Re-Energize Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders, we are expected to always be “on.” This is a challenging task to accomplish and yet, we know we owe it to our...
READ MORERe-Energize Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders, we are expected to always be “on.” This is a challenging task to accomplish and yet, we know we owe it to our...
READ MOREStart with Gratitude Randy Wolken, President & CEO Next week, we celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation. It is an appropriate time to pause and reflect on what to be grateful for. This...
READ MOREManufacturing Competitiveness Policies Needed from Our Nation’s Leaders Randy Wolken, President & CEO With a new administration and Congress in D.C., MACNY believes in the importance of effective policies to...
READ MOREGovernance Needs to Replace Campaigning Randy Wolken, President & CEO The events of the past few months have demonstrated to me, once again, the importance of our democracy. As a former...
READ MOREManufacturing Growth Needs Realistic Energy Approaches Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturing is under-appreciated in New York State. Why is this? One of the main reasons is there’s a negative...
READ MOREWe Need to Focus on Supporting Manufacturing Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO This year’s federal and state elections offer an opportunity for all of us to be heard. Specifically,...
READ MOREEnergy Transition Is Needed But Presents Many Challenges Randy Wolken, President & CEO The global energy transition is still in its infancy, with fossil fuels being the predominant source of...
READ MOREImmediate R&D Tax Expensing For Manufacturers Must Be Restored Randy Wolken, President & CEO For more than two years, manufacturers have been unable to deduct their research and development (R&D)...
READ MOREPorts Strike Averted That Would Have Hurt Manufacturers Randy Wolken, President & CEO U.S. dockworkers agreed to return to work after port operators sweetened their contract offer, ending a three-day...
READ MOREWorker Skills And Autonomy Set To Grow Rapidly Randy Wolken, President & CEO How do you plan in a world that is becoming increasingly complex? Often, the counterintuitive answer is...
READ MOREIncreasing Industrial Productivity Randy Wolken, President & CEO Over the years, technologies promise to transform industrial production, especially including AI most recently. However, organizations must still figure out how to...
READ MOREImmigration Is Remaking The U.S. Workforce Randy Wolken, President & CEO A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article analyzed how an unprecedented surge of illegal migrants has remade the composition...
READ MOREBuild Your Future Workforce Randy Wolken, President &CEO Recently, MACNY received a $6 million US DOL grant to assist manufacturers in hiring and training 800 Registered Apprentices over the next...
READ MOREReimagine Talent and Upskilling Randy Wolken, President & CEO AI’s impact on talent and the skills needed for the future is massive. The technology’s potential to accelerate automation and transform operating models...
READ MOREManufacturing Month 2024 Randy Wolken, President & CEO It may still be August, but it’s never too early to remind you that October is Manufacturing Month! Preparations are well underway...
READ MORENew Nuclear Power Is Needed to Meet Climate Goals - And Grow A Modern Economy Randy Wolken, President & CEO Last week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that New York State...
READ MOREReshoring and Direct Foreign Investments Drive Job Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO Reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) have increased job announcements in the last few years and continued...
READ MORETechnology Or Talent - Which Is More Vital? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders today are grappling with just how important talent and technology are to their organizations’ success. So,...
READ MOREFocus On Growing Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO Elections offer an opportunity for manufacturers and their supporters to be heard. Specifically, federal and state elections provide a unique opportunity...
READ MORENew Strategies – To Include Registered Apprenticeships – Are Needed To Fill Skills Gaps Randy Wolken, President & CEO MACNY members continue to tell me how increasingly difficult it is...
READ MOREFederal Tax Policy Is Crucial For Manufacturers' Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO A pro-manufacturing tax policy is vital to keeping U.S. manufacturers competitive. We need all candidates to commit...
READ MOREFreedom Randy Wolken, President & CEO We have so much to be grateful for during this Independence Day week. At the same time, we also have much to continue working...
READ MOREManufacturing Remains The Number One Target Randy Wolken, President & CEO For the third year in a row, the IBM X-Force Threat Intelligence Report ranked manufacturing as the most-attacked industry by...
READ MOREWhen Do You Re-energize? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are expected to always be “on.” This is a challenging task to accomplish. And yet, we know we owe it...
READ MOREAI and Manufacturers Working Together Randy Wolken, President & CEO Rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) have changed the workspace and job outlook for manufacturing. The key to success will...
READ MORESupply Chain Changes Coming More Quickly Randy Wolken, President & CEO The pace of disruption to global supply chains has quickened over the last decade. From the pandemic to numerous...
READ MOREIs China Winning The Global Minerals War? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The U.S. and its allies have been attempting to loosen China's grip on minerals critical to defense and...
READ MOREOur Exciting Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO Yesterday, we celebrated MACNY’s 111th Annual Celebration of Manufacturing. MACNY has been serving manufacturers for well over a century. Our team could...
READ MORETariffs, Trade, And Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, the White House announced an increase in tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to around 100%. Beyond raising tariffs on electric vehicles,...
READ MOREThe Future of Manufacturing and AI Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently released its first-of-a-kind report on how artificial intelligence (AI) allows manufacturers to...
READ MOREManufacturing Investments Will Change New York Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturing investments will change New York State. Last week, President Biden once again traveled to Syracuse to announce the...
READ MORECan You Be Zero? Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader, are you willing to be zero? When you are in a conversation, can you just be completely present...
READ MOREThe Leader’s Challenge Randy Wolken, President & CEO Being a leader within and of an organization has never been more challenging. The pace of change is breathtaking, and it will...
READ MORENAM Talent Study Indicates Manufacturing Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently released its annual talent study, highlighting that manufacturing growth is likely to increase...
READ MOREEffective Leaders Are Influencers Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all have our favorite leaders. They demonstrate they have influence well beyond their official positions. They are persuasive and get...
READ MORESimple Pleasures of Life Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world is throwing a lot at us each day. I witness and write about fast-paced changes locally and in our...
READ MOREWho Are You As A Leader? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders are all different – just like people. Leaders must develop their unique leadership approach. It is vitally important...
READ MOREWork Has Changed Randy Wolken, President & CEO In many ways, today's labor market appears similar to what we experienced before the pandemic. The unemployment rate remains low, the share...
READ MOREAdvocating for New York State Manufacturers Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday of last week, MACNY and our Manufacturers Alliance partners from throughout New York State advocated in Albany...
READ MOREIs A Conflict In Asia Inevitable? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Many believe that it is just a matter of time before China invades Taiwan. For decades, China has made...
READ MOREManufacturing Advocacy Day In Albany Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday, February 28th, MACNY and our Manufacturers Alliance partners will travel to Albany to advocate for critical policies to...
READ MORENew EPA Air Standard Hurts Manufacturers Randy Wolken, President & CEO The EPA has introduced a significantly stricter National Ambient Air Quality Standard for fine particulate matter by lowering the...
READ MOREYour Cybersecurity Risks Grow Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturers are increasingly under cyber attack. As we begin a new year, we look back at a growing record for manufacturing...
READ MORECourage Is Required Randy Wolken, President & CEO Times remain uncertain. The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, along with heightened tensions in Asia, remain. Although recession fears have receded, we...
READ MOREGlobal Geopolitical Instability Remains A Large Threat Randy Wolken, President & CEO Many things can impact economic growth. The most significant threat identified by CEOs for 2024 is geopolitical instability....
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturers Need R&D Tax Deductibility Legislation Now Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron...
READ MOREWhat Does a Chief Operations Officer Do Today? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Many organizations have a Chief Operations Officer (COO). However, not all do. Increasingly, companies are hiring COOs...
READ MORE2024 Manufacturing Outlook Randy Wolken, President & CEO What will 2024 look like for manufacturers? This is a key question MACNY members are asking as we enter the new year....
READ MOREHappy New Year From MACNY! Randy Wolken, President & CEO 2024 promises challenge, change, and growth. Our national economy is gaining strength and should continue to grow. New technology and...
READ MOREThis Is A Season To Be Kind Randy Wolken, President & CEO This time of year, many of us take time off to celebrate with family and friends. It can...
READ MOREResilience Strategies of Manufacturers and Tech Companies Randy Wolken, President & CEO A recent McKinsey Global Resilience Survey of over 300 senior leaders indicates how companies respond to the current economic...
READ MOREHolistic Health Focus At Work Randy Wolken, President & CEO As adults, we spend the majority of our life at work. Which means that employers have a unique opportunity to...
READ MORERevise Damaging Tax Code Changes Randy Wolken, President & CEO MACNY joins the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and over 1,300 associations and businesses representing manufacturers of all sizes this...
READ MORECelebrate Success Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our lives can become grinding. Day after day of hard work and effort can take its toll. One antidote to fatigue and decreased...
READ MOREIncreasingly Divided Global Economy Randy Wolken, President & CEO Over the past five years, much has changed. For decades, the U.S. and Western economies attempted to make China a partner...
READ MOREHow Will AI Change Work? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Artificial Intelligence (AI) is incrementally changing our lives. Daily, our tech is transitioning to AI applications on our smartphones, in...
READ MOREImpact of Federal Regulations Grows Even Larger Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has recently released an impact study on the multitude of federal regulations...
READ MOREUpstate Gains Two Federally Funded Tech Hubs Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, President Joe Biden announced the designation of 31 tech hubs throughout the country. This includes two...
READ MOREAI Is Changing Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO Artificial intelligence (AI) is a major buzzword right now, but what does that mean for the manufacturing industry? AI-enhanced manufacturing is...
READ MORENationally, Most Manufacturers Remain Positive In Their Outlook Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) released the results of its 3rd quarter 2023 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey...
READ MOREManufacturing Days 2023 Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a collective team, MACNY and Partners for Education & Business, Inc. (PEB) focus on achieving three goals throughout the year: Creating...
READ MORENYS Manufacturing Conditions Improve In September Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturers have indicated that they are growing. The economic landscape remains challenging, but members are responding. This appears to...
READ MOREYour World Continues To Change Randy Wolken, President & CEO With each passing day, nearly everything continues to change. Our economy, U.S. manufacturing, our communities, our country, and the world....
READ MOREFall Launch Randy Wolken, President & CEO In Upstate New York, we do love our summers. The weather turns warm, school is out, and we can enjoy more extended daylight....
READ MOREBurnout Is A Real Workforce Challenge Randy Wolken, President & CEO I’m willing to guess that you've experienced feelings of burnout recently, or at least at some point in your...
READ MOREAre You Leveraging Your Team’s Strengths? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We want our team members to operate in their areas of strength. When this happens, everyone wins. We win...
READ MORE15 Tech Trends Shaping The Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO Technology is changing everything in our work and home lives. We see this among our MACNY members as we...
READ MOREManufacturing Is Changing Fast Randy Wolken, President & CEO All of us are navigating in a less predictable, increasingly complex, and rapidly changing operating environment. Technological innovation is accelerating and...
READ MOREMACNY In The Months Ahead Randy Wolken, President & CEO Summer has arrived and is mostly gone. However, I am looking forward to seeing so many members at our Annual...
READ MORECautious Optimism About The Economy Randy Wolken, President & CEO So far, the recession has failed to materialize, and inflation shows signs of weakening. With this, manufacturers and businesses grow...
READ MOREGlobal Economic Optimism Grows Randy Wolken, President & CEO For the first time in more than a year, global executives are more positive than negative about conditions in the economy. In...
READ MOREReshoring And Nearshoring Accelerate Randy Wolken, President & CEO Last year the predicted trends of reshoring and nearshoring materialized. Reshoring and direct foreign investments related to manufacturing job announcements continued...
READ MORESummer Reset And Prep for Fall Launch Randy Wolken, President & CEO In Upstate New York, we certainly love our summers. The weather turns warm, school is out, and we...
READ MOREA Fourth of July Remembrance Randy Wolken, President & CEO We live in unique times. We will have much to be grateful for during this Independence Day week. We will...
READ MORETaylor Hodge Rejoins MACNY as Director of Partners for Education & Business, Inc. Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are excited to welcome Taylor Hodge back to the team as...
READ MOREMACNY Is Growing – And Helping Your Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are pleased to welcome Kyle Pipes to the team as the Chief Growth & Development Officer...
READ MORERecent NAM Survey Affirms MACNY/PEB Efforts Randy Wolken, President & CEO The number one need of our MACNY members in the manufacturing and technology sectors is a skilled workforce. There...
READ MOREWhat Do Workers Want Now? Randy Wolken, President & CEO As the economy continues to recover, workers are on the sidelines are considering returning to work. The unemployment rate has...
READ MOREExporting Is Often Key To Company Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO Exporting can be a profitable undertaking for manufacturing businesses of all sizes. On average, sales grow faster, more...
READ MOREManufacturers Need to Participate in Cap-and-Invest Stakeholder Session Randy Wolken, President & CEO The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy Research and Development...
READ MORENew EPA Regulations Threaten ‘Made In The USA’ Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently, the EPA has proposed imposing highly restrictive air regulations that would hurt existing manufacturing facilities and jeopardize...
READ MORENYS Manufacturing Positioned For An Exciting Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week we celebrated our 110th Annual Dinner. Nearly 500 individuals joined us. We have been serving manufacturers...
READ MOREManufacturing in New York is World Class Randy Wolken, President & CEO I am often asked to assess the manufacturing climate in the Upstate region and New York State as...
READ MOREManufacturing Resurgence in New York Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturing is underappreciated in New York State. Why is this? One of the main reasons is the negative perception of...
READ MORENYS Manufacturers Report Increased Business Activity Randy Wolken, President & CEO The Federal Reserve Bank of Buffalo reported the results of its survey of manufacturers for April. It contains good...
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturing Construction Highest Ever Randy Wolken, President & CEO Construction spending related to manufacturing reached $108 billion in 2022. According to Census Bureau data, this was the highest annual...
READ MOREManufacturers Are Today's Top Cybersecurity Target Randy Wolken, President & CEO On March 31st, MACNY held its second annual Cybersecurity Conference. Members and experts discussed the current threats, evolving attacks,...
READ MOREMajority of Manufacturers Remain Positive Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently released its 2023 First Quarter Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, which indicates that manufacturers have...
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturers Need R&D Tax Deductibility To Be Globally Competitive Randy Wolken, President & CEO On March 17th, a bipartisan Senate bill was introduced into legislation that would allow businesses...
READ MOREWomen In Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO Female employment in manufacturing reached its height this year, with a total of 3.77 million workers, according to the National Association of...
READ MOREManufacturers Need Permitting Reform Randy Wolken, President & CEO New York's success depends on a robust and competitive manufacturing industry. Some of the biggest obstacles preventing manufacturers from reaching their...
READ MOREManufacturing Advocacy Day In Albany Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday, MACNY and our Manufacturers Alliance partners traveled to Albany to advocate for critical policies to grow manufacturing in...
READ MOREGratitude And Joy Randy Wolken, President & CEO One of the most surprising life lessons for me as a leader is that gratitude and joy help individuals and organizations find...
READ MOREAdapt To Continuous Change Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world around us is constantly changing. And the world is changing faster and faster each day. Do you have a...
READ MORETop Manufacturing Trends for 2023 Randy Wolken, President & CEO In January, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) released its Top 8 Manufacturing Trends for 2023. It is a guide to...
READ MOREGovernor Hochul Delivers Budget Address Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her Budget Address. She offered an array of initiatives to help New York move...
READ MOREAre You Ready To Shift Your Paradigm? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are comfortable with our current worldviews. They are often called our paradigm. It means that we see...
READ MOREManufacturing Facing Near-Term Headwinds – And Long-Term Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The Empire State Manufacturing Survey for January was released this week. Its findings correlate with my discussions...
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturers Want Elected Leaders To Focus On Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently published their Fourth Quarter 2022 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey showing...
READ MOREBuilding The Manufacturing Workforce of The Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO A significant skills gap presently exists in many industries, including manufacturing. The future will only bring even more...
READ MORENew Year’s Resolutions Randy Wolken, President & CEO Each year, millions of Americans make resolutions for the new year. Only eight percent are kept. In fact, eighty percent of New...
READ MOREBe Vulnerable Randy Wolken, President & CEO Being vulnerable is often the last thing we want to be. As an individual performer, team member, or leader, being vulnerable seems like...
READ MORELeaders Must Give Hope Randy Wolken, President & CEO Many call this the season of hope. And leaders must be primary givers of hope. In today’s world, filled with plenty...
READ MOREManufacturing Cybersecurity Risks Grow Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturers are increasingly under cyber attack. As we near the end of 2022, we look back at one of the worst...
READ MOREManufacturing Technology And Its Impact On Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has launched the Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC) to bring together business leaders...
READ MORENational Apprenticeship Week Concludes Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, we are taking part in National Apprenticeship Week (NAW). NAW is a nationwide celebration where industry, labor, workforce, education,...
READ MOREWe Need to Focus on Supporting Manufacturing and Business Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO Governor Hochul made history this week as the first woman elected Governor in New York...
READ MOREMACNY And Your Manufacturing Workforce Randy Wolken, President & CEO The workforce needs of MACNY members have never been greater. We have created and now are growing our efforts to...
READ MOREPresident Biden Visits CNY to Acknowledge Our New Reality Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week marks a landmark achievement. Central New York has attracted the most significant investment...
READ MORERecent Surveys Highlight Challenges Ahead Randy Wolken, President & CEO Two recent surveys highlight the challenges to manufacturers and businesses in the months ahead. First, the Federal Reserve Bank of...
READ MOREHow Will You Recruit and Retain Young Manufacturing Talent? Randy Wolken, President & CEO With the Micron Technology announcement, we now know that Central and Upstate New York will be...
READ MOREHistoric Micron Technology Investment Will Change CNY Randy Wolken, President & CEO The Micron Technology project announced on Tuesday will undoubtedly be transformative for the Central New York Community, New...
READ MOREManufacturers Feeling The Impacts Of Inflation And Supply Chain Challenges Randy Wolken, President & CEO Economic headwinds are being felt by New York State (NYS) manufacturers and throughout the U.S....
READ MOREHave You Noticed A Need For New Leadership Qualities? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The pandemic has changed a lot in our lives. This seems to also be true of...
READ MOREConsumers' Perceptions and Our Economy Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Monday, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that American consumers expect notable future inflation-level declines. This decline...
READ MOREManufacturing Month 2022 Randy Wolken, President & CEO Together, the MACNY and Partners for Education and Business (PEB) team is focused on three goals throughout the year: creating excitement for...
READ MOREStrategic Courage Is Needed Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are in uncertain times. We are emerging from the early phase of the COVID pandemic. However, the Omicron variant is...
READ MORESummer Reset and Fall Launch Randy Wolken, President & CEO In Upstate New York, we love our summers. The weather turns warm, school is out, and we can enjoy more...
READ MOREAre You Prepared For What's Next? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are over two years past the dramatic worldwide spread of COVID-19. However, COVID has not left us, and...
READ MOREAs Summer Comes To A Close, Leaders In Washington Act Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently, two significant actions took place with our federal leaders. First, President Biden signed the...
READ MORECHIPS and Science Act Offers Historic Opportunities Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week I joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for a press conference regarding the passage of...
READ MORECHIPS And Science Act of 2022 Moves Forward Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week the U.S. Senate approved a $280 billion bill supporting the semiconductor industry. It also moved...
READ MOREWill We Have A Recession? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The economic question of the day is whether or not we will have a recession. It’s best to start with...
READ MOREManufacturers Remain Resilient Randy Wolken, President & CEO The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) recently released its 2022 Second Quarter Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, which indicates that manufacturers have significant concerns...
READ MOREMACNY’s Comments On The Climate Action Council’s Draft Scoping Plan Randy Wolken, President & CEO On behalf of our members, MACNY offered the following comments on the Climate Action Council’s...
READ MOREGrow Your Business Through Exports Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturers are built to export their products anywhere in the world. If your company is not increasing the amount it...
READ MOREManufacturing And The Looming Recession (Part 2 of 2) Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you assume we are going to experience a recession, then being able to navigate through...
READ MOREManufacturing And The Looming Recession (Part 1 of 2) Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s becoming more likely that we will experience a recession. High inflation, increasing energy prices, and...
READ MORENYS Legislative Session Ends Randy Wolken, President & CEO Last weekend, the New York State Legislature completed its annual legislative session with a flurry of activity. Like we do every...
READ MORESupply Chain Disruption Planning Randy Wolken, President & CEO Supply chains remain strained and a worry for so many industries and companies. Planning for significant disruptions and having a plan...
READ MOREMACNY And The End Of The NYS Legislative Session Randy Wolken, President & CEO MACNY seeks to educate legislators and the Administration on where our members stand concerning critical bills...
READ MORENational Leaders Must Act Quickly To Strengthen Manufacturing And Supply Chains Randy Wolken, President & CEO I hear from business leaders about their various supply chain challenges every single day—including...
READ MOREMACNY Positioned For An Exciting Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week we celebrated MACNY’s 109th Annual Dinner. We have been serving manufacturers for over a century. I could...
READ MOREThe United States Needs To Regain Competitive Edge In Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO We have seen the impact of letting key manufacturing industries leave our shores. It has...
READ MOREClimate Scoping Plan Must Protect Our Economy as Well as Our Environment Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Tuesday, I presented oral testimony on the Climate Action Council Draft Scoping...
READ MOREClimate Action Council Testimony Randy Wolken, President & CEO Next Tuesday is the Syracuse Region Climate Action Testimony session. This is just one of many hearings to be held across...
READ MOREWhat Are The Best Strategies For Enticing Workers Back? Randy Wolken, President & CEO As the economy continues to recover, workers on the sidelines are considering returning to work. The...
READ MOREWhy Did Employees Leave – And What Got Them To Return? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do you know what caused your employees to leave? And more importantly, do you...
READ MOREChange And Labor Shortages Will Continue Randy Wolken, President & CEO As hard as it is to hear, labor shortages in manufacturing and tech will persist. Labor shortages in all...
READ MORERussia Has Declared Cyber War On Your Business – What Will You Do? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Immediately after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Russia massively increased its...
READ MORETax Parity Changes Game for New York Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week the NYS Assembly's One-House Budget Proposal included tax parity for manufacturers in New York State....
READ MOREWe Need Your Voice For NYS Manufacturing Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO As the manufacturing economy continues to recover, we are presented with the opportunity to support manufacturing growth...
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturing In A New Cold War World Randy Wolken, President & CEO Some might not remember a time when the world watched and waited while the superpowers, the U.S....
READ MORERussia Invades The Ukraine - And Threatens Our Economic Vitality Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world is a dangerous place and the events of this week have reminded us...
READ MORECongress Needs to Complete US Competitiveness Legislation Randy Wolken, President & CEO The House of Representatives recently passed the America COMPETES Act which was created to boost US competitiveness. Last...
READ MOREThe Post-Pandemic Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s now time to develop your post-pandemic future! Why now? Because the COVID-19 Crisis, although not over yet, has created a radically...
READ MOREWe Need Congress To Act Now And Invest In Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO The America COMPETES Act was recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This federal...
READ MOREIt's Time To Improve Problem Solving Randy Wolken, President & CEO Problem-solving is at the heart of good leadership, team performance, and profitability. Problem solvers – and their products and...
READ MORENew York Needs To Invest In Manufacturing Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The manufacturing economy continues to recover. Now it’s time to secure vital manufacturing and tech sector growth...
READ MOREIt’s Time To Get Involved! Randy Wolken, President & CEO So much has changed in our state and nation. This last year, manufacturers and businesses have been severely challenged with...
READ MOREGovernor Kathy Hochul Delivers Historic State of The State Pledging a New Era for New York Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday, Governor Kathy Hochul stood in the New...
READ MORETime To Take Action On Your Supply Chain Randy Wolken, President & CEO Most of MACNY’s members are being hurt by their supply chain challenges. Unfortunately, I don’t expect those...
READ MOREHigh Taxes Stifle Our Recovery Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our economic recovery continues. Now is the time to aid all industries in growing and building back. As a global...
READ MORESupply Chain Challenges Are Everywhere Randy Wolken, President & CEO Are you feeling the pain from a disrupted supply chain? I bet you are. Most of our members are, and...
READ MOREBipartisan Infrastructure Investment And Apprenticeships Set To Make Us More Competitive Randy Wolken, President & CEO President Biden signed into law a bipartisan and comprehensive $1 trillion infrastructure package with...
READ MOREWhat Can We Do About The Great Resignation? Randy Wolken, President & CEO It's essential to understand what is occurring in our workplaces that are now often permeated with many...
READ MOREWhat's Your Post-Pandemic Vision? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future is created twice. First in our minds and then in the world in which we live. Have you envisioned...
READ MOREChallenges Remain, But Together We Can Overcome Them Randy Wolken, President & CEO As much as we may want to return to our pre-COVID normal, we will not be able...
READ MORESupply Chain Challenges Need To Be Addressed Randy Wolken, President & CEO Manufacturing supply chains are stressed. It is a challenge we must address as a nation. Critical shortages and...
READ MORELeading In An Age of Innovation And Rapid Change Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leading today is meaningfully different from ever before. We are experiencing a time of unprecedented and...
READ MOREChina Is Not Complying With Its Trade Commitments Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai indicated that the United States would reopen talks with China....
READ MOREThis Pandemic Has Changed Everything – To Include Manufacturing Day Randy Wolken, President & CEO Today is Manufacturing Day—an annual opportunity for manufacturers to highlight their work and their employees,...
READ MOREMACNY Stands With Members On Key Legislation In Congress Randy Wolken, President & CEO As US Congress reconvenes this fall, MACNY and the Manufacturers Alliance will work with our allies...
READ MORELook Again—Your World Continues To Change Randy Wolken, President & CEO Over the last 18 months, nearly everything has changed. Our economy, US manufacturing, our communities, our country, and the...
READ MOREThe COVID Threat and The NY HERO Act Randy Wolken, President & CEO The threat of COVID-19 continues to evolve. It is presenting us with even more questions and requiring...
READ MOREManufacturing In New York Has Become World Class Randy Wolken, President & CEO I am often asked to assess the manufacturing climate in the Upstate region and New York State...
READ MORELet Gratitude And Joy Be Your Competitive Advantage Randy Wolken, President & CEO One of the most surprising life lessons for me as a leader is that gratitude and joy...
READ MOREAccept Accelerated Change (Or Get Left behind) Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world around us is constantly accelerating. When the world is changing faster and faster each day, so...
READ MOREWe Will Have a New Governor and New Opportunities Randy Wolken, President & CEO I am excited about the future of manufacturing and technology in New York State. The series...
READ MOREThe COVID Threat Is Still Real But Different Now Randy Wolken, President & CEO COVID-19 has challenged us for over a year now. And today, the threat continues to evolve—presenting...
READ MORENew York State Manufacturing Is Growing Rapidly Randy Wolken, President & CEO Have you seen the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey? If not, you should read it. In July, manufacturing...
READ MOREWhat Does Your Future Look Like? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We intellectually know the future will be different from the past. However, we often struggle with just how different...
READ MOREAre You Celebrating Success? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our lives can become grinding. Day after day of hard work and effort can take its toll. One antidote to fatigue...
READ MORENY HERO Act Randy Wolken, President & CEO The New York State Legislature passed the NY HERO Act (S.1034-B/A.2681-B) and, with a few chapter amendments, was signed by the Governor....
READ MOREU.S. Manufacturing Needs A Restart Randy Wolken, President & CEO Why do so many of us make New Year's Resolutions? What makes January 1 so special? Wouldn't December 1 or...
READ MOREWhat The Great Outdoors Can Do For Us Randy Wolken, President & CEO I recently returned from a family trip to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. It was a magnificent...
READ MOREExcellence and Success Require Collaboration Randy Wolken, President & CEO The biggest myth in the world of success literature is that we can be successful alone. This simply isn’t true....
READ MORENew York State Needs to Refrain from Harming Our Economic Recovery Randy Wolken, President & CEO The New York State Legislative Session will end this week. We have come through...
READ MOREChange Was Inevitable This Past Year - Growth Was Optional Randy Wolken, President & CEO This past year has been a year of rapid, and at times painful, change. So...
READ MOREPost-Pandemic Work Is Different, And You Must Adjust Randy Wolken, President & CEO As we have begun to emerge from the crisis, I have noticed a distinct change in the...
READ MOREVaccinated Freedoms Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week Governor Cuomo announced that New York State would follow the new CDC guidelines for vaccinated people. The CDC issued its research-based...
READ MOREPost-COVID Leadership Is Needed Now Randy Wolken, President & CEO I have dedicated a lot of time to writing and talking about the emerging post-COVID world. I am convinced so...
READ MOREHeroes Need Jobs Too Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently, the New York State Legislature passed the NY HERO Act (S.1034-B/A.2681-B). If signed by the Governor in its current form,...
READ MORENew York State’s Proposed Fee on Carbon Emissions Will Hurt Manufacturers and Our Recovery Randy Wolken, President & CEO In 2020, New York State passed the most aggressive climate protection...
READ MOREThe Post-Pandemic World Is Within Reach, If We Don't Miss The Opportunity Randy Wolken, President & CEO I, like so many, initially thought we would transition quickly through COVID-19. I...
READ MORENavigating The Long Road Ahead Randy Wolken, President & CEO Let's not kid ourselves; when it comes to thriving in a competitive environment, the road ahead for manufacturers is sure...
READ MOREWe Need To Support, Not Hurt, Manufacturers Randy Wolken, President & CEO We have a 2021-22 New York State Budget agreement. Like most budgets, it is a mixed bag. New...
READ MOREVaccinations for Every Adult Offer a Path to a New Normal Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week, New York State announced that vaccinations for all individuals over the age...
READ MOREWhat Does Your Post-Pandemic Future Look Like? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Most of us have been living in our pandemic-altered life for over a year now. As vaccinations become...
READ MOREManufacturers and Technology Companies Will Leave New York State Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are at a delicate time in the recovery of our state economy. With record unemployment,...
READ MOREOptimism Is The Cure Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future remains unclear. As we come through this pandemic, fear and uncertainty can prevent us from taking the necessary steps...
READ MOREWhat We Need Now Is Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO The impacts of COVID-19 on our country have been dramatic. It has challenged us in ways we could not...
READ MOREIt's Time To Prepare For Vaccination Randy Wolken, President & CEO COVID-19 vaccinations are underway in our communities. At-risk populations are receiving their first and second shots. Although it has...
READ MOREIt’s Time To Tackle Our Infrastructure Challenge Randy Wolken, President & CEO The United States has woefully underinvested in our infrastructure for decades. MACNY agrees with the National Association of...
READ MOREDo You Have Thinking Partners? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our work and lives are very complicated—and they become more so with every passing day. This is why we need...
READ MOREOur World Has Been Changed Forever By COVID-19 Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world will never be the same. COVID-19 and the resulting changes will be with us from...
READ MORELet's Buy American! Randy Wolken, President & CEO It's time to get serious about buying American products and services. As we begin to recover, our economic vitality and national security...
READ MOREIt's Time To Get To Work Randy Wolken, President & CEO On Wednesday, I watched the Inauguration with gratitude for the peaceful transition of power. During this challenging time, we...
READ MORENow Is The Time To Create The Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future is always created twice. First, it is created in the mind, and then it must...
READ MOREIt's Time to Refocus on Growing Manufacturing Again Randy Wolken, President & CEO The events of the past few days have demonstrated to me once again the importance of our...
READ MOREOur Recovery Is On The Way – So It Seems Like A Good Time For A Change Randy Wolken, President & CEO When I started sharing a daily thought in...
READ MOREWhat Do Leaders Do With Their Sadness? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Being a leader, at any level, is challenging during a crisis. As a leader for over 30 years,...
READ MOREIt's Time To Invest In Growth Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. It’s normal to not know what...
READ MOREWhat's Next? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do you find yourself asking “what’s next?” more often than before? We seem to be on the verge of emerging into what will...
READ MORECan Everyone Be A Change Leader? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Can you imagine what companies and organizations would be like if everyone could be a change leader? Properly channeled,...
READ MOREWe Must Continue To Operate Safely Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are now in a critical phase of our battle with COVID-19 here in Central New York. As a...
READ MOREWhat's Your Growth Strategy? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The pandemic has taken its toll on so many individuals and organizations. Many have been trying to survive each day the...
READ MOREWhen Will This Pandemic End And What Should We Focus On? Randy Wolken, President & CEO In my role as President & CEO of MACNY and as a member of...
READ MORECommunicate for Success During a Crisis Randy Wolken, President & CEO A crisis requires substantially more communication and different kinds of interactions. Leaders at all levels need to recognize this...
READ MOREWe Need To Stay Focused On Being Safely Open We are now entering a very challenging time in our fight against COVID-19 and its impacts. As much of the United...
READ MOREThe Post-COVID Economy is Resulting in a Deep Divide Between Mid & High Skills and Lower Skills Workers Randy Wolken, President & CEO U.S. workers are emerging from the pandemic...
READ MOREPatience, Perseverance, and the Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO I can be an impatient person. However, it is not when I am at my best. One needs patience to...
READ MOREAre You Prepared for the Post-COVID World? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are less than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. However, so much has changed. And even more...
READ MOREJoin Us to Discuss the Present and Future of Manufacturing Excellence Randy Wolken, President & CEO Next week marks MACNY’s 107th Annual Celebration of Manufacturing. This year we could not...
READ MOREHow Do You Build Resiliency? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Times of stress and rapid change are unique periods. They test our stamina, mental agility, ability to adapt, and our...
READ MOREThe Best Leaders Are Influencers Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all have our favorite leaders who have demonstrated they have influence well beyond their official positions. When they are...
READ MOREThe Need for Workers in Manufacturing Grows Randy Wolken, President & CEO Over the last few weeks, I have seen a noticeable increase in the number of job openings for...
READ MOREManufacturers are Resilient Randy Wolken, President & CEO This crisis has revealed, once again, that manufacturers in New York State are resilient. Most have been open in some capacity despite...
READ MOREDo you know the best way to ride your rollercoaster? Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you are like me, you get to ride the daily rollercoaster of challenges and...
READ MOREGone Fishin' Randy Wolken, President & CEO A popular song of 1951 named Gone Fishin’ sung by Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong filled my mind recently. I was heading out...
READ MOREBe a Friend Randy Wolken, President & CEO Balancing your role as a leader and a friend is one of the hardest things to do as a leader. Senior leaders...
READ MOREOur Reopening Continues Safely Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are now in the fourth and final phase of the CNY Reopening. As a member of the CNY Control Group,...
READ MOREOur Digital, Distance, and Virtual World Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our world has been radically altered. I, for one, miss so much about the world we just left. I...
READ MOREHow Are You Staying Healthy? Randy Wolken, President & CEO The pandemic has inserted an incredible amount of change and stress into our lives. So much change so fast is...
READ MOREA Fourth of July to Remember Randy Wolken, President & CEO We live in unique times. America has not faced a pandemic of this magnitude since 1918. On this Independence...
READ MOREWhat’s Your Plan Now? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Plans need to correspond to the times in which we live. When life changes dramatically on us, we must adjust our...
READ MOREOur Reopening Must Continue Safely Randy Wolken, President & CEO Central New York is now in Phase 3 of Reopening. As a member of the CNY Control Group, I can...
READ MOREIs it Time for a Staycation? Randy Wolken, President & CEO This time of year, in a typical year, most of us start thinking about our summer vacation plans. It’s...
READ MORERespect, Diversity and Manufacturing Randy Wolken, President & CEO Respect, diversity, empathy, and fairness are just some of the words that come to mind when I think of our manufacturing...
READ MORELearn to Enjoy Your New Workday Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you are like most of us, your former ordinary workday was not like it is now, but rather...
READ MOREWhat is in my control? Randy Wolken, President & CEO In times of great uncertainty, it is easy to lose our direction. We cannot rely on our predictive capabilities. The...
READ MOREReopening Our Economy Safely Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week I was appointed to the Central New York Regional Control Room. This is a group working to assist our...
READ MOREManufacturers are Open Safely – and Ready to Spur Our Economic Revival Randy Wolken, President & CEO Essential manufacturers have been open safely since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic....
READ MOREForesight is Needed Now Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders and individuals, we like to know what is coming next. We like to be prepared. Often, we use historical...
READ MORESome Things COVID-19 Has Not Changed Randy Wolken, President & CEO Last week I wrote about things I believe COVID-19 has changed. It is still early, but I offered a...
READ MORECOVID-19 Has Changed Our Work Forever Randy Wolken, President & CEO Work as we know it has been changed, by what some are now calling, The Great Pause. It gave...
READ MOREDuring a Crisis, Leaders Need to Destress Daily Randy Wolken, President & CEO We live in a stress-filled time. COVID-19 has dramatically impacted all of us. It’s a daily rollercoaster....
READ MOREHow does a leader prepare for a crisis? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders have to prepare for a crisis. However, it is one of the toughest events to prepare...
READ MORELeaders Find a Way Forward Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future could be unclear and uncertain for you right now. Your time may be filled with crisis management, fear...
READ MOREHow Do Leaders Respond to Fear? Randy Wolken, President & CEO I went to the grocery store Sunday night and I was astonished by the empty shelves in a place...
READ MORELeaders Help Others Find Their Flow Randy Wolken, President & CEO Finding your flow is critical. Helping others find their flow is how leaders excel at their craft. How do...
READ MOREHave You Heard of the 80/40/10 Rule? Randy Wolken, President & CEO I am always looking for ways to improve. I just discovered a new way to help me get...
READ MORESmall Changes and Transformation Randy Wolken, President & CEO Big ideas and big changes are all the rage today. You can read about it everywhere. However, most sustainable change does...
READ MOREWhat’s Your Leadership Brand? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders are all different – just like people. Leaders must develop their own unique leadership style and approach. This becomes our...
READ MOREWhat Changes Are You Making in 2020? Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you are like most people, you decided to make some changes in 2020. Small or large they...
READ MOREConfidence Through Setbacks Randy Wolken, President & CEO Life comes with obstacles and setbacks. Nothing of significance can be achieved without risk and occasional failure. Show me one successful leader...
READ MORERetreat to Advance Randy Wolken, President & CEO Each year I go on a silent weekend retreat. It’s my annual way to step back, reflect, and rest. I am convinced...
READ MORERest and Work Randy Wolken, President & CEO Is it just me or does everyone seem more tired and stressed than they used to? We have more labor-saving devices than...
READ MORELearn More and Remember More Randy Wolken, President & CEO To thrive today we must learn more and be able to use it effectively in the future. We can learn...
READ MOREDo You Protect Your Most Precious Asset? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We spend a great deal of time and money protecting our assets. We lock up our valuables and...
READ MOREAre You Rushing? Randy Wolken, President & CEO It all seems to move too fast for me. I remember a slower time, a different era. Many days I miss it....
READ MOREThe Best Leaders Give the Greatest Gift to Those They Lead – Their Time. Randy Wolken, President & CEO There is only one resource that is truly used up –...
READ MORENow is a Good Time to Create Your Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO The beginning of a new year is a good time to take stock of where you...
READ MOREWellness, Effectiveness, and Kindness Randy Wolken, President & CEO In 1978, a seemingly straightforward experiment was designed to determine the relationship between high blood cholesterol and heart health in rabbits....
READ MOREGratefulness Randy Wolken, President & CEO During this week of Thanksgiving, it’s a good time to remember to be grateful. But truthfully, we need to do this more than once...
READ MOREAre You Building Resiliency? Randy Wolken, President & CEO You and I will be tested this week. We will. Both you and I know that our best-laid plans will be...
READ MOREGood Leaders Rise Above Stressful Situations As a leader, you will be stressed – frequently, if not daily. I have never been in a leadership role that did not routinely...
READ MOREGood Leaders Don’t Take Themselves Too Seriously Randy Wolken, President & CEO Life is certainly serious. But as a leader, don’t let yourself take it too seriously. During a typical...
READ MOREWellness and Happiness are Important for Leaders Randy Wolken, President & CEO How do leaders handle the stresses of their work? What tools are essential for success? I rank a...
READ MOREWhat is Your Most Valuable Asset? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Think for a minute and identify for yourself what your most valuable asset is as a leader? What did...
READ MOREWhy Hitting Rock Bottom is a Good Thing Randy Wolken, President & CEO Change is so very hard. And yet, it is what we all must be doing all the...
READ MOREThe Present Needs to be About Creating the Future Randy Wolken, President & CEO I am constantly reminded that today is all I really have to work with. As leaders,...
READ MORELeadership is Primarily About Influence Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leadership is not about position. At first, it appears to be. But, over the medium and long term, I have...
READ MORELeaders Let Anxiety Be Their Friend Randy Wolken, President & CEO Anxiety is a natural part of being a leader. Whenever you are involved in high stakes decisions and high...
READ MOREGreat Leaders Make Great Friends Randy Wolken, President & CEO What are the characteristics of a great leader? In my opinion, they are the same as those of a truly...
READ MORERemember Who You Are! Randy Wolken, President & CEO Chaos can envelop us all. The world we live in is 24/7 and often confusing. It is easy to lose who...
READ MOREOur Growth Only Happens with Others Randy Wolken, President & CEO We cannot grow exclusively on our own accord. Times have changed. The world is too complicated and moving too...
READ MOREWho are the Best Hires? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Hiring is one of the most important activities an organization will undertake. In the future, it will only become more...
READ MOREAre You a Risk Taker? Randy Wolken, President & CEO What is your tolerance for risk taking? As leaders, this is an important question for us. In today’s fast-moving world,...
READ MOREWhen Does Your Team Dream the Future? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Staying ahead of the changes occurring in the world today is difficult. It can be a grind and...
READ MOREGood Leaders are People People Randy Wolken, President & CEO You have to be a person focused on people if you are going to be successful as a leader. The...
READ MORELeaders Enhance Dignity Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders need to enhance the dignity of their teams, stakeholders, and customers. Over the past 20 years, we have learned a lot...
READ MORELeadership in Times of Need Randy Wolken, President & CEO I recently had the opportunity to visit Gerald Ford’s Presidential Museum while on vacation with my parents. My Dad and...
READ MOREWant to be Followed? Lead! Randy Wolken, President & CEO I know this sounds incredibly simple, but it certainly is not. Leading is one of the hardest things a person...
READ MOREBe Authentically You Randy Wolken, President & CEO We tend to worry about what others think about us. If we are not careful, we can spend a lot of our...
READ MOREWho Will Help Me Accomplish My Dreams? Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all have dreams. Dreams for how our days, months, and lives will turn out. But how do...
READ MORE24 Hours Randy Wolken, President & CEO “If you tell me what you did today, I will tell you who you are.” I recently read an article titled with this...
READ MOREGood Leaders Lead by Example More Than by Advice Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders, we will be judged more by what we do than by what we say....
READ MOREAchievement Gains and Gaps Randy Wolken, President & CEO When you consider how you are doing, are you evaluating both your achievement gains and gaps? There is a very big...
READ MOREWhen Do You Recharge? Randy Wolken, President & CEO I recharge my electronic devices every night. I plug in my phone, my watch, and my computer. They need that daily...
READ MORE168 Hours Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all get 168 hours each week. Rich, poor, and everyone in between only gets 168 hours. The week is the most useful...
READ MOREHelping Others Thrive Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week at MACNY’s Annual Dinner we celebrated 106 years of service to the manufacturing community. Wow. Over a century of service...
READ MOREToday is the Best Day of the Year Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s really easy to see the hardship and challenges of our lives. It can be discouraging and...
READ MOREDo What You Don’t Know How to Do Randy Wolken, President & CEO When I was young, I was taught to do the things that I knew how to do...
READ MORESuccess and Likability Randy Wolken, President & CEO Likability matters more than almost any other trait in a leader. It’s not that the other parts of a competent leader are...
READ MORESimple Pleasures Randy Wolken, President & CEO The world is throwing a lot at us each day. I witness and write about fast-paced change in a global economy. Life is...
READ MOREYour Toughest Critic Randy Wolken, President & CEO Who is your toughest critic? For most of us, we are our own. Although true, it can have significant impacts on our...
READ MOREWhat do I do when I lose my confidence? Randy Wolken, President & CEO It has happened to all of us at some point. We lose our confidence. We become...
READ MOREIt’s Snowing Again?!? Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s April 1st and as I look out my window it is snowing again. When the snow first comes in the Winter,...
READ MOREHow Do We Stay Creative? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our work can quickly become a grind. Whether our business is growing, holding steady, or losing ground, our work can...
READ MOREHow Big is Our Economy? Randy Wolken, President & CEO Sometimes it is difficult to appreciate the sheer size of both the United States’ and New York’s economy. It is...
READ MORELessons from the Toll Booth Randy Wolken, President & CEO I recently read about a toll road experience that made me stop and think. A commuter noticed that of the...
READ MORELeaders Retain Top Talent Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders, it is our job to help our organizations retain top talent. With the critical shortage of workers in manufacturing,...
READ MORESuccessful Leaders Play the Long Game Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all know leaders who play to win – in the short term. They can be brilliant at it....
READ MORELeaders Stay Calm Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s rather easy to get worked up as a leader. The project is not going as planned. Individuals are not performing as...
READ MORELeadership is a Group Activity Randy Wolken, President & CEO Solo leaders are destined to fail. The stories of solitary successful leaders are myths. Modern business media sources relate how...
READ MORELeaders Remind Themselves Who They Are Randy Wolken, President & CEO I write this message from my hometown of West Point, Nebraska. Some of you may know that I grew...
READ MOREWhat Are You Excited About? Randy Wolken, President & CEO It is so easy to spend our time in worry and fear. It is so easy to see what is...
READ MORECan You Smile Through the Struggles? Randy Wolken, President & CEO I hear it almost every day. I hear of the struggles. They are as varied as the person I...
READ MORELetting Go of the Old Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future beckons us, but to get there we must let go of the old. This is the essence of...
READ MORENew Year’s Resolutions Randy Wolken, President & CEO We have learned a lot about changing human behavior more recently. Much research has been conducted and new information is released daily...
READ MORESkills You Need to Stay Competitive in 2019 Randy Wolken, President & CEO As we move into 2019, it is important to evaluate how competitive our businesses are for the...
READ MOREBe Bold – Be Vulnerable. By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Being vulnerable is usually the last thing we want to be. As an individual performer, team member, or leader,...
READ MORESeason of Light By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Christmas and Holiday Times are seasons of light. Lights are everywhere and present in all the traditional faith celebrations. Light is...
READ MORELaughter is Contagious By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO When your team is together do they laugh? This seems like a silly question for leaders – but it is a...
READ MOREWhen Do You Reset? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Year end is here. For many, it is the end of the fiscal year as well. Inventories are being tallied...
READ MOREDeceptively Different By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO I know today does not feel different than yesterday. However, it is. The speed of change effects every day of our lives...
READ MOREIt All Starts With Gratitude By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO This week we celebrate Thanksgiving as a nation. To me, it seems like an appropriate time to stop and...
READ MOREA Leader’s Real Ability to be Truly Influential By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO A leader’s real ability to be truly influential, is our ability to be influenced. It is...
READ MOREGreat Leaders Make It Personal By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader, everything we do must be tailored to the people we serve and lead. Commodities are not...
READ MORELeaders Must Lead the Change By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently, I have spent a lot of time visiting member companies and working on growth projects in our community. ...
READ MORESmall Habit Changes Can Lead to Big Advances By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO I don’t know about you, but some days it all seems a little overwhelming. The world...
READ MOREAre You Fit to Lead? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO I know this question may sound overly personal, but it is an important one. Are you physically fit to...
READ MOREWhy Are 70% of Employees Not Engaged at Work? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Did you know that according to Gallup, a full 70% of employees are either not...
READ MOREGood Leaders Increase Retention – and Outcomes By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Did you know that 1 out of 2 workers say they left a previous job to escape...
READ MOREA Focus on Customer Experience is How a Company Succeeds Today By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Every industry is being transformed by the expectations of customers. Manufacturing is no...
READ MOREThe Use of Degrees in Hiring is Changing – and it Will Continue By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our members continue to tell me just how hard it is...
READ MOREGreat Leader Behavior Matters – Just Ask Google By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Companies are constantly challenged to perform at their highest level. In today’s fast paced world, we...
READ MORELife is Hard – Be Kind By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader, we will encounter many people today who have serious concerns in their lives. Most will...
READ MOREManage Emotions First By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Good leaders need to have good ideas. They also need to be able to execute on them. This is where managing...
READ MOREGood Leaders Don’t Network By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Networking is all the rage. Open any self-help, business advice book and it will likely tell you to network. Don’t...
READ MOREWhat Does a Leader Do with Their Mistakes? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all make mistakes. We all get it wrong. It is a fact of life. So,...
READ MORETake Scheduled Breaks By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO In today’s hyper-fast and globally competitive world, it is easy to believe we have no time for rest. We must keep...
READ MORESlowness Kills By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We have probably all heard the phrase that “speed kills.” In business, it is slowness that kills. When the world is accelerating,...
READ MOREAre You at Your Best? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Most of what a leader does is witnessed, not heard. We go to meetings. We interact with our teams. ...
READ MORELeadership and Ownership By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Owners just act differently. We take care of what we own so much better than if we rent something. When it...
READ MORELeadership and Digital Distraction By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We live in a connected world. At one point, smartphones were a luxury for leaders and their teams. Now, they...
READ MOREGreat Leaders Focus on Relationships By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO The best leaders I have ever worked with knew how to form and maintain outstanding relationships. Sure, they were...
READ MOREMentors Ask Questions By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Are you a good mentor? Leaders at all levels of an organization need to be and have great mentors. Leadership is...
READ MOREWhat I Learned While Leading a Hot Meal Program for Those in Need By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently our team volunteered at the Samaritan Center, a community-based hot...
READ MORESavor the Special Moments By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Life will usually give us some special moments to savor – don’t miss them. This Father’s Day weekend, I will...
READ MOREIt’s Time to Get Emotional By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you are like me, you were taught that leaders control their emotions. Especially while at the United States...
READ MOREWhy Goal Setting Matters By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Our world is moving fast – to the future. It is a fact of life. How are we to respond? ...
READ MOREIn a World of Technology Growth, It’s Our Humanness That Will Stand Out You will hear me and many others talk about the speed of technology growth. It is a...
READ MOREAre You Making a Difference? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Everyone I know wants to be making a difference – in both small and larger ways. Are you making...
READ MOREWhere Does a Leader Turn for Help? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders need more help than ever. What they are responsible for continues to grow as the environment...
READ MORECulture Trumps Strategy By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Increasingly, an organization’s culture is more important than its strategy. At some level, this was always the case. However, today it...
READ MOREWhat Do Leaders Do When They Are Exhausted? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders get exhausted and run down. Why? They are people too. They have home responsibilities, relationships...
READ MOREManaging Setbacks By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO It is so hard to be a leader today. Really – it is more difficult than ever. Why? We must live with...
READ MOREGet Away to Get Ahead By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do you ever feel like you are caught up? Many I meet do not. The treadmill seems to move...
READ MOREWhen Do You Create the Future? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO The future does not just happen. As a leader, you must actively spend time creating the future –...
READ MORELeaders Are People Too By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Sometimes we can forget that our leaders are people too. They have feelings, concerns, and experiences like everyone else. They...
READ MORELeading Through Adversity By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders are most tested when leading their teams and organizations through adversity. Time and time again I get to see leadership...
READ MOREWhich Moments Do You Remember? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Think back over the last few years. Which moments do you remember? Most of us remember celebrations, hard challenges,...
READ MORELeaders Must Give Hope By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders must be primary givers of hope. In today’s world filled with plenty of things to worry about, we look...
READ MORESmile – It Can Make You More Successful By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Did you know that smiling can make you more successful? I’m here to tell you that...
READ MORESlow Down – to Be Creative By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We are constantly encouraged to move quickly. Moving fast and constantly has become the way we are instructed...
READ MORELeaders Never Go It Alone By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO There is a great myth in most of the leadership stories you read in the popular press. The myth...
READ MOREToday the World is Your Market By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Every manufacturer now has the opportunity to sell to the global market. Small, medium, and large manufacturers are...
READ MOREAre You Changing Daily? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Recently, I spoke to the students of SUNY Morrisville. I briefed them on the economy and what the future holds...
READ MOREHow Do You Do the Impossible? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Doing what seems impossible is a large part of being a leader today. What was once impossible has...
READ MOREWhen and Where Are You Able to Find Quiet? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Are you able to find time to be quiet? If so, where and when do...
READ MOREDo You Know Where You Are? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO In order for you to create your future – and a plan to begin to get there –...
READ MOREDo You Have New Year’s Resolutions? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Each year millions of Americans make a resolution for the new year. Only eight percent are kept. In...
READ MOREWhat Do You Want in 2018? The new year is upon us. Like most, I ask, where did 2017 go? The year went way too fast for me! But, now...
READ MOREAre You Happy? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As we close another year, it is important to take stock of our lives. We need to ask ourselves if we...
READ MOREAre You Making Connections? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders require relationships with others. To lead successfully means you are able to capture the hearts of others and move...
READ MOREAre You a Great Collaborator? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO One of the critical skills for leaders and team members is collaboration. However, in my experience, it is one...
READ MOREAre You Available? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader or team member, are you present and available when the need arises? The speed of business has never...
READ MOREWhat Makes A Great Leader? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all know good leaders. They are everywhere we look. They are at our schools, in our communities, and...
READ MOREAre You Resilient? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader, are you resilient? Do you stay committed to accomplishing the task at-hand despite the obstacles? Do you have...
READ MORELeaders Listen By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Listening has become one of the key skillsets for leaders at all levels of successful businesses today. To be a great leader...
READ MOREA Leader Must Have a Compelling Vision By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO The difference between being a leader and a manager is vision. To truly be a leader you...
READ MOREAre You a Positive Leader? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Being a positive leader in our fast-changing and often chaotic world has become a competitive advantage. It is far...
READ MOREWhat is 21st Century Leadership? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Has leadership changed in this century? Do we need to lead differently than before? These are constant questions I...
READ MOREAre you ready for the future? Well, it’s now! By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO The largest present – and future - workforce is comprised of millennials. However, most organizations...
READ MOREHow Much Time Do You Really Have? By Randy Wolken, President & CEO I hear it nearly every day. People tell me they are “busy,” “overwhelmed,” “running with their hair-on-fire”...
READ MOREHow Much Control Do You Really Have? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We all like to believe we have a lot of control. But, how much do we really...
READ MOREWhen was the last time you admitted you were wrong? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO I had set my morning schedule. I was in Philadelphia and I had left...
READ MOREWhich is more important – technology or talent? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders today are grappling with just how important talent and technology are to their organizations’ success. ...
READ MOREDo You Amplify the Positive? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do you amplify the positive experiences you and your team have? It would serve you well if you did. ...
READ MOREHow Do You Define Leadership? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO How do you define leadership? I define it as a “sacred trust” that I have been gifted with. I...
READ MOREHow Do You Handle Stress? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO How do you handle stress as a leader? The way you do has important consequences for you and your...
READ MOREWhat Does a Leader Do When the Team is Deflated? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What does a leader do when the team is deflated? This is a challenge...
READ MOREWhen Do Leaders Re-energize? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As leaders, we are expected to always be “on.” This is a very difficult task to accomplish. And yet, we...
READ MOREWhen Does It Stop Being Uncomfortable For Leaders? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO When does it stop being uncomfortable for leaders? Never, I am sorry to say. If I...
READ MOREInnovation is Not an Event! By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Innovation is not an event. It is not something that “just happens.” As individuals and organizations known for being...
READ MOREAs a Leader, Are You Free? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We often have an odd definition of freedom. We like to think freedom is the ability to do...
READ MORELeader is a Verb. By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO We often use “leader” or “supervisor” or “boss” as a noun. These words are far too often seen as a...
READ MOREDo You Know What You Don’t Know? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do you know what you don’t know? There seems to be a straight forward answer to this...
READ MOREDo Conversations Still Matter? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Do conversations still matter? With the advances in technology we can communicate with anyone in the world in 140 characters...
READ MOREHow Do Millennials Want to Work? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO In the U.S., there are nearly 73 million millennials. Gallup's report, How Millennials Want to Work and Live,...
READ MOREHow Do Leaders Best Prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO How do leaders best prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution? This is an important...
READ MOREWhat is the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution or Industry 4.0? It is how historians and futurist...
READ MOREHow Well Do I Lead? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO How well do I lead? As leaders, we need to periodically assess how we are leading. But, how do...
READ MOREWhat is the Greatest Roadblock to Individual and Company Success? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What is the greatest roadblock to individual and company success? Is it creativity, great...
READ MOREAre Robots Destined to Take Our Jobs? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Are robots destined to take our jobs? The answer is both yes and no. Not surprisingly, this...
READ MOREWhat Can a Leader Do When Change Occurs Too Fast? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What can a leader do when change occurs too fast? As a leader, we...
READ MOREWould You Work Differently If You Planned to Live to be 100 Years Old? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Would you work differently if you planned to live to...
READ MOREIs Every Job Changing? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Is every job changing? Yes, from what I have seen, it is. And, if every job is changing, we are...
READ MOREHow Good Are You at Leading Change? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO How good are you at leading change? The answer to this question is increasingly important to our...
READ MOREIf You Are Too Busy, Do You Need More Quiet Time? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO If you are too busy, what you may need most is more quiet...
READ MOREWhat is Your Leadership Learning Approach? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Today’s competitive business climate requires that we never stop learning – both as an individual and as an...
READ MOREWhat is the Most Powerful Leadership Question You Can Ask? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What is the most powerful leadership question you can ask? We all want to...
READ MOREWhat Do 21st Century Leaders Need To Do Differently? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO What do 21st Century Leaders need to do differently to be successful? This is a...
READ MOREWhy is it so Difficult to Get Our Teams to Maintain Focus? By: Randy Wolken President & CEO Why is it so difficult to get our teams to maintain focus? ...
READ MOREWhy is "Love" so Looked Down Upon? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Why do leaders shy away from “love” in the work place? Has it gotten too “taboo” to...
READ MORELeaders Must Work with the Whole Person By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Have you ever wondered why change is so hard for us? We all know people, at times...
READ MOREYou Can't Beat Zero By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Sustaining and growing manufacturing is a global competition. Here, in New York State, we need to be doing all we...
READ MOREAs a Leader, Are You Willing to be Zero? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO As a leader, are you willing to be zero? What do I mean by that? ...
READ MOREAs a Leader, Are You Managing Your Energy? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO There is a lot of discussion in organizations around time management. Time is certainly a precious...
READ MOREHow Many Mentors Should a Leader Have? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO There is a lot of talk these days about having mentors. I know of some companies that...
READ MOREAre You Ready to Lead in the 21st Century? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders in this century will need to be different. Why? Because our emerging economy –...
READ MORECan Leaders Actually Create a Happier and More Productive New Year? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO It’s the Holiday Season and we are constantly wishing and hearing others wish...
READ MOREHow Should Leaders Deal with Anxiety? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO These are often anxious times. In a fast-pace world, we can often feel like the future is beyond...
READ MORECan Being Kind Be A Leader's Competitive Advantage? By Randy Wolken, President & CEO In today’s fast-paced, global economy, can kindness be your competitive leadership advantage? I, for one, think...
READ MOREAre You Limiting Potential Growth? By: Randy Wolken, President & CEO Leaders have a primary responsibility to advance the success of their team members and their organizations. They can also...
READ MOREAre You Being Proactive Enough? By: Randy Wolken The question a leader needs to ask themselves every single day of every week is if they are being proactive enough. In...
READ MOREWhen Do You Feed Your Creativity? Randy Wolken, President & CEO When do you take the time to feed your creative side? The daily grind often leaves little space for...
READ MOREFrom the desk of Randy Wolken... President & CEO Weekly thoughts and insights from MACNY's President & CEO, Randy Wolken, designed to inspire and provoke thought among leaders within MACNY's...
READ MOREFrom the desk of Randy Wolken... President & CEO Weekly thoughts and insights from MACNY's President & CEO, Randy Wolken, designed to inspire and provoke thought among leaders within MACNY's...
READ MOREFrom the desk of Randy Wolken... President & CEO Weekly thoughts and insights from MACNY's President & CEO, Randy Wolken, designed to inspire and provoke thought among leaders within MACNY's...
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