---
title: "Geauga County Supply Chain Forum: Lessons in Resilience and Readiness"
description: "More than 40 manufacturers, business leaders, and economic development professionals gathered for the “Trends in Business: Building a Resilient Supply Chain” event, which zeroed in on one of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges: strengthening supply chains to weather today’s disruptions and tomorrow’s unknowns."
---

[ Ohio Manufacturing Blog | MAGNET ](https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/blog)

# [Geauga County Supply Chain Forum: Lessons in Resilience and Readiness](https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/blog/geauga-county-supply-chain-forum-lessons-in-resilience-and-readiness)

 Written by [MAGNET](https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/blog/author/magnet) | May 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM

On April 30, 2025, more than 40 manufacturers, business leaders, and economic development professionals gathered in Middlefield, OH, for a morning of strategy, insight, and regional collaboration. Co-hosted by Geauga Growth Partnership and MAGNET, the “Trends in Business: Building a Resilient Supply Chain” event zeroed in on one of manufacturing’s most pressing challenges: strengthening supply chains to weather today’s disruptions and tomorrow’s unknowns.

Mike O’Donnell, MAGNET’s COO of Consulting, led a panel discussion with supply chain experts from across Northeast Ohio:

- **Ted Bunton**, President, Troy Chemical
- **Dave Sluka**, Director of Strategy, Marketing, and Sales, MAGNET
- **Maria Arraiza-Monteux**, Supply Chain Operational Excellence Leader, MAGNET

Each panelist brought a unique lens to the conversation - spanning chemicals, consulting, and regional infrastructure. Ted Bunton shared how Troy Chemical has embraced local vendor relationships and internal cross-training to reduce risk and improve responsiveness. Dave Sluka discussed MAGNET’s broader strategy to support manufacturers through advisory services, while Maria highlighted key efforts to build a stronger supply chain infrastructure across Northeast Ohio, including tools to assess vulnerabilities and support operational excellence.

Throughout the conversation, panelists noted that when growing a company by making new products, they will likely have to add new suppliers. It is important to qualify these suppliers before contracting with them and make sure they can produce a scorecard to show they can monitor their own performance in terms of delivery and cost. In addition, be clear about the requirements of the product you are purchasing from a new supplier to be sure they have the specifications of what you need. With the volatility in today's demanding supply chain, there is a good advantage to sourcing the materials as locally as possible. 

A consistent message emerged: true resilience comes from visibility, adaptability, and investing in long-term supplier and workforce relationships. The session closed with an interactive Q&A, where attendees raised challenges and shared ideas, reinforcing the power of community-driven problem-solving. 

As Mike O’Donnell noted, “Resilient supply chains don’t happen by accident. They’re the result of proactive planning, shared knowledge, and strong regional partnerships.”

For more resources and upcoming programming, visit [Geauga Growth Partnership](https://www.geaugagrowthpartnership.com/) or [MAGNET](https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/).

[View full post](https://www.manufacturingsuccess.org/blog/geauga-county-supply-chain-forum-lessons-in-resilience-and-readiness)

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