With 43 employees joining DMC since May, this summer has been packed with opportunities to celebrate. Across the country, teams gathered to introduce newcomers to their coworkers, communities, and company culture. Take a look at how our offices welcomed their newest teammates this season.

Welcoming New Hires

DMC places a strong emphasis on onboarding and helping every new employee have their “Best First Day” (BFD). From day one, anyone joining the company can expect a fully prepared workspace, a ready-to-go laptop, an activated key card, and a lunch hosted in their honor.

But the celebration doesn’t stop there, because each employee is also welcomed with a team event designed to help them get to know their colleagues and city. Think escape rooms, happy hours, and city tours; offering new team members an opportunity to build connections from the start while experiencing the fun, community-focused culture that makes DMC unique.

Exploring Architecture in Chicago

In July, members of DMC’s Chicago team took the world-renowned Chicago Architecture Boat Tour. The boat tour starts at the end of the river that opens into Lake Michigan. From there, it travels up the Chicago River while a tour guide points to famous buildings along the riverfront, explaining the year in which they were constructed, their architectural style, architect, and historical significance.

The tour began near the mouth of the Chicago River, where it meets Lake Michigan. From there, the boat traveled along the river as the guide highlighted some of the city’s most iconic buildings, sharing details about when they were constructed, the architectural styles they represent, the architects who designed them, and their historical significance.

The eras of the buildings run the gamut with some dating to the early 20th Century, like the Wrigley Building, and others built much more recently, like the sleek Apple Store Building sitting in front of the Tribune Tower. There are always a handful of historical facts that stand out on each tour, and each DMC Chicago team member, especially those new to the city, had their own takeaway:

Axe Throwing in Denver

Denver found a unique way to welcome one of its newest engineers, Jaron O’Grady, to the team when the office headed to an axe-throwing venue. “We were divided into two teams and competed against each other,” Julia explained. “It was tied most of the time!”

Teammates took turns hurling axes at targets, with points awarded based on accuracy. While everyone had their moments of success, no one on the Denver team will be quitting their day job to become a professional axe thrower anytime soon.

The group also had the chance to try throwing knives, and opinions were evenly split on which activity was more fun. Whatever the preference, the event gave the team a memorable way to spend time together outside the office getting to know Jaron.

A Tiki-Themed Party in Cincinnati

In Cincinnati, the team also took a boat tour, swapping architecture for a tiki theme complete with drinks, music, team bonding, and, of course, Hawaiian shirts. The Cincinnati office wanted to do something original to welcome Rob Orr, who joined the Automation team.

“Everyone got in the spirit! Almost everyone had floral or island-themed shirts, and the boat offered leis and hats, too,” Dylan remembered about the day. The boat took the team up the Ohio River, approaching downtown. They got to see views of the Cincinnati skyline and stopped for food at a waterside restaurant on the way back.

Hiring Continues This Fall

From architecture cruises and axe-throwing competitions to tiki boat tours on the Ohio River, each welcome party reflected the unique personality of its local office while sharing the same goal: helping new hires build connections from day one. As DMC continues to grow, employee connection remains an important part of what makes our culture special.

Looking ahead, we’re continuing this hiring momentum. In the fall, DMC will be traveling to career fairs and events across the country to meet the next generation of engineers. These events are a great chance to connect with talented students and discuss professional opportunities that define a career at DMC from day one.

Whether we’re welcoming new teammates at a local office event or meeting aspiring engineers on campus, we’re always looking for talented people who are eager to learn, grow, and have fun along the way. We can’t wait to see who the guest of honor at the next welcome party will be.

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Organizing the Event

2026 was DMC’s second year hosting SWE externs, but the organization itself has a storied history. For over seven decades, the organization has centered itself around giving women engineers a voice and opportunities in STEM, and today the organization has 21,000 members and 300 student sections around the country.

DMC engineers and the Recruiting team first came up with the idea to partner with SWE in 2024. A few DMC engineers participated in SWE events throughout their college careers, seeing firsthand the impact an organization like SWE can have on professional growth.

They reached out to prominent universities in the Chicago area, invited students to apply for an externship, and designed a series of hands-on activities for groups to complete over the course of two days. It’s a great opportunity for young engineers to gain hands-on experience with tools they may not see in the classroom and to solve real engineering challenges they might encounter in their careers.

DMC’s 2026 SWE Externs & Itinerary

Students in the 2026 SWE Externship came from the University of Notre Dame, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The eight participants took part in the two-day program on January 6 and 7, where they were split into groups and guided through hands-on lab experiences by members of the Automation and Test & Measurement teams.

After completing the labs, the students networked with team members of the DMC Chicago office over lunch, attended a demo of our custom-built “Drop Bot”, and listened to project presentations created by DMC engineers. The event concluded with a 30-minute Q&A session with DMC CEO Frank Riordan.

Automation Lab

The Automation Lab was designed to show externs how to work in TIA Portal to program a Siemens 1212 PLC using ladder logic to control a two-way stoplight at an intersection. After reviewing the P&ID and functional specification, they structured the code by defining inputs, building a state machine for reliable operation, and setting outputs to control the lights.

They then downloaded their program to the PLC and tested system behavior using physical lights and a TP700 Comfort HMI panel, verifying that the stoplights responded correctly. The lab mirrored the planning, programming, and commissioning processes used in DMC automation projects.

Test & Measurement Lab

The Test & Measurement lab introduced the externs to industry hardware. Using an NI cDAQ with digital output and analog input modules, they sent signals and collected data from a simulated four-way intersection, applying their knowledge of signals to understand how the system responded. They began by using NI MAX to identify which signals corresponded to specific outputs, mirroring a common troubleshooting approach.

With this foundation, externs transitioned to programming in LabVIEW to build a more customized simulation of the intersection. They explored the graphical programming environment and considered ways to improve usability, gaining insight into how DMC consultants approach projects by first understanding existing systems and then enhancing them to better meet user needs.

Conclusion

The 2026 SWE externs made valuable connections with DMC engineers and gained hands-on experience with tools they may not encounter in the classroom. Just as importantly, the externship gave DMC engineers the opportunity to mentor and support the next generation as they prepare for their careers. We’re excited to continue building on this experience and look forward to hosting future SWE externships, creating even more opportunities for students to engage with our team, explore engineering in practice, and see what it’s like to be part of DMC.

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New Faces at the Party

Naturally, our guests of honor and newest team members were in attendance, including: Systems Engineer Luke Horwath, IT team members RJ Hughes and Conor Mitchell, Annabel Tevonian from Recruiting, Kaitlyn Heistand from the Chicago Admin team, and me, Hannah Overhiser, the newest addition to the Marketing team.

The rest of the Chicago office came out in full force to put their skills to the test, and by the end of the evening, everyone walked away with a sense of accomplishment, new connections, and a favorite immersive game.

What Your Favorite Game Says About You

When I started at DMC, I was surprised that my packed onboarding schedule didn’t include a personality test of some kind. Yet, as I moved between different groups of DMCers at Activate throughout the evening, it became clear that different people naturally excelled at different games—revealing interesting aspects of each of our personalities.

It’s possible that DMC’s Spring 2026 new hires may have participated in personality tests without even knowing it. Find out which Activate game resonates with you in the descriptions below.

Laser

Laser is a tactical game requiring players to move quickly through a laser maze or shoot a series of targets with laser guns. Players successfully reach higher levels when they clear mazes and hit targets.

If Laser was your favorite Activate game, you likely have a flair for the dramatic and a love for being in the action. Beneath the excitement, though, you’re thoughtful and deliberate, watching closely and moving with purpose once you spring into action.

Key Traits: Dramatic, Thoughtful, Agile

Mega Grid

The Mega Grid room featured a floor with 500 touch-sensitive LED tiles and light-up buttons along the walls. As the floor tiles light up, players must step on or avoid certain tiles to complete levels in the game.

If Mega Grid was your favorite game at Activate, you are great at making the quickest and best decision when faced with multiple choices! Your ability to pick a direction and stick to it is your superpower, and others recognize your intuition and integrity.

Key Traits: Decisive, Collaborative, and Fast-acting

Pipes

Pipes is a game of collaboration. The room features 24 pipes with NeoPixel screens and touch-activated buttons. Players have 5 seconds to identify the correct pipe, toss the ball to their teammate, and put it in the correct portal.

If you liked Pipes, you’re an effective communicator, highly strategic, and agile. You’re good at making quick connections and finding the right person to help you achieve a task—a real team player.

Key Traits: Communicative, Strategic, Purposeful

Press

Press features a room full of light-up, interactive buttons. Players must collaborate to memorize color sequences, scan the room for the correct buttons, and press them all before time expires.

If you excelled at Press, you are detail-oriented, collaborative, and communicative. You are comfortable working in a group setting, sharing your ideas, but you also aren’t afraid to lead when the opportunity arises.

Key Traits: Detail-oriented, Collaborative, Discerning

Scan

Players interact with touch screens to move digital objects between portals. Progressing to higher levels requires matching the objects on each player’s screen with the objects shown on the room’s hub screen.

If Scan was your favorite game, you excel at creating order out of chaos. Highly organized and analytical, you spot connections others might miss and act decisively once the solution becomes clear.

Key Traits: Organized, Analytical, Quick-thinking

Strike

Players throw balls at targets as they appear on a wall-sized screen. As levels progress, the targets evolve in shape, size, and speed, challenging players’ reaction time and precision.

Players who gravitate toward Strike are fast, focused, and precise. Once you lock onto a goal, you don’t miss. You’re driven by determination and know exactly which steps to take to succeed.

Key Traits: Precise, Determined, Focused

Conclusion

During my interviews with DMC, I kept hearing how much the company values its culture. After just a month on the team, that commitment is already clear. The effort that goes into bringing people together is genuine, and the Activate Welcome Party was a perfect example of how DMC regularly invests in its culture, encouraging everyone to connect, experience something new, and, most importantly, have fun.

And if you’re wondering what my favorite Activate game was, it was Laser.

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This feedback was important for us to receive because it highlighted a key difference between how DMC is viewed from within and from outside the organization. When someone hears that DMC has offices across the country, it is reasonable to assume these are sales offices. Many companies start up this way: a central office where the technical work takes place, with satellite sales offices for relationship building and sales generation.

More Than Pins on a Map

As DMC expands to open and grow offices in new geographic regions, it isn’t because they want another dot on the map or a statement of presence in those locales. Rather, the intention is to establish engineering presence in the area – offices that provide a location to do actual engineering work to solve problems, develop systems, serve customers, and help deliver projects.

This distinction makes all the difference. Offices of DMC aren’t just a place where you meet someone and talk about business or make introductions. They are places of active technical development. In DMC regional offices, engineers are actively designing automation systems, writing software, setting up test equipment, creating manufacturing processes, integrating hardware, addressing customer needs, and more.

Chicago

Austin

Boston

Cincinnati

Dallas

Denver

Detroit

Houston

New York

Raleigh

San Diego

Seattle

St. Louis

Tampa

Washington, D.C.

Local Presence Still Matters

Even in an age where virtual collaboration is commonplace, there are times when physical presence cannot be overlooked. Seeing a piece of equipment, touring the manufacturing floor, observing the testing apparatus, reviewing the assembly of a control panel, or sitting down with a customer’s team to troubleshoot an issue may present challenges that cannot be fully understood from a diagram, specification, or teleconference call.

That is where the regional presence provided by DMC becomes useful. For many of our clients, our engineers are just a few hours away from their facilities. We can respond to their needs more quickly, build stronger personal connections, and provide the human touch that is so essential to creating a successful technical solution.

It is particularly important for projects involving actual machinery, equipment, limitations, and operating environments. Often, the most effective solution may not be reached from afar but will require the presence of someone with a direct and personal understanding of what the challenge entails.

That said, the regional nature of DMC’s operations does not preclude clients from choosing engineers from any office outside the nearest one. That is where DMC’s approach truly shines.

OneDMC: Local Connection, National Depth

DMC’s office locations are our engineering teams, but they are not necessarily isolated from one another. We have very much embraced the OneDMC approach, meaning that our regional presence is backed by the complete technical expertise of DMC on a national level.

While a customer might work directly with the engineering teams in a local office, there will always be many more layers of technical knowledge backing that local team. Whether a customer’s project requires test automation knowledge, control systems expertise, LabVIEW programming, embedded development, manufacturing automation, cloud, data systems, or even just complicated multi-disciplinary engineering, DMC can bring in the appropriate experts.

And that is what makes our office model quite different from a standard sales office location approach. It combines the benefits of proximity with access to all the knowledge necessary. Customers don’t need to settle for proximity or specialization; with us, they can have both.

That is one of the reasons why we chose to establish offices rather than just sales offices in certain locations. While other companies may only put sales representatives in convenient locations, our office approach allows us to build engineering teams to serve our clients locally while remaining part of a national organization capable of tackling any problems.

Telling the Story More Clearly

The feedback from our partner was a helpful reminder that how we tell our story matters. We know what DMC’s offices are because we live it every day, but we cannot assume others see it the same way. If someone hears “national footprint” and thinks “sales coverage,” then we have an opportunity to better explain what makes our footprint different.

DMC’s growth has been intentional. We have invested in engineering offices because we believe technical work benefits from both local relationships and national collaboration. We want to be close enough to our customers to show up when it matters, while still being connected enough internally to bring the right expertise to every challenge.

So when we say DMC has offices across the country, we are not just saying we have places to meet. We are saying we have engineers across the country. Engineers who are working on real projects, solving real problems, and building real relationships with customers every day.

That is the reality behind DMC’s national footprint—and it is a story worth telling more clearly.

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The day began with a guided tour of DMC’s Chicago headquarters, where students visited each service area to hear directly from team members about their work, tools, clients, and favorite projects. The group also toured DMC’s fabrication studio to observe how custom control panels are designed and assembled, gaining insight into the hands-on manufacturing processes that support DMC’s automation solutions.

To give students meaningful technical exposure, DMC’s two largest service areas, Automation & Manufacturing Intelligence (Automation) and Test & Measurement Automation (T&M), each led an immersive lab experience modeled after real client projects. These activities showcased the distinct tools and workflows used by DMC engineers across disciplines. In the Automation lab, students worked with Siemens’ TIA Portal to program a PLC in Ladder Logic, designing and commissioning a two-way stoplight control system. The exercise reflected the complete project lifecycle followed by DMC automation engineers, from system design and code development to hardware integration and testing. Several externs described this activity as a highlight of the day, sharing that “I thought the activity was very engaging and fun, and I learned a lot about how PLCs work, ladder logic, and the process of problem-solving as a team.”

In the T&M lab, students were introduced to test automation and data acquisition tools that support DMC’s verification and validation projects. Using a NI cDAQ and LabVIEW with NI MAX, participants investigated a simulated stoplight malfunction, analyzed the system’s behavior, and identified the software as the source of the issue. Guided by DMC engineers, they implemented and verified code updates to restore proper function, gaining hands-on insight into DMC’s problem-solving process and collaborative engineering approach. One participant commented, “I liked the detective work and figuring out which lights corresponded to which outputs. The logic aspect was really fun—it felt like a puzzle to determine which output should connect to which light when we clicked the red or green light.”

Following the lab sessions, externs had the opportunity to connect with some of the women engineers at DMC over lunch for an open discussion about professional growth and experiences as women in STEM. These conversations provided valuable insight into the diverse career paths within engineering and fostered meaningful mentorship connections.

The afternoon continued with project highlights from DMC’s various service areas, including Automation & Manufacturing Intelligence, Application Development, Embedded Systems, and Test & Measurement Automation, showcasing the breadth of technical expertise across the company. One extern shared that they “loved seeing how DMC works on everything from large automatic overhead track systems to internal projects to test and measurement systems for the Artemis boosters,” adding that “each project was presented in a very engaging way.”

The event wrapped up with a Q&A session with DMC’s CEO, Frank Riordan, who shared his perspective on leadership, company culture, and the evolving engineering industry. Students were encouraged to ask questions about his career journey and the challenges and rewards of leading a growing engineering firm. One student shared, “I loved being able to meet Frank and hear his experience starting DMC and what direction he sees for the company in the future. I liked how open the Q&A session was, rather than a lecture.”

The externship was an engaging and rewarding experience for both the visiting students and DMC engineers. We were thrilled to share our work and culture with the next generation of engineers and look forward to hosting similar events in the future to continue connecting with emerging STEM talent.

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Inside the Castle 

This proved to be a popular event, with DMC’s royal entourage including 60 team members, families, and guests. We all entered the Medieval Times castle and stepped back in time to the 11th century.  

Those who arrived early had the opportunity to check out the castle, including a medieval torture device museum. While historians have since proved many “common” devices were not historically accurate, it was morbidly fascinating either way. Those without the taste for the macabre had the chance to check out the horses in their stable and see the care the Medieval Times team puts into their equine employees. 

Tales from the Tournament 

The main event had something for everyone to enjoy. Wearing paper crowns on our heads, we cheered on our knight in between feasting on turkey legs or “dragon blood” (tomato soup). Sparks flew and lances broke as knights clashed swords in combat. A falcon soared over the crowd. The athleticism of the performers and their horses impressed everyone in attendance. As someone who grew up riding horses, I had a blast admiring the horsemanship.  

Our team embodied another core value, “have fun,” all night at Medieval Times. In addition to working hard together in the office, it was a great reminder to let loose as a team for a few hours of fanfare, sword fights, and teambuilding. As a bonus, our knight even won the tournament! 

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After growing the Manufacturing Center, previously called the DMC Fabrication Studio, last year to accommodate our custom control panel build shop and add significant capacity for contract manufacturing, we are expanding it again to double its size. The expansion reflects DMC’s growth in manufacturing operations, complementing our manufacturing automation, test and measurement, and embedded development services.  

In addition to providing more space, expanding our Manufacturing Center enables our operations to leverage several new capabilities. We will have a wide range of power availability up to 100A 480V 3 phase service to test and run equipment. DMC has also upgraded its laser engraving, laser cutting, and 3D printing capabilities. Improved loading dock access will allow us to accommodate a greater variety of projects. 

DMC Chicago Manufacturing Center supports a wide range of projects, from small custom builds to volume contract manufacturing. DMC can handle everything from procurement and design to manufacturing and production line setup. Every system is fabricated with attention to detail and optimized for performance in real-world conditions. 

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Exploring the Expo? Visit us in Booth #752

Stop by our booth to connect with our team, explore our latest automation solutions, and see our custom-built “Drop Bot” in action.

Test your skills against Drop Bot in a life-sized game of Connect Four or challenge your colleagues to a game.

Will we see you at the show? Let us know!

Connect with Us

DMC is Competing in the 2025 ROKathon!

DMC is excited to be participating in the first-ever ROKathon coding competition at Rockwell’s Automation Fair 2025!

DMC’s team of experts will be competing against six other teams for honor and glory in a coding challenge that incorporates FactoryTalk Optix, FactoryTalk DataMosaix, FactoryTalk Analytics LogixAI, Studio 5000 Logix Designer, FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition, and Plex.

The competition will take place over a day and a half, Monday and Tuesday of Automation Fair week, with the winning team announced on Wednesday at 2:30 PM on the Discovery Theater stage.

Good luck to all the teams competing in this new challenge!

What to Expect at the Rockwell Automation Fair

Automation Fair 2025 offers attendees the chance to:

• Gain new insights from 400+ domain expert presenters.
• Explore 120+ interactive exhibits with new technology and solutions.
• Connect with 10,000+ professionals in industrial operations.
• 450+ hours of training opportunities and hundreds of solution showcases & more!

DMC and Rockwell Automation

As a Rockwell Automation Gold System Integrator, DMC is proud to demonstrate our expertise in advanced integration and custom engineering solutions. Our session highlights how we apply FactoryTalk Optix and C# to real-world customer challenges, delivering both innovation and measurable impact.

Don’t miss the chance to connect with the DMC team at Automation Fair 2025. Register today and meet us in Chicago at Booth #752.

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The event started with everyone grabbing the essentials: hot dogs, drinks, and all the ball game snacks you could ask for. There’s just something about a hot dog at Wrigley Field, and for a few of our attendees, this was their first taste of the experience!

One of our new hires shared that this was their first time ever at Wrigley Field. “I had never been to a baseball game and had really been meaning to, so I’m glad I had this excuse to go,” they said.

Between taking in the views of the historic stadium and soaking up the energy of the crowd, it was a perfect introduction to Chicago’s baseball scene. Cubs catcher Carson Kelly and infielder Matt Shaw came out swinging with back-to-back homers in the second and third innings, giving fans a reason to celebrate early on.

But the game was more than just baseball; it was a chance for new and longtime DMCers to connect in a relaxed, fun setting.

“I really appreciate that DMC has welcome events like this,” another new hire said. “It gave me the chance to meet some people I hadn’t gotten more than a quick introduction from before.”

Whether it was chatting between innings or cheering on the Cubs, the afternoon was full of new experiences for some and fun for all.

While the Cubs didn’t end up winning, the atmosphere inside the stadium more than made up for it. From the crack of the bat to the sound of the crowd singing ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame,’ it was the kind of day that perfectly captures summer in Chicago and a great way to welcome the newest additions to our team.

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Organized by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, B.U.G. marks the beginning of the state’s Craft Beer Week and brings together breweries for a night of samples, snacks, and sunshine in Chicago.

A New Venue with a Stellar View

While B.U.G. has traditionally taken place at Union Station, this year’s event got a refreshing upgrade and was moved to the Harris Theater Rooftop Terrace in Millennium Park. It was a big change, swapping the classic “under glass” theme for an open-air setting, but one that paid off in a big way. With perfect weather and clear skies, the rooftop offered panoramic views of the Chicago skyline, creating the best backdrop for the event. Longtime attendees joked that the new venue stretched the “glass” part of Beer Under Glass a little thin, but no one seemed to miss the echoing din of Union Station’s enclosed ceilings.

“The new space was a hit,” one DMCer shared. “It felt more relaxed, and the skyline view really made it feel like a Chicago summer moment.”

Tasting Highlights & Unexpected Finds

With over 100 participating breweries, there was something for everyone to enjoy. IPAs, lagers, sours, stouts, ciders, and everything in between.

“As someone who doesn’t enjoy traditional beer, it’s fun to find the beers/ciders/meads that I will like. Any cider or sour or fruited wheat tends to be up my alley, so it’s like a treasure hunt to find those,” our event organizer said.

Ciders and creative small-batch brews offered some standout favorites, and the open-air layout made it easy to hop between booths and compare notes with fellow DMCers. Bonus points for the sunshine that stuck around just long enough for some golden hour photos.

The B.U.G Attendees

Over 50 DMCers and their partners were in attendance, making this one of the largest DMC Activities we’ve hosted recently. This year, our group included a few DMCers visiting from our regional offices, making it a great opportunity for cross-office mingling and welcoming out-of-towners to one of Chicago’s favorite beer events.

Whether you’re a long-time B.U.G. attendee or new to the scene, the atmosphere was inclusive and fun, with everyone chatting, sampling, and battling each other in UNO the night.

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