The keynote speaker at Thursday night's Huron Manufacturing Association Awards Night says the association is clearly on the right track in engaging networking as a key to success.
Bren de Leeuw is with the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, a group that started 28 years ago in Owen Sound and is now a national company with members representing all regions of the county and all segments of the economy.
She acknowledged there is an initial reluctance to mix with competitors or businesses in other sectors, but she pointed out the benefits of networking far outweigh any risks and it's amazing how much businesses in different segments have in common.
Leeuw says attracting and retaining employees is one of the biggest challenges for business today and employers have to be willing to adapt their management styles to deal with the fact that the work force today often includes several generations of employees.
Leeuw adds employers also have to be aware of the emerging leaders in their work force so they can coach and mentor them into positions.
The H.M.A.'s Outstanding Associate Member Award went to Progressive Turf Equipment in Seaforth.
A complete list of award winners can be found on the HMA web site.
