Valley Industrial Association

What Valley Industrial Association does

Valley Industrial Association (VIA) is a private nonprofit membership-based trade association founded in 1902 as the Fox River Valley Manufacturer's Association and renamed in 1965. Headquartered in Geneva, Illinois, the organization serves more than 200 member companies primarily across seven Northern Illinois counties (Kane, DuPage, Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kendall, DeKalb), with a core focus on manufacturing companies of all sizes alongside educational institutions, municipalities, and professional services organizations that support the manufacturing sector. VIA is staffed by six employees under President Kathy Gilmore and governed by a 20-member board of directors representing the membership composition.

VIA's offerings are organized around three pillars — Tools for Best Practices, Member-Focused Education, and Connections for Growth — and include the Benchmarking for Excellence Survey (a self-assessment tool across six categories: Culture, Innovation, Operational Excellence, Safety, Social Responsibility, Workforce Development) which feeds into the Spark Awards recognition program; the VIA 123Grow & Growth Accelerator for revenue and sales infrastructure; the Working Genius team assessment program based on Patrick Lencioni's framework; peer groups across HR, Safety, Operations, CFO/Financial Leaders, Sales & Marketing, and Industrial Executive functions; leadership training in English and Spanish; HR/Safety/Environmental member hotlines; an annual wage report; and signature events (Spark Awards, Golf Outing, Annual Meeting, Economic Forecast). The 2021 acquisition of GCAMP (Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership), a 501c(3) non-profit, extends VIA's reach into K-12 workforce development through school partnerships, plant tours, and manufacturing career awareness programs. Additional partnerships include Manufacturers News Inc. (MNI) for member discounts on IndustrySelect and IndustryNet platforms, CPARC for simulation-driven prototyping collaboration, and IMEC for benchmarking tool development.

VIA's revenue model is subscription-driven through company-based annual memberships (tiered by company size/revenue, covering all employees), supplemented by event sponsorships, advertising (e-blasts, member spotlight emails, The SOURCE directory, website enhancements, The VOICE quarterly e-zine), paid programs (Growth Accelerator at $4,500 for members, Working Genius sessions at $500 for member teams, Benchmarking Survey at $150 per member company), and partnership commissions/discounts through MNI and Present's supplemental insurance. Go-to-market is hybrid: sales-led with board approval for new members and referral-driven acquisition, combined with community-led growth through peer groups, signature events, and GCAMP school outreach that builds the manufacturing workforce pipeline.

Name

Valley Industrial Association

Legal name

Valley Industrial Association

Website

https://valleyindustrialassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Valley Industrial Association is a 123-year-old nonprofit trade association serving 200+ manufacturing member companies across Northern Illinois through benchmarking, peer groups, leadership training, workforce development, and industry recognition programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Manufacturing Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Manufacturing trade association
• Industry benchmarking surveys
• Workforce development programs
• Peer group networking
• Manufacturing leadership training

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Dues: VIA generates revenue primarily through annual company-based memberships. Dues are tiered based on company size or revenue. All employees of member companies receive member pricing on events. One membership covers all employees of the company.
2. Event Sponsorships: VIA sells sponsorship packages at its signature events (Spark Awards, Golf Outing, Annual Meeting, Economic Forecast) and annual sponsorships. Annual sponsors receive VOICE e-zine logo ads and other marketing benefits.
3. Advertising (E-blast, Member Spotlight, SOURCE Directory, Website): VIA sells advertising through its weekly member spotlight e-blasts, The SOURCE member directory, website directory enhancements (business description, logo, photos, video), and VOICE e-zine logo ads exclusively for annual sponsors.
4. Benchmarking Survey Fees: A fee-based self-assessment survey tool for companies. $150 per company for VIA members (with early bird discounts); $500 per company for non-members.
5. Growth Accelerator Program: Three-phase growth infrastructure program for manufacturers at $2M+ revenue. VIA member rate: $4,500 for all three phases; non-member rate: $9,500. Includes on-site working session, customized infrastructure build, 90-day sprint, and coaching.
6. MNI Partnership Commission / Member Benefit: Through partnership with Manufacturers News, Inc. (MNI), VIA members receive a 15% discount on MNI's IndustrySelect and IndustryNet platforms. VIA benefits through exclusive member-added value. This is a discount arrangement, not a direct revenue stream for VIA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Valley Industrial Association (VIA) is a nonprofit manufacturing trade association that provides member companies with benchmarking tools, peer group networking, leadership training, workforce development programs, and signature events. It sells annual company-based memberships and a portfolio of standalone programs including the Benchmarking for Excellence Survey, Spark Awards recognition, VIA 123Grow & Growth Accelerator, Working Genius team assessments, leadership training, peer groups, member hotlines, a job board, and an annual Wage Report.

Product overview

Valley Industrial Association (VIA) offers a unified platform of interconnected membership services organized around three pillars: Tools for Best Practices, Member-Focused Education, and Connections for Growth. The core offerings include the Benchmarking for Excellence Survey (self-assessment tool) which feeds into the Spark Awards program, the VIA 123Grow & Growth Accelerator for sales and growth infrastructure, and Working Genius team assessments for leadership development. Additional modules include Leadership Training Series, Peer Groups, Member Hotlines (HR/Safety/Environmental), Wage Reports, Job Board, and partnerships with MNI (manufacturing intelligence) and CPARC (simulation prototyping). GCAMP, acquired in 2021, operates as a sub-brand focused on manufacturing workforce development through student outreach programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GCAMP: Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership - A 501c(3) non-profit that builds the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow by educating young people on careers in manufacturing.
• Your Genius Guide
• Spark Awards
• VIA Growth Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ member companies served in the Chicago-land area
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers32 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• GCAMP (Greater Chicago Advanced Manufacturing Partnership)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In 2021, VIA acquired GCAMP, a 501c(3) non-profit founded in 2014. GCAMP's mission is to increase student awareness of careers in manufacturing by connecting students, educators, community members, and manufacturers. VIA serves as the front door and coordinator for workforce development programs. GCAMP operates with its own board of directors and staff (President Kathy Gilmore also serves as GCAMP President; Dawn Curran as VP Workforce Development; Sue Secondi as Administrative Director). VIA's GCAMP Board includes manufacturers, municipalities, financial institutions, and educational institutions.
• Manufacturers News, Inc. (MNI)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerVIA has a partnership with Manufacturers News, Inc. (MNI) providing VIA members with 15% off MNI's IndustrySelect (manufacturer database with 460,000+ U.S. industrial companies and 1M+ verified executive contacts) and IndustryNet (industrial supplier visibility platform with 100,000+ daily searches) platforms. MNI is described as an industrial intelligence provider that verifies data through direct phone interviews rather than bot-scraping. Access is through a dedicated VIA member link.
• CPARC (Center for Physics and Advanced Technology Research Collaboration)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIA-CPARC collaboration provides manufacturers with a structured, low-risk on-ramp to simulation-driven prototyping and Industry 4.0 readiness. VIA serves as the front door and coordinator (identifying business needs, clarifying decision context, completing intake and scoping), while CPARC executes technical work through a governed modeling and simulation process. CPARC is directed by Dr. Victor Pinks II, Ph.D. (Chemical Physics). Projects cover durability, thermal, flow, vibration, materials, and process optimization. First approved project may be offered at no cost as a bounded pilot. New VIA members receive complimentary trial membership for up to one year; existing members receive discounted project access fees.
• IMEC (Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMEC collaborated with VIA in developing the Benchmarking for Excellence Survey tool. Input from over 35 member companies, local experts, and IMEC shaped the six-category framework. VIA's benchmarking insights videos feature Dr. Dave Boulay, President of IMEC. IMEC is referenced as a resource for Illinois manufacturers.
• Waubonsee Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in workforce development and GCAMP programming. Dr. Brian Knetl, President of Waubonsee, serves on the VIA Board of Directors. VIA helped establish Waubonsee Community College (first class in 1967) after initiating the process in 1964. Waubonsee collaborates with VIA on CTE curriculum and student awareness programs.
• Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIA successfully lobbied the Illinois General Assembly in 1985 for the creation of the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) in Aurora, Illinois. IMSA represents a historical policy advocacy achievement for VIA.
• FermilabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 1966, VIA initiated the process to secure Fermilab's location in the Northern Illinois area. This represents a historical regional economic development achievement.
• Student/Industry Showcase (VIA-CPARC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIA is planning a Student/Industry Showcase event on May 19th, 2026 to celebrate innovative work from CPARC collaborations, where students can share projects and connect with manufacturers. The event serves as a workforce pipeline mechanism and showcase opportunity for participating companies.
• Erin Ramirez (Adaptable Manager Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIA has partnered with Erin Ramirez (leadership advisor) on the Adaptable Manager program designed to help leaders build capacity to hold more, lead through ambiguity, and support their teams without burning out. Erin Ramirez coined the 'Era of Change' framing referenced in VIA communications.
• Present's (VIA Perk)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresent's VIA Perk is a supplemental insurance benefit for VIA members, referenced as part of VIA's member perks program alongside the MNI partnership. Available through clear-insight.com.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM): North American trade association for equipment manufacturers, providing advocacy, market intelligence, peer events, and workforce programs. Comparable membership-association structure with similar member-benefit portfolio (data, events, training, awards).
• Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC): Combined state chamber of commerce and manufacturers' association serving Wisconsin employers. Highly comparable model: dues-based membership, advocacy, workforce programs, peer networking, and events for a Midwestern manufacturing base.
• The Manufacturing Institute: Workforce development and education affiliate of NAM, focused on building manufacturing talent pipelines through K-12 and community-college programs. Direct parallel to VIA's GCAMP subsidiary in mission and program design.
• Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC): Illinois-based nonprofit focused on manufacturing productivity, training, and continuous-improvement consulting. Closest functional peer: collaborated with VIA to develop the Benchmarking for Excellence Survey and provides benchmarking videos featuring IMEC's president.
• Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA): Statewide Illinois manufacturing trade association providing policy advocacy, workforce development, and member services. Direct competitor in the same geography with overlapping value proposition (advocacy, networking, training), but operating across the full state rather than Northern Illinois focus.
• Manufacturers Alliance: Peer-network organization serving senior manufacturing executives through curated events, benchmarking, and leadership programs. Comparable as a peer-group-driven association serving industrial leaders, though more focused on C-suite content.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Manufacturers (NAM): The largest U.S. manufacturing trade association, lobbying and providing services to industrial employers nationwide. Comparable to VIA as a membership-based advocacy and resource organization serving manufacturers, but operates at national scale with a much broader remit.

Regional players

• Greater Houston Partnership: Regional business and economic development organization serving the Houston metro. Comparable as a regional chamber-style entity combining advocacy, networking, workforce, and signature events for an industrial employer base, but in a different geography.
• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Cleveland-area regional chamber and economic development organization with a strong manufacturing member base. Comparable regional business association model with similar member services (advocacy, events, peer programs), but serving a different Midwestern industrial market.

Others

• Chicago Workforce Investment Board (Partners for Work): Regional workforce-development intermediary coordinating employer-school training pipelines in the Chicago metro. Comparable to GCAMP's workforce mission and ecosystem role, though structured as a public-sector workforce board rather than a 501(c)(3).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/via_makers
• Facebookfacebook.com/via.makers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/valley-industrial-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Valley Industrial Association