The Association of Manufacturers Bay Area (AMBayArea) hosted the AMBayArea Summit 2025 at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland on Tuesday, April 29, from 1 to 7 p.m.
The 6th annual event united hundreds of manufacturing leaders, supply chain professionals, and industry experts, along with key partners from education and government. Attendees gained valuable insights from thought leaders and connected with peers at the Bay Area’s premier gathering for manufacturers.
“AMBayArea is proud to champion Bay Area manufacturers,” said Krishna Rajagopal, Chair of the AMBayArea Board of Directors. “Our goal is to foster growth through impactful events and forward-thinking leadership that empower the local manufacturing community.”
The event opened with the keynote Narratives, Realities, and the Economic Outlook for Manufacturing in the Bay Area presented by Dr. Christopher Thornberg of Beacon Economics. An expert in economic and revenue forecasting, regional economics, economic policy, and labor and real estate markets, Dr. Thornberg has appeared on all the major networks and is regularly quoted in major national dailies and online publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Politico, and the Los Angeles Times.
Attendees then chose from ten engaging breakout sessions presented by subject matter experts who focused on Leadership, Operations, Workforce Development, Sustainability, and C-Suite Collaboration.
As part of the event, the AMBayArea MFG Awards ceremony honored standout manufacturers for their achievements, innovation, and contributions to the local industry. AMBayArea presented awards for Manufacturer of the Year to Turner Laser Systems in the category of small manufacturer, Bishop-Wisecarver in the category of medium manufacturer, and Torani in the category of large manufacturer. Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing was recognized as AMBayArea Member of the Year. The awards were presented by Award Sponsors Sensiba, Insperity, Fremont Bank, and the Workforce Development Boards of Alameda, Contra Costa, Oakland, and Richmond.
The awards ceremony and event were emceed by Christine Holly Ngo, AMBayArea Board Member and VP of Operations and Business Development for Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing. Ngo is also the host of the podcast Making Things Fun, Cool & Sexy, which promotes American manufacturers.
The Summit concluded with a happy hour from 5:30 to 7 p.m. allowing attendees the chance to re-connect with peers and make new connections, as well as visit exhibitor booths.
In addition to Award Sponsors Fremont Bank, Insperity, Sensiba, and the Workforce Development Boards, the AMBayArea Summit 2025 was made possible by Exhibit Sponsors Shiproad SFO, Custom Label, DreamFactory, Bank of America, ADP, ETP, Industrial Metal Supply Company; Non-Profit Sponsors Manex, California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, JobTrain/SEMI Foundation; and Event Sponsors ALOM, Silicon Valley Elite Manufacturing, Narish International, Beacon Economics, East Bay EDA, FB Bank, Zoho, and Paperless Parts.
