Radius Indiana Strengthens Manufacturing Workforce Efforts; Chris May joins the Radius team May 18

BEDFORD, Ind. (May 19, 2020) — Radius Indiana welcomes Chris May as the director of Manufacturing and Workforce Services. The newly created position supports the organization’s increased efforts in workforce retention and attraction, which is a key focus of its 2019 strategic plan.

May is set to begin at Radius May 18 and brings more than 25 years of experience in the manufacturing sector. He will help administer programs that promote collaboration among existing manufacturers and affiliate businesses as well as work to build workforce capacity for potential new employers looking to establish operations in the region. May also will work with local economic development leaders to develop a regional business expansion and retention program.

Duties for the position include facilitating a regional wage and benefit survey to capture regionally accurate information about labor costs; working with Vincennes University, Jasper, to establish and support a Catapult training program to upskill workers for the manufacturing workforce; coordinating with the Indiana Construction Roundtable Foundation to establish the “Build Yourself” training program to help increase the available workforce in the construction trades; working with the local community corrections departments to develop opportunities for the justice-involved population to participate in workforce training programs.

“Radius Indiana is looking forward to Chris becoming part of the team,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle. “He brings his long employment history in the manufacturing sector and an understanding of the dynamics and forces at work facing the industry. And, as a lifelong resident of Lawrence County, Chris has an inherent understanding of our region’s challenges as well as its potential. Last year, Radius made a renewed commitment to workforce retention and attraction and there are now many promising programs already underway or nearly ready to launch. Along with the work being done by our strong regional partners who share our commitment to workforce development, we are enthusiastic about building a pipeline of skilled workers.”

May has spent more than two decades working in and around the manufacturing industry. His experience includes management, engineer and design positions with Ford Motor Company, Cook, General Motors, OTIS Elevator and Whitney Tool Company. May also served as a three-term Lawrence County Commissioner and is in his second term as State Representative for House District 65. He has served on several boards including the Lawrence County Solid Waste Management District, Dunn Memorial Hospital, Lawrence County Economic Growth Council, and Lawrence County Redevelopment Commission. May is a graduate of Vincennes University with a degree in Industrial Design Technology.

“I am excited to join Radius, the team there has already done so much to help the region and I hope to work toward even more success,” said May. “I am passionate about manufacturing and realize its significant impact on the regional economy. I know that we have a lot of talent in the eight counties and by increasing collaboration, we can reach our full potential. I am committed to finding new partnerships and building up the programs already seeing momentum like the Catapult program for upskilling at Vincennes University, Jasper Campus.”

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ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of Southwest Central Indiana to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.