Williams served as Youngstown’s mayor from 2006 to 2011. Before joining the U.S. Department of Commerce, he was executive director of the Office of Recovery for Auto Communities and Workers.
Williams said the Dayton region’s response to the auto industry restructuring brought together area stakeholders to create a new vision for the region that included an increased focus on the aerospace industry.
That collaboration, known as the Southwestern Ohio Aerospace Region, was designated in May as one of the first 12 communities that will receive federal funds to attract global companies under the Obama administration’s Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership initiative.
“While you have competitors, you still have at the end of the day a region that is globally recognized for its manufacturing excellence, for its materials processing, for its tooling and machining,” Williams said.
“From a national standpoint, we look at the southwest Ohio region as a model for other communities to position themselves, who have gone through that same decline and restructuring.”
Presented by the Dayton Region Manufacturers Association, the trade show was expected to attract more than 160 exhibitors and 3,500 attendees over two days at the Dayton Airport Expo Center.
“Having the assistant secretary here is another indicator of the strength of manufacturing in the Dayton region,” said Angelia Erbaugh, DRMA president.
Wednesday’s AMTS attendance was 2,311, a 6.2 percent jump from 2,176 first-day attendees last year, said Doug Conrad, the show’s manager.
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