There were two winners at the Ohio Valley Chapter’s Aug. 22 event: one was for the annual golf tournament at the Kennsington Golf Club in Canfield, Ohio while the other was for a 12-round shoot off at a nearby gun range.

The winning golf team of Mark MacKimm, Rainbow Rubber & Plastics; Alex Lippincott, WCTI; Tim Gascoigne, G2 Materials; and Mike Dies, WCTI, shot 61, 10 under par, to grab top honors among the field of 44. The day was perfect for golf, and each player was given a ball from Steve Lebischak, president of Polara Golf, who spoke later about how and why his company’s Polara golf ball can self-correct and fly straight. That led to the chapter’s first most-accurate-drive contest for the first shot at the final hole, a par 5. Dave Rascati, Premier Wire Die, saw his ball jump off the club, correct its path and end up right on the rope just short of the 150 yard marker in the middle of the fairway. Rumor has it that he ordered five dozens balls.

Meanwhile, a small contingent, eight, spent two hours at the Training Range in nearby Austintown. It ended with an impromptu shoot off won by Brennan Mai from Hobart, using a gun borrowed from colleague Nick Heitkamps, who came in second (106-105).

“The gun range was a great networking event,” said Rick Bray, WAFIOS. “It was a great atmosphere. By the end of the morning we all had talked and joked together. I’m looking forward to shooting with the guys again next year. Without this event I may have never been met these gentlemen in the industry.”

Following both events, the educational program was held. Other presenters included Dave Brambert, president of Fifth Wave Manufacturing (AI in Manufacturing); Tim Moury, president/CEO of Vericheck Technical Services, and Technical Director Marco Degasperi (metal analyzing equipment and ISO17025 accredited training and services).

“I thought it was another great day with networking on the course and at the educational seminar,” said Stephen Wright, Blachford. “The speakers brought a wide range of knowledge that seemed to keep the audience engaged. For many people, this has become an annual event they look forward to every year.”

The WAI’s New England Chapter annual education event and networking dinner is set for Nov. 7 at the ACCEL International plant in Cheshire, Connecticut.

ACCEL will host a tour of the company’s wire-drawing plant from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. ACCEL has three vertically integrated factories in Connecticut and Indiana that make silver-plated, nickel-plated and tin-plated copper wire and copper alloys.

Following the tour, there will be a networking dinner at Viron Rondo Osrerio, which is also located in Cheshire. Tickets are $115 for chapter members and $130 for non members. Registration (vetted) can be made at www.wirenet.org.

The WAI’s Education Committee plays a pivotal role in advancing the professional development and technical knowledge of industry professionals, and its role has never been more important as the focus is on delivering an ambitious program that serves a defined need.

The committee, comprised of a diverse group of experts, oversees the creation and implementation of innovative training programs that cater to the evolving needs of the wire and cable industry. Chaired by Matt Miles of Southwire, with Erik Perks of Prysmian as vice chair, the education committee is instrumental in driving WAI’s educational initiatives. The committee includes representatives from leading companies and institutions, bringing a wealth of expertise to the table.

Currently, the committee is overseeing the development of WAI’s new online training platform, which is set to revolutionize industry education. This platform offers a growing library of video content, meticulously curated to provide professionals with accessible, high-quality training materials. From foundational courses to advanced technical sessions, the platform is designed to meet the diverse needs of industry members.

The committee also actively collaborates on in-person events, such as the Advanced Extrusion Workshop. This hands-on session will offer participants a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of extrusion processes, further showcasing the committee’s commitment to comprehensive education.

In addition to Miles and Perks, committee members include Brad Andrews of Condat Corp., Donald Dodge of Calmont Wire & Cable, Joseph Domblesky of Marquette University, Jason Giebfried of Paramount Die Co., Tracy Gooding of Mar-Mac Wire Inc.,
C. Richard Gordon of C. Richard Gordon Consulting, David Gzesh of Blachford Corp., Erik Macs of Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp., Richard Medoff of Ace Metal Inc., Isaac Muller of American Wire Group and Donald Neville of RichardsApex Europe Ltd.

Also, Dale Olp of A-1 Wire Tech Inc., Brian Parsons of Interstate Wire Co. Inc., Svet Pavlovsky of Blachford Corp., Horace Pops of Horace Pops Consulting, Cristian Rangel of Encore Wire Corp., Christopher Reeve of Insteel Wire Products, Matthew Reinoehl of SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS, Eric Wagner of Charter Steel and Bhaskar Yalamanchili of Gerdau Long Steel North America.

The WAI Executive Committee Liaison is Kurt Breischaft of SDI LaFarga COPPERWORKS and the staff liaison is John Markowski. To learn more about WAI’s education initiatives, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 203-458-4044.

The Wire Association International will present a new program—Advanced Extrusion Workshop—as part of the Association’s ever-evolving educational offerings at Interwire 2025.

Scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 9 am to noon, the exclusive workshop will be limited to 50 participants. The unique immersive learning experience is designed to build on the foundational extrusion principles introduced by Erik Macs of Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp during the Fundamentals of Wire Manufacturing Course on Monday.

The workshop will take place at Southwire’s campus in Carrollton, offering participants invaluable up-close learning with extrusion equipment, shifting from the traditional classroom setting to a more practical, equipment-focused environment. The workshop will feature breakout activities and group exercises, allowing participants to collaborate and apply concepts in a practical setting.

The session is not meant to be just a lecture but a dynamic learning experience. When participants return from Southwire they will go on organized group visits to key extrusion exhibitors on the Interwire show floor, where they can hear about the latest advances and engage directly with industry leaders.

The workshop will be co-taught by Rick Chamberlin, an extrusion veteran, Hawkins Consulting, LLC; and an expert from Southwire. They will ensure participants walk away with a deep understanding of advanced extrusion techniques and their practical applications.