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MASWM Spring Conference: A Major Success for 2025
Over a dozen different topics and presenters brought almost nonstop information, ideas and advice for workshops, from dealing with nationwide regulation changes to ideas for workshop business expansion.
The events began with a reception Wednesday, April 30, and the Board of Directors meeting the next morning. The board meeting included important information from Legislative Chair Kit Brewer, who shared the recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, “Subminimum Wage Program: Employment Outcomes and Views of Former Workers in Two States” (GAO-25-106471).
The report examined the effects of eliminating 14(c) programs in Colorado and Oregon. It showed clearly that closing workshops and hoping for full or even nearly full employment via CIE just doesn’t happen, and many people with disabilities end up with no services at all. Board members discussed the importance of MASWM work with the national Coalition for the Preservation of Employment Choice, which addresses these issues nationally.
Mike Macauley of Heartland Industries was one of six workshop presenters on success stories about entreprenurial creativity to expand business opportunities.
Presentations Begin
DESE workshop division Director Dan Gier opened conference presentations with an explanation of the charts and data he shares monthly, and an end-of-year revenue update. Among many details, Gier noted the largest single category of employees with disabilities are those 56 years and older. He also discussed legislative topics, including Proposition A and its employee requirements that are being debated in the current legislative session.
Mike Boone of Heffernan Insurance Brokers in St. Louis discussed insurance and disaster planning. He included a comprehensive overview of insurance types and real-world examples, including last year’s disastrous fire at a southeast Missouri workshop that destroyed not only the building, but also equipment and customer products that had been stored in the shop. Planning for such potential losses is critical, he said. A new issue involves insurance for cyberattacks.
Boone said the biggest challenge for workshops is finding time to examine their policies. “Unfortunately, it’s very complicated,” he said. “But you have to have those conversations.”
Jon Lober, CEO of NOC Technologies, was the next speaker with a timely look at cybersecurity for workshops. As with most businesses, workshops’ biggest issue may be staff training to avoid threats like phishing emails, which increasingly involve “inside” information to lure staff into clicking on bad links. “The human connection is the biggest weakness,” he said.
Other relatively easy steps to avoid cyber threats include double authentication for everything and maintaining updated security software. Lober stressed that simple virus/trojan-horse protection is no longer sufficient to guarantee safety. “You need a managed system,” he explained. “You need someone who knows your system and can spot something out of the norm.” He said grants are often available to help fund these services, especially for nonprofit organizations like workshops.
President Tim Poepsel (near right) was among more than 100 workshop representatives taking in presentations during the MASWM Spring Conference.
Advocacy and Engagement
Manager Natalie Couch and advocate Tammy Flores presented a wide-ranging discussion on advocacy, examining recent threats to workshops and employee choice, including practical responses to them. Flores said that one tactic used by workshop critics is to accuse them of segregation, especially compared to community employment because disabled employees are grouped in a workshop.
“They talk about segregation, but true segregation is one person with a disability at a MacDonald’s who doesn’t get invited to after-work activities,” Flores said. “That’s segregation.”
Couch said another criticism of workshops involves the 1938 establishment of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. “They claim we don’t need 14(c) anymore,” she said. “But even in our little county (Camden), we have so many people who need this. Why are opponents trying to take away their choice?”
Mike Macauley of Heartland Industries stressed engagement along with advocacy. “As an industry, we must engage with this somewhat every day,” he said. “And we have to work together.”
In addition, Macauley said that identifying audiences and the appropriate tools to engage them is an important first step. He said some audiences like customers can be easy to overlook. “Your workshop customers can be your best advocates,” Macauley said. “Engage them in the process of sharing your mission.”
The membership also approved the replacement of Area V Director Connie Thurman, Monroe City, by Shari Pretz, Moberly. No other board changes were needed, as members serve two-year terms.
After lunch, president and CEO of 180 Healthcare Eric Goines presented information on his subscription-based benefits system. Currently serving Southeast Missouri, one of his clients includes Cape Girardeau Community Sheltered Workshop. Manager Sue Wallis said the service has saved the workshop and staff considerably. “If this is something you’re interested in, you should definitely look them up,” she said.
Jon Lober, CEO of NOC Technologies, provided a timely look at cybersecurity for workshops.
Success Stories
One of the most creative portions of the conference included a panel on successful entrepreneurial and other efforts to expand business at workshops across the state. The panel included Macauley and Karen Trower from Heartland, Dawn Cox from Doco in Ava, Greg Cook of Crowder Industries, and Charlie Fischer of Canterbury Enterprises.
“DESE Dan” Gier added several examples as well, including a doggy daycare program at United Enterprises in Perryville.
“A lot of these stories are about partnering with companies and others in the community,” Fischer, who organized the conference, said. “These are great examples of entrepreneurial creativity. If you go out and share, things can happen.”
Maria Berra of Spoke Marketing addressed both common sense and advanced strategies that workshops can use to promote their goods and services. She used real-world examples, including successful work by BCI in St. Peters and Franklin County. Berra cited a range of free and no-cost strategies like networking that can help workshops become better known to their local communities. Even in the often-expensive category of advertising, she cited programs like Google grants for nonprofits (www.google.com/grants/).
Both Berra and Lober of NOC Technologies also suggested artificial intelligence programs like ChatGPT to help streamline mundane tasks, including copywriting.
Why MASWM?
Past President Rob Libera provided details on “What does MASWM do for you?” Even veteran members were surprised at some of the many services the association provides member workshops, including help with financing through work in Jefferson City and elsewhere. “We’ve got tentacles in everything you need to do,” Libera said. “We have experts in the room to help you with all these different things.”
Legislative Chair Kit Brewer is a living example of MASWM benefits, and he ended Thursday’s formal conference sessions with a review of the nation’s legislative environment surrounding workshops. He cited possible cuts to Medicaid as a likely upcoming concern. While Missouri workshops are not Medicaid funded, employees with disabilities would be impacted severely here as well because of health, housing and other issues.
“We are not a Medicaid program, so that’s easy to ignore,” Brewer explained. “But many shops are involved with programs that are, and (Medicaid) reductions will increase pressure on state budgets.” He noted that most Medicaid programs are not mandated and would be easy to cut without federal support.
“And that means they’ll be looking for other funding sources like SB40 funding,” he said. “We mainly just need to be aware.”
Vice President Lauren Hall opened Friday's presentations with an introduction of reports by Sheltered Workshop Insurance of Missouri (SWIM).
Thursday Dinner
Thursday night’s dinner had several highlights, starting with the presentation of annual awards (see related article). The evening also featured heartfelt comments involving the workshop mission of serving people with developmental disabilities and their shared challenges and accomplishments.
Friday Wrap Up
The final day of the conference featured a presentation by the Gallagher insurance, risk management and consulting team for Sheltered Workshop Insurance of Missouri (SWIM). Introduced by MASWM Vice President Lauren Hall, the group reported on the past year for the unique system that returns savings to workshops when losses are reduced.
“We’re doing well, and you all are the reason,” Area Vice President Eddie Flodberg told the workshop managers and staff. “Since 1991, we’ve returned $2.7 million in payments to SWIM members.”
Other Friday presentations included a look at public relations and copywriting by MASWM marketing consultant Dale Garrison. During the general meeting, Legislative Chair Brewer and Advocacy Chair Heather Pugh both spoke at length on issues facing workshops. Brewer, who jokes that he often brings bad news, reported that for now an immediate threat to 14(c) is ended with elimination of a proposed Department of Labor rule change. Pugh, along with Natalie Couch and other workshop supporters, has invigorated A-Team Missouri. She noted the need for increased communications with SB40 board members and county commissioners.