from the current owner, continuing a legacy that started back in 1927. Together, they’re combining craftsmanship, customization, and cutting-edge technology to thrive in one of the most competitive corners of manufacturing. Watch this episode of Make It: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing below or watch the full series here: https://lnkd.in/eeksJYR9

Meet Trina J Bediako, second-generation CEO of the proudly family-owned New Horizons Baking Company in Norwalk, Ohio. You might not recognize the name, but you've definitely tasted their work—in buns and muffins at McDonald’s, Starbucks, and more. Under Trina’s bold leadership, New Horizons has grown from 185 employees to over 700, while building a powerful legacy of diversity, inclusion, and family values. Watch this episode of MAGNET's video series Make It: Frank Conversations on the future of Manufacturing below or watch the full series here: https://lnkd.in/eeksJYR9

Meet Frank 'Sully' Sullivan, CEO of DayGlo Color Corp, one of Cleveland’s most iconic companies. Founded in the 1930s by two brothers who invented fluorescent pigments, it has grown into the global leader in daylight fluorescent color—showing up in everything from toys and fashion to industrial coatings and military applications. In this episode of Make It: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing, Sully shares what it really takes to lead a legacy company into the future as a millennial CEO. From shifting culture to radical transparency to “cranking the machines to 11,” he’s tackling transformation head-on—and showing what modern manufacturing leadership looks like in action. Watch the episode below or the series here: https://lnkd.in/eeksJYR9