RMI is nominating Acadia Windows & Doors as a Champion of Maryland manufacturing in the category of “Employing an Inclusive Workforce” based on its efforts to seek out a broad diversity of workplace eligible employees to work in manufacturing.  When Acadia Windows & Doors looked to hire new employees, they did something special.  They went to The Arc of the Northern Chesapeake Region whose mission it is to help those with intellectual and physical disabilities.  There, they found Jessica Markle, who is both developmentally disabled and blind, and they hired her to take a job on the production floor.  She became one of the most productive employees at the firm and was featured in TIME magazine in October of 2012. Acadia was recognized as the 2014 Employer of the Year by the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities.

Please consider nominating your champion of Maryland’s manufacturing industry from the following categories:

* Accelerating product or process innovation
* Increasing growth through visionary leadership
* Contributing to their communities
* Creating products that improve our lives
* Creating a positive culture of change management
* Attracting and engaging STEM students to manufacturing
* Employing an inclusive workforce

RMI will celebrate these champions at our signature fall event on November 30 called “A Tribute to Champions of Maryland Manufacturing.”  RMI signature events typically draw over 600 manufacturing stakeholders and provide the premier networking environment for the manufacturing industry.  This event will serve as the launch of RMI’s new “Image Campaign” to help educate policymakers, educators and the media about today’s manufacturing and how it impacts our future economic growth. To register for this dinner celebration, visit our event page at https://rmiofmaryland.com/tribute-to-champions/.