DRMA is pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has awarded Honorary Membership to Don Clouser and Jerry Kronenberger in recognition of their contributions and dedication both to the DRMA and to the Dayton Region’s manufacturing community.
Honorary Membership is DRMA’s highest award. Candidates must have been employed by member companies for at least 10 years, in the manufacturing industry for at least 15 years, and provided outstanding service to both the manufacturing industry and the DRMA. Honorary Memberships are a dues-free and a life-long award.
Donald Clouser
In 1992, Don Clouser graduated from Miami University with a BS in Business Management and a minor in Purchasing and Operations. However, he graduated without a job, taking what initially was a summer position with his father’s company Metwood Industries while submitting resumes. Discovering that he really enjoyed machining, Don decided to remain at Metwood, learning CNC programming and machine operation on-the-job, plus taking machining classes at Sinclair Community College. The skills Don learned at Metwood plus his degree in business management guided him through a successful career in manufacturing. He remained at Metwood for nine years, with subsequent roles at RPG Industries, Staub Manufacturing and 13 years at Champion GSE.
Throughout his manufacturing career, Don has enjoyed sharing his passion for manufacturing, encouraging people to become a part of this rewarding industry. “We get to add our skills to raw materials to create something of value that didn't exist yesterday.” Don feels the success of the Dayton Region lies in growing and training a robust workforce and/or investing more in advanced technology. Both are needed to expand the Dayton Region's production capacity.
Don has been an active member in the DRMA for most of his career, serving in various committees, a member of the Board of Trustees, and as Board Chair in 2019. He plans on furthering his involvement as an Honorary Member, contributing in recruitment and workforce development.
Jerry Kronenberger
Jerry Kronenberger has served the Dayton manufacturing community for 49 years. Earning his Associates Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Sinclair Community College, he began his career in industrial distribution at Dills Supply in 1974, where he learned every aspect of distribution from warehouse management, to inside and outside sales. After 13 years at Dills, Jerry spent the next five years as an application engineer at Seco Carboloy, a manufacturer of carbide indexable cutting tools. At Seco he worked closely with customers providing technical support to end users, plus training and support to his Seco distributors. After five years with Seco, Jerry returned to distribution, enjoying a 29-year career at Dayton Supply and Tool/Motion Industries, where he served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing and company President.
Looking back at his career, Jerry is most proud of his contributions to customers’ productivity, i.e. reducing cycle times, solving problems, and increasing tool life. He points out, “Process improvements and attention to productivity make the Dayton Region more competitive.”
Jerry has been involved in the DRMA since the yearly 2000s, serving in various committees, such as AMTS, Workforce Development, and Battle Bots, a robotic program aimed promoting an interest in manufacturing in young students. Jerry also had a leadership role in the association as a member of the Board of Trustees, and as Board Chair in 2009. He plans on continuing his involvement with the DRMA as an Honorary Member.