Celebrating Mieka Matthews and the impact she has made at Manufacturing Renaissance!
As Mieka moves on to her next chapter, we want to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the incredible contributions she has made to Manufacturing Renaissance over the past 10+ years, including the past two years as our Program Director of Career Pathway Services. Mieka brought thoughtful leadership, a genuine commitment to young people, […]
MR Participates in Senator Willie Preston’s Juneteenth Event
We were honored to participate in the 4th Annual Juneteenth Event with State Senator Willie Preston in the 16th District! The day was filled with unity, culture, entertainment, and an incredible sense of community pride, bringing together nearly 3,000 residents, families, friends, and community partners. Check out the recap: https://vimeo.com/1203978601 It was a privilege […]
Welcome MR’s New Executive Director, Pauline Lake
After nearly 17 incredible years of dedication, Erica Swinney Staley is stepping down as Executive Director of Manufacturing Renaissance. Starting as a program coordinator, Erica worked tirelessly to advance MR’s mission, championing manufacturing as a transformative force for equitable community development. Under her leadership, MR expanded its impact and deepened its commitment to education and […]
Onward & Upwards! Erica Staley Passes the Baton at MR
Dear Colleagues, after some months of reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to explore the next chapter of my career. My last day as Executive Director of MR will be November 30, 2024. I’m leaving MR in exceptional hands! I’m thrilled to share that the Board has appointed Pauline Lake as Acting Executive Director, effective December […]
Success Story: Jarvis is Ready for What’s Next
Jarvis joined our March 2024 YMA cohort with a profound sense of motivation and a pressing need for direction, coaching, and job placement. Initially uncertain about his abilities due to a history of hopping between jobs, he sought consistency and stability. Through dedicated career exploration and personalized mentorship, Jarvis gradually gained confidence and found clarity […]
Manufacturing Succession Solutions: A Proactive Approach to Inclusive Industrial Retention
March 26, 2024 – Manufacturing Renaissance, League of Black Women, Ravinia Capital, and MxD hosted an event to raise awareness and raise funding to support the Manufacturing Succession Solutions (MSS) project. MSS is not a new idea, but its a new initiative to build up the programmatic infrastructure needed to engage and provide services to […]
MR On Industry Week Panel – Building a Diverse Workforce in Manufacturing
Leaders of two respected manufacturing workforce organizations—Chicago’s Manufacturing Renaissance and Cleveland’s Manufacturing Works—joined Production Pulse host Jennifer Ramsay last week for a discussion of the value of building a workforce pipeline in underserved communities. They were joined by Jordan Hooser, the 2016 valedictorian of Max Hayes High School in Cleveland and a Marine Corp. veteran. Hooser recently […]
Chicagoland Manufacturing Renaissance Council 2023 Highlights
Since January, the MR team has been working with our CMRC Co-Chairs, Jim Piper of Matot, and Michael Moriarty of the Chicago Teachers Union Foundation to develop and lead on an agenda to promote manufacturing as a tool for social inclusion and community development. Formed in 2005, the CMRC is a regional, multi-stakeholder coalition of […]
Career Pathway Services 2023 Highlights
This year, Manufacturing Renaissance has provided training, work-readiness, work experience and placement services to 71 high school youth and young adults across Chicago’s West and South sides through our Manufacturing Connect (MC) and Young Manufacturers Association (YMA) training programs. We improved our program design and resumed in-person training, partnered with a mix of schools and […]
Building Awareness and Community Around Ownership Opportunities in Manufacturing
Tuesday, November 28, 2023 – Manufacturing Renaissance, Ravinia Capital, League of Black Women and Bryan Cave Leighton Pasner co-hosted an inspiring and informational presentation, panel and networking event about the opportunities and challenges in ownership succession in manufacturing. A diverse group of about 80 attendees participated in the event, including entrepreneurs, investors and individuals representing […]