CMMA takes field trip to KAHS

The January CMMA (Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association) meeting was held at Kimball Area High School on Thursday, Jan. 23.

About 60 CMMA members attended a talk by King Banaian, economics professor at St. Cloud State University, about the economic outlook for the manufacturing industry.

KAHS principal Nancy Bonnifield gave CMMA members an overview of Kimball’s CTE (Career and Technical Education) program. CTE includes the fields of Business, FACS, Ag Ed, and Tech Ed (woods and metals). Through the CTE, KAHS has a new “Design Den” which is a makerspace for students to use on school or personal projects. The Design Den is equipped with a sublimation pinter (for printing team shirts in-house), a Cricut for vinyl printing, an embroidery machine, five 3D printers, 3D pens, and a green-screen room for video and audio editing. CTE also includes the first-in-Minnesota state Law Enforcement class taught by School Resource Officer Brian Theisen.

15 students led small groups of CMMA members on a tour through the school, highlighting student opportunities and their personal experiences of how CTE programs at KAHS have helped them with their career aspirations.

About CMMA

The CMMA is “a dynamic and thriving manufacturing trade organization that exists to support and develop manufacturing in Minnesota,” says Tim Zipoy, a founding member of CMMA, Kimball resident, and former Kimball school board member. 

“We focus on workforce development, legislative advocacy, and educating our members on modern manufacturing.” 

CMMA started in 2008, and today they stand with around 250 members. They are growing exponentially.

The organization aims to draw in young workforce members into the manufacturing industry. CMMA wants to dispel the “dark, dirty, and dangerous” stigma often attached to the process of manufacturing. A goal of the association is to show the youth that the industry is now clean, safe, well-lit, and laden with technology. Not only do they want to inspire students to join the manufacturing industry, but CMMA makes it known that there is equal opportunity in the adjacent. “Help in the front of the house, engineering, customer service, products coming in, out, logistics. … You don’t necessarily need to be the biggest character, but it helps to be the smartest,” says Les Engles, the President of CMMA.

CMMA has provided the “tour of manufacturing,” (in fact, they originated it) and, along with their myth-busting, these tours explain the Midwest’s greatest question: “What is going on in that big building?” 

Zipoy is adamant on “Let’s open the doors (to those buildings) and help people understand.” In that light, Styme Industries in Kimball hosted a tour of their operations in conjunction with CMMA on the day of their visit to Kimball Area High School.

“Central Minnesota is very richly blessed with diversity in its manufacturing, metals, woods, plastics, foods, aerospace …” and others. 

At the Zipoy house, sons Ted and Ben were among the original members of Kimball’s Robotics program. CMMA has been a contributing supporter of Kimball Robotics since it began.

CMMA has membership fees based on company size for business and industry; most importantly, all school districts are free. 

CMMA wants to deliver a return on investment for its investors. Manufacturers and interested stakeholders were in the audience Thursday during KAHS principal Nancy Bonnifield’s presentation.

CMMA is supportive of manufacturing in Minnesota, Zipoy cites manufacturers in the area to be proud of: Mike Schultz’s BioDapt, Styme, Green Fox. 

Kimball is “fertile ground for opportunity,” says Tim Zipoy, citing “how far you can go from Kimball with the education and opportunities around S.T.E.M.” In Zipoy’s own home, he has a doctor and two engineers who are products of Kimball. 

“You can go see the world, but come back home to Kimball,” he adds.