The Valley Industrial Association’s Annual Meeting brought together manufacturers, industrial service providers, and partners to connect, learn, and grow. After 123 years, the VIA is still evolving, and this year’s event showed how much momentum is building across the community.
Celebrating the Community
The VIA is a full industrial network of makers, service providers, distributors, and partners. At the event, the VIA celebrated longtime members like Dr. Brian Canettle and Waubonsee Community College, who’ve been part of the group for 25 years.
New Ways to Tell Your Story
Bureau Gravity shared a new way to approach business storytelling using AI and podcasts. Their message was to keep it human. Use tech to support your story, not replace it. They’re working with the VIA to help members turn conversations into meaningful content.
Stronger Engagement, More Value
The VIA is seeing more people join in and come back.
Member feedback directly shaped this year’s new programs:
- AI Conference
- Executive Leadership Forum
- EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Training
- Quality and Operations Roundtable
- AI Conference
- Executive Leadership Forum
- EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Training
- Quality and Operations Roundtable
Core trainings like OSHA, GD&T, and blueprint reading remain essential and well-attended.
Making Innovation Real
Once your vision is clear, the challenge becomes execution. Here’s what comes next:
The VIA’s new “1, 2, 3, Grow” workshop is built for leaders looking to move from ideas to action. It helps participants build momentum and systems that support growth.
The event also introduced a new student partnership with Cpark at Marmaduke Academy, where high school CAD students work on real industry problems using digital simulation tools.
Seats are limited, but interest is growing fast.
The updated benchmarking program is already helping members see how they stack up in key areas like innovation, operations, safety, and culture. Early findings show that smaller companies can compete with larger ones when they focus on the right things.
What to Do Now
Here’s how to plug into what’s next:
- Visit the VIA’s website to learn about the latest events
- Start prepping for Spark Awards in 2026
- Refer a company: new referral perks are now available
- Visit the VIA’s website to learn about the latest events
- Start prepping for Spark Awards in 2026
- Refer a company: new referral perks are now available
Final Thought
The VIA’s Annual Meeting and Member Luncheon was a reminder that this community is growing because its members are active, honest, and willing to share what works. Learn more about the VIA at https://www.valleyindustrialassociation.org/
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