How I Made It: Roger Atkins

So when the job opened, I interviewed for it and I guess I drew the short straw and got it. That was five years ago in early 2020. And then, three months in, we hit the pandemic. 

I’m not your typical association executive. I’m a member guy running an association. But 97% of our members were deemed essential during COVID, and we only lost about 3% of our base. I think NTMA members found that we were a safe place to be, a real community to walk through that uncertainty together. Nobody knew what was going to happen. But our members stayed. 

What NTMA has always meant to me is peer-to-peer education. Manufacturers often start shops because they’re good at machining. They’re not always the greatest businesspeople. That’s what drew my heart to NTMA — helping those who know how to make complex parts but maybe struggle with profitability or growth. 

I don’t spend my days helping people figure out how to hold a part. I try to provide them with opportunities to run a successful business. Because at the end of the day, we can all make parts — but not everyone can do it profitably. 

My dad went to his grave saying it was his NTMA friends who taught him how to run a business. That’s what the association does: it brings in partners and peers who can teach you something valuable. Our partners aren’t just vendors. They’re vetted, trusted experts who can help our members be more efficient, make better decisions, and avoid costly mistakes. 

I always tell our members: manufacturers buy what they’ve always bought. But if you check with the right experts, you might discover something that’s better for your business. Let your first decision be the best decision. 

Every two years, NTMA puts together an international Tech Tour. We bring 20 of our members and a handful of our industry partners to Europe to visit technology providers and see how the tools, workholding, coatings — everything — is made. This year we were in Italy. Last time, we visited Germany and Switzerland. 

We spend a week with each other, visiting these facilities, learning how things are built, understanding where our money goes when we invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in a machine. I’m not trying to get people to spend less — I’m trying to help them spend it in the right places. 

And the value of these trips is just as much about the relationships. There are people on this trip who met for the first time and will be connected for the next 20 years. When something goes wrong, they’ll pick up the phone and call that person because they shared this experience. Our problems in this industry are the same — maybe a little different — but someone else has probably already figured out the thing you’re struggling with. 

When you need help, it’s one thing to call a company name. It’s something else entirely to call a name and know the person behind it. For small and medium-sized shops, that’s priceless

This industry is tough — taxes, regulations, workforce issues — all the stuff outside your four walls. I try to help with those things so you can focus on what happens inside them. 

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that strategy isn’t just about equipment — it’s about partnerships. When you’re spending $500,000 or $1 million on a machine, don’t just default to what you know. Know what you’re trying to accomplish and then work with experts who can help you find the best fit. I’m not looking for someone to sell me — I want someone to educate me. 

That mindset — partnering with experts, trusting peers, collaborating on big challenges — that’s what makes NTMA valuable. That’s what makes our members resilient. And that’s why I believe in what we do.