Drew Crowe shares his inspiring journey from a teenage felon to a leading manufacturing advocate and speaker to creating The New American Manufacturing Renaissance.

Crowe stumbled into the metalworking industry by chance, finding a job at a machine shop that put him on a path to success that he never expected. He now travels the country inspiring the next generation to embrace modern manufacturing careers, emphasizing the limitless possibilities available. Crowe also discusses his work developing a workforce recruitment and retention app to help manufacturers connect with qualified candidates and support their career development. His story highlights the transformative power of manufacturing and the importance of investing in people to build a robust, diverse talent pipeline.

Crowe also talks about his time as an instructor of advanced manufacturing technology at Ranken Technical College, how his "MFG" moniker came about, creating jewelry and grills, and the importance of true industry advocacy that goes beyond just talk and LinkedIn clout.

And stay around for Dan's rendition of "Stick 'Em" by The Fat Boys.

This episode was recorded at IMTS 2024 in Chicago.

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.