Member Meeting - Virtual

July 9 Thursday (Virtual Lunch & Learn): Matt Guse Manufacturing Story

Date: July 9, 2026

Title: The MRS Story: Family, Faith, Grit & the Reality of Building a Machine Shop

Purpose: Give CWIMA members a candid, personal look at Matt Guse’s journey with MRS Machining — from the company’s beginning in 1986, through years of growth, setbacks, family-business challenges, the pandemic, and beyond.

Who is going to love this: Owners, presidents, family-business leaders, plant leaders, next-generation leaders, and anyone who has felt the pressure of keeping customers happy, keeping people employed, protecting the culture, and doing the right thing when the path forward is not obvious.

Why: Small manufacturing companies are built in the messy middle: family dynamics, cash pressure, customer demands, employee challenges, machine-shop realities, and moments where grit matters as much as strategy. Matt’s story is powerful because it is not theory — it is a real account of building a Wisconsin manufacturing company through hard work, integrity, faith, second chances, and a deep commitment to people.

Summary: Matt Guse, president and owner of MRS Machining, will share the story behind The MRS Story a first-hand account of a family-run machine shop that started in humble circumstances and grew through persistence, community, and a commitment to doing the right thing. This session will highlight the real challenges of sustaining a small manufacturing company: navigating family ties, building a workplace people choose to stay with, staying competitive, surviving disruption, and creating high-paying jobs in American manufacturing. CWIMA members will hear a relatable story about messiness, grace, resilience, and the lasting impact a company can have on the lives it touches.

Speaker: Matt Guse, President & Owner, MRS Machining