We Ask America
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Manufacturing trade association |
| Founded | September 29, 1893 |
| Headquarters | Oak Brook , United States |
Area served | Illinois |
Key people | Mark Denzler (President and CEO) |
| Products | The Illinois Manufacturer (quarterly publication) |
The Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) serves as a trade association representing a network of more than 4,000 manufacturing enterprises across Illinois. Established in 1893 and headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, it holds the distinction of being the oldest and largest manufacturing trade group operating at the state level in the United States. The IMA champions manufacturing interests by engaging in lobbying efforts, managing a political action committee, and conducting public opinion research. Mark Denzler currently holds the position of President and CEO. The organization issues a quarterly publication titled The Illinois Manufacturer.
History
The IMA was founded on September 29, 1893, originally named the Illinois Manufacturers' Protective Association, with its initial mission focused on opposing legislation that restricted women’s working hours. Early activities included legal actions that resulted in the Illinois Supreme Court striking down portions of the labor statute as unconstitutional. Throughout the 20th century, the association played an active role in labor conflicts and policy discussions, including organizing boycotts during the 1919 Coal Strike and resisting the Social Security Act of 1935 due to concerns regarding its effects on unemployment.
In 1975, the IMA commissioned a study examining Illinois’ business environment, which highlighted issues related to unions and taxation but attracted some criticism. A potential merger with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce was explored in 2000 but ultimately did not come to fruition.
Janice Christiansen became the first female chairperson of the IMA Board in 2010; during that same year, then-President Greg Baise provided testimony in an asbestos litigation case. The association has advocated for enterprise zones and opposed certain coal-fired power plant projects to shape state economic development strategies. Additionally, it has supported initiatives promoting plastic bag recycling.
Since 2019, the IMA has sponsored the annual "Makers Madness Contest," which spotlights innovative products manufactured within Illinois. This competition involves public voting to identify standout creations and has attracted over 300,000 votes in recent editions. Among notable winners are Ingersoll Machine Tools’ Rosenberg Moon Habitat (2023), a groundbreaking 3D-printed polymer structure designed for lunar habitation, and a Komatsu mining truck produced in Peoria (2024). The contest underscores manufacturing’s $600 billion economic impact in Illinois and its provision of over 30% of employment statewide.
In recognition of its efforts, the IMA received COSMA’s Leadership Award in 2022 for its $7 million “Manufacturing Jobs Campaign,” which aims to recruit veterans, women, and minority communities into manufacturing professions.
Hall of Fame
The Illinois Manufacturing Hall of Fame was inaugurated by the IMA in 2024 to celebrate key individuals, products, and companies that have shaped the state’s manufacturing history. Among its first honorees was Abraham Lincoln, distinguished as the only U.S. President to hold a patent.
Political influence
The Illinois Manufacturers' Association asserts that it has helped secure approximately $300 million each year in corporate and sales tax incentives for its members. It tracks legislative developments via a Legislative Watch List that indicates which bills it supports or opposes based on their impact on manufacturers. In 2012, the IMA opposed legislative measures mandating health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions, linking minimum wage increases to inflation, maternity care requirements, and sick leave policies. Conversely, it endorsed legislation that limited employer liability under workers’ compensation laws, established a state Health Benefits Exchange aligned with the Affordable Care Act, and revised employment classification rules for truck drivers. In 2010, the organization advocated for tax exemptions favorable to manufacturers.
Mark Denzler, as IMA President, participates on Illinois’ Workers Compensation Advisory Board and maintains strong connections with state lawmakers.
Functioning as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit entity, the IMA operates its political action committee known as Manufacturers PAC (MPAC) to shape policy outcomes. Additionally, it owns Xpress Professional Services, a for-profit firm conducting polling under the We Ask America brand. This polling company is recognized for automated surveys with a conservative orientation but has faced scrutiny concerning its research methods.
Resistance to military right-to-repair measures
In July 2024, IMA endorsed a letter addressed to members of both the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services expressing opposition to Section 828 of S. 4628, part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025. This provision would mandate that contractors collaborating with the US military grant the Department of Defense equitable access to repair resources—including components, tools, and technical information—necessary for diagnosing, servicing, or fixing their equipment.