Manufacturing Tomorrow: Recent Episodes
Ohio Manufacturing Institute
Manufacturing Tomorrow is a podcast series brought to you by the Ohio Manufacturing Institute at The Ohio State University. Featuring the perspectives of manufacturing leaders, we focus on the advanced manufacturing innovations, solutions and partnerships that exist in our region now and that will propel industry in the future. Our guests include the unsung heroes of advanced manufacturing, from company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government agencies and regional economic development organizations. Interviews cover the latest topics on products, processes – and groundbreaking relationships –the best manufacturers engage in to infuse entrepreneurialism in their daily operations. Our mission is simple: to provide a voice to manufacturers to educate the public on the value of manufacturing innovation to the U.S. economy and to showcase how Ohio’s technology resource support providers (e.g., higher education, technical centers, and MEPs) boost advanced manufacturing solutions. We ask guest speakers about catalysts needed to collaborate on manufacturing innovation, how to reduce academic-industry barriers, and technical resources that can truly bolster manufacturing productivity.
Lieutenant Colonel Kathy Gallowitz, founder and CEO of Vanguard Veteran, is a seasoned 30-year Air Force veteran. In response to 9/11, she designed and led a novel statewide outreach program for the Ohio National Guard to educate and engage civilians in support of troops and their families.
Kathy is the author of Beyond ‘Thank You for Your Service:’ The Veteran Champion Handbook for Civilians, where she describes how civilians from all segments of society can become Veteran Champions and provide meaningful, practical support for those who serve. Through her business Vanguard Veteran, she helps employers source, hire and retain Veteran talent.
She is a past chair of the Governor of Arizona’s Veterans’ Service Advisory Commission and the Southwest Veteran Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is the veteran hiring advisor for the Arizona Society of Human Resource Management. Her practice and perspectives are framed by master’s degrees both in nursing from UT Health San Antonio and political science at Ohio University.
Keywords: workforce development, veteran employment, manufacturer employers
As Chief Learning Officer at HumanWRKS and Principal Industrial Strategist for Hexagon Asset Lifecycle Intelligence. Brent Kedzierski’s primary roles at both companies are to improve the worker experience by creating a more human-centered approach to digital transformation.
At Shell, Brent served as Head of Learning Strategy and Innovation, and Global Manager of Manufacturing Learning. He was the driving force behind many of Shell’s most critical global learning transformations, earning the company recognition as a world-leading human resource management and learning organization.
In addition to an executive leadership program at The Wharton School, Brent earned his master’s degree in Human Performance Systems at Marymount University and a bachelor’s degree in training and development at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Keywords: Industry 4.0, human-machine interface, workforce development, AI-infused data insights
Meghan Kennelly is head of Global Marketing at German Bionic, a robotics firm headquartered in Germany and the US that develops and produces wearable technologies, including connected exoskeletons driven by artificial intelligence.
Under Meghan’s leadership, German Bionic has secured a number of accolades, such as Fast Company’s “Innovation by Design Award,” the CES 2023 “Best of Innovation” Award, the German Entrepreneur Award, and a coveted Hermes Award nomination at the Hannover Messe, the world’s largest industry trade fair.
Prior to German Bionic, Meghan worked as Director of Global Marketing & Communications at Yamaha Unified Communications, and as Marketing Manager for the CIO Executive Council at IDG. She earned her master’s degree in digital marketing at Southern New Hampshire University and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing at Worcester State University.
Keywords: AI, exoskeletons, manufacturing workforce, Industry 4.0
Adam Gluck is CEO & Founder of Copia Automation, building DevOps tools for controls and automation engineers that streamlines operations, reduces downtime, and improves innovation and delivery of applications and services. Copia’s flagship offering provides Git-based source control for PLC programming.
Adam was an early hire on Uber’s driver engineering team and later was the founding engineer on Uber’s engineering strategy team. At Uber, Adam worked on multiple rewrites of Uber’s driver app what was distributed to millions of drivers each month, and helped redesign Uber’s overall microservice architecture. He founded Copia to bring the same best practices to the fundamental technology that runs industry.
Adam was recently recognized in the 2022 class of Forbes 30 under 30 in the category of Manufacturing and Industry. He received a Bachelor of Arts Honors degree in Sociology from the University of Chicago.
Keywords: automation, manufacturing processes, PLC coding, digital transformation
Jay Timmons has served as president and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers since 2011 and chairman of the board of the Manufacturing Institute, the NAM’s workforce development and education partner. The NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector.
Since Jay took the helm, the NAM has more than doubled in size, dramatically expanded its issue advocacy and enhanced the organization’s influence and mobilization efforts outside of Washington, D.C. With manufacturers facing an urgent need for talented and skilled workers, Jay is also a champion for connecting more Americans with rewarding careers in modern manufacturing and for closing the opportunity gap.
In recent years, the MI has dramatically expanded its reach and impact, and together the NAM and MI launched an unprecedented, multimillion-dollar workforce development campaign, Creators Wanted.
Keywords: manufacturing industry, Industry 4.0, workforce development, Creators Wanted
Kurt DeMaagd is Chief AI Officer of Sight Machine, with offices in San Francisco and Ann Arbor. Sight Machine’s Manufacturing Data Platform creates a common data foundation and utilizes data gleaned from artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver a systemwide view of end-to-end manufacturing processes. In July 2023, Sight Machine introduced Factory CoPilot, adding… Continue reading Kurt DeMaagd, Sight Machine
Brandon Farris, vice president of domestic economic policy at the National Association of Manufacturers. Before joining the NAM, Brandon was the head of federal government relations for the Chemours Company. Brandon also served as assistant general counsel for Arkema as well as senior counsel for government relations for the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation. After serving… Continue reading Brandon Farris, NAM
Oleksandr Zadorozhniy is CEO and co-founder of CIoEE, which provides companies with SaaS based Industry 4.0 solutions to improve customers’ productivity by increasing production efficiency, improving quality and yield. CloEE also helps companies measure and control carbon emissions to reduce energy consumption and minimize the number of required machine tools. Olexandr’s team has served more… Continue reading Oleksandr Zadorozhniy, CIoEE
Christelle Keefer, Global Product Manager for Robotics Education at ABB Robotics, leads the Global Solutions Center for Education and collaborates with colleagues and educators worldwide to determine the educational products and solutions needed to train the future workforce in robotics and automation. Her current position is informed by her prior roles as Business Development Manager… Continue reading Christelle Keefer, ABB Robotics
John Brandt, CEO and founder of The MPI Group and the former editor-in-chief and publisher of both Chief Executive and IndustryWeek magazines. He is an accomplished management innovator and an internationally recognized expert on manufacturing and technology. His book, NINCOMPOOPERY: Why Your Customers Hate You—and How to Fix It, is based on groundbreaking research into leadership and performance excellence across more than fifty thousand organizations.
At IndustryWeek, John led the development of the IW Value Chain Survey, the IndustryWeek 1000, the World’s Best Managed Companies Program, and the IW Census of Manufacturers. And during his tenure, the magazine garnered more than 70 editorial awards for excellence.
We discuss the MPI Group’s work in collaboration with the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Ohio Manufacturing Institute on Digital Transformation for Manufacturers, a NIST MEP-funded pilot program.
Key terms: digital transformation, Industry 4.0, manufacturing innovation
Dusty Alexander, President and CEO of Global Shop Solutions, a global ERP software provider for small- to mid-sized manufacturers. This family-owned company is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, and has offices in Mexico, Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. The company has been in business for 40+ years with 300+ employees focused on their on-premise and cloud-based ERP software.
Dusty began working with Global Shop Solutions in 1988, progressing from sales representative to VP of ERP software sales before taking the helm as president in 2005. He received a bachelor’s degree in business from Baylor University.
Keywords: ERPs, supply chain, Industry 4.0, lean
Gary Bertoline is senior vice president for Purdue Online & Learning Innovation as well as distinguished professor of Engineering Technology & Computer and Information Technology at Purdue University. While serving as dean, he co-founded the Polytechnic Institute and the Indiana Next Generation Manufacturing Competitiveness Center.
The author of multiple textbooks in computer-aided design and engineering design graphics, Gary is principal investigator for an NSF grant in collaboration with the National Academy of Engineering and the American Society of Engineering Education to develop a curriculum framework for an innovative, adaptive and inclusive engineering education model relevant to the 21st century.
Gary is also the visionary leader for the Purdue Polytechnic High Schools located in Indianapolis and South Bend, with more schools planned.
Gary earned his doctorate in Technology Education at The Ohio State University and was on the faculty at the College of Engineering for three years before departing for Purdue University.
Keywords: engineering technology, workforce development, next-generation manufacturing
Glenn Daehn, PhD, is principal investigator and director of a new $52 million National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center called “Hybrid Autonomous Manufacturing, Moving from Evolution to Revolution” otherwise known as HAMMER. The Ohio State University is the lead institution of a consortium that is dedicated to quickly transitioning new manufacturing processes and technologies to manufacturers’ use.
Glenn is the Mars G. Fontana Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at Ohio State and was Ohio Manufacturing Institute’s founding executive director. He has served as a leader in several Ohio State programs related to manufacturing technology development, including the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, the OSU-Honda Partnership and the Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT) Manufacturing USA Center. His research includes electromagnetic and high-velocity, impulse-based metal forming.
He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in Materials Science & Engineering at Stanford University.
Jay McCoy serves as Vice President of Manufacturing at Ariel Corporation , the world’s largest manufacturer of reciprocating gas compressors. During Jay’s 17-year tenure at the Mount Vernon, Ohio, based company, he has also worked as Director of Manufacturing – Machine Shop and as Superintendent. One of his previous positions was as VP of Operations… Continue reading Jay McCoy, Ariel Corporation
Danny White serves as senior director of Portfolio & Product Management at ECI Software Solutions. For 30+ years, ECI has served small to medium-sized manufacturers with cloud-based business software solutions. Danny has 35 years of leadership in manufacturing technology. Prior to ECI, he was VP of Product Management for Epicor Software and has worked for… Continue reading Danny White, ECI Software Solutions
Mike Maynard is managing director and CEO of the Napier Group, a $7M PR and marketing agency for B2B technology companies. For 14 years, Mike and his team have helped mid-sized B2B manufacturers identify, attract, engage and drive sales opportunities with customers. Mike has directed major PR and marketing programs for a wide range of global… Continue reading Mike Maynard, Napier Group
Taylor-Winfield Technologies Donnie Wells is president of Taylor-Winfield Technologies, a leader in the design and manufacture of material joining equipment and systems. With over 135 years of continuous operation, this Youngstown, Ohio-based company produces parts joining, welding, processing and automated assembly for a diverse set of industries. In addition to his helmanship at Taylor-Winfield, Donnie… Continue reading Donnie Wells
Jeannine Kunz serves as Chief Workforce Development Officer at SME (the Society of Manufacturing Engineers), where she provides end-to-end workforce and training solutions for communities, companies and educational institutions by leading new partnerships, programs and service offerings. Prior to this newly created role, Jeannine served as vice president of Tooling U-SME. She is a recognized… Continue reading Jeannine Kunz, SME
Carol Latham is the retired founder, president, and CEO of Thermagon, a Cleveland-based custom manufacturer of high performance heat-transfer materials for electronic components. Under her leadership, Thermagon changed the microchip industry and, within five years of its launch, achieved sales of $18 million annually. She writes about her experiences in the book A Chip Off the Silicon Block.
Carol also served as a founding board member of New Bridge, a community-based arts education and career training center that addresses the needs of residents and youth who live in some of Cleveland’s most challenged neighborhoods. She has been recognized by the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges Hall of Excellence and received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the Ohio Wesleyan University.
Rita Hoffman is co-owner at Converse All Steel Services in Canfield, Ohio. The company was established by Roger and Rose Converse in 1986 as a steel warehousing and shot blasting facility. In 2014, Rita and her brother, Ross, took ownership of the company that now produces custom steel parts for heavy manufacturing and construction industries.
In addition to overseeing daily operations at Converse, Rita also is part owner of CC Metal Design, which produces custom metal art direct to the consumer. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a double minor in math and business from Mount Union College.
Mark Fedor, CEO of Morgan Industries, leads an Alliance Ohio-based manufacturer of material handling systems and production solutions. The company specializes in the construction of large-scale industrial overhead cranes and steel mill equipment. Under Mark’s 16-year tenure as CEO, this 152-year old company is leading its industry in the adoption of automation and other Industry 4.0 technologies.
Mark began his career at Morgan after college. He then pursued an opportunity to build a steel plant at Steel Dynamics in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and then was lured back to the company where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather made their living.
Mark has been a member of the Association for Iron & Steel Technology, or AIST, since 1996, serving on the crane committee and a number of subcommittees. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Akron.
Natan Linder, our 100th guest, is CEO and co-founder of Tulip, a manufacturing software company that builds digital applications to bridge the human-automation gap for frontline operations. Tulip’s platforms are based on over a decade's worth of breakthrough research by world-class experts on technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), human-computer interaction, augmented reality, and machine learning.
Natan is also co-founder and chairman of Formlabs, which develops affordable high-resolution 3D printing for professionals in a diverse set of industries and serves as an advisory board member of RightHand Robotics. He was a former Intel Fellow in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT Media Lab and co-founder of Samsung Telecom.
He earned his doctorate in media arts and science at MIT and a BA in Computer Science and Business Administration at Reichman University.
Bob Willig, executive director and CEO of SME (also known as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers), and John Dyck, CEO of CESMII – The Smart Manufacturing Institute, recently announced a partnership to accelerate smart manufacturing adoption.
Bob joined SME a year ago after more than 30 years’ experience holding multiple leadership positions at global manufacturing companies, most recently at Stoneridge Inc. where he was president of the Control Devices Division. Prior to Stoneridge, he served as president and CEO of Plasan Carbon Composites and was president in the Americas for GKN Driveline, an automotive industry supplier. Earlier in his career, Bob was president of both Power Transmission and Powertrain at The Gates Corp. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical systems design at Lawrence Tech University and an MBA from Wayne State University.
John began his tenure at CESMII in 2018 after securing his reputation as a domain expert on applying innovations like the Cloud and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in diverse manufacturing industries and supply chains. Prior to joining CESMII, John held senior leadership positions in large corporations like GE and Rockwell Automation and was effective in raising venture capital funding and building a successful software startup called Activplant. He has been awarded a number of patents for IIoT and analytics applications in manufacturing workflows and business processes. He received a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from Conestoga College.
Matt Fenneman, VP of Sales & Marketing at Engineered Profiles, a Columbus-based manufacturer of custom plastic profile extrusion products. For more than 70 years, the company originally known as Crane Plastics has been a recognized leader in the thermoplastic industry. Engineered Profiles’ advancements include creating one of the first U.S. vinyl siding products, offering custom part finishing, and leading the early development of wood-plastic composites.
Matt serves as the chief executive over all sales and marketing activities at the company. His experience began in an engineering role at Crane Plastics in the tooling and product development groups; he has also served in a technical sales and business development role.
He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Franklin University, and has taken additional coursework in computer science as well as automation and programming.
Todd Leebow is president and CEO of Majestic Steel USA, a national steel service center headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. Todd took the reins from his father in 2012 after working at the company for several years on supply chain management and innovation. Since then, Todd has taken aggressive measures to modernize the company to deliver steel to customers faster and cheaper, with the ultimate goal of bringing the US steel industry into the digital revolution.
As principal of Majestic Universe Ventures and Investments, Todd has stakes in several other companies including Felux, a B2B marketplace and platform for the steel industry; Sozo Workwear, and a host of other real estate investment and hospitality firms. He studied business management and entrepreneurship at the University of Miami in Florida.
Nick Day is Vice President of Client Solutions for Roundtable Learning, an e-learning company based in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, that develops technology-enhanced training programs for a number of industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, business services, and retail. Prior to Roundtable, Nick worked as a sales executive and team lead manager for Park Place Technologies and as a senior corporate risk project manager for PNC.
Nick earned his MBA and bachelor’s degree in finance at John Carroll University.
Zach Douglas is a North American Product Manager at QleanAir Scandinavia. He is responsible for US product management, including moving the company’s supply chain from Europe to North America and scaling the company to meet rapid growth. Prior to that role, he worked as an Operational Excellence Manager for Outdoor Living based in Columbus, Ohio, and ran his own Wikipedia consulting company.
Zach received his bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering at The Ohio State University and is certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Melissa Hadley is business planning manager at Koppers Inc., a Pittsburgh, PA, manufacturer of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals and carbon compounds. Koppers serves a wide range of applications in a diverse global network of end-markets, including railroad, specialty chemical, residential lumber, agriculture and construction industries.
Prior to Koppers, Melissa worked at Morton Salt in various roles, including as supply chain planning manager, plant manager and process engineer. She started her career at Sunoco as a process engineer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Ohio University and an MBA in Operations/Supply Chain Management from Arizona State University.
Melissa has been recognized by The Manufacturing Institute with the 2021 STEP Ahead Award, which celebrates women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their manufacturing careers.
With more than 30-years’ experience in cybersecurity and information technology systems management and design, Ken Fanger, president of On Technology Partners, helps companies design, plan and implement cybersecurity, disaster recovery, and business continuity systems.
While his current focus is on the manufacturing sector, Ken has supported pharmaceutical, legal, medical, nonprofit, and government organizations to better understand their work/process flow and develop strategies to meet their goals.
Daniel Herrington is founder and CEO of Voxel Innovations, an electrochemical machining company based out of Raleigh, NC. The company specializes in a pulsed electrochemical machine process (or PECM) that is touted as an efficient and accurate approach to machining high-quality metal components for their medical, aerospace, energy and other industry customers.
Prior to Voxel Innovations, Daniel consulted in the emergent metal additive manufacturing and electrochemical machining industries after working at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Energy (ARPA-E). While at the agency, Daniel advised teams from universities, national labs, start-ups, and multinational companies on tech-to-market strategies.
Daniel was also a professional racecar driver in the IndyCar and Grand-Am series, winning multiple races and raising over $1 million in sponsorships. He secured his master’s degree in Engineering Management at Duke University and received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at North Carolina State University.
Sebastian Elmgren, portfolio manager of smart manufacturing at Ericsson, a 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) company founded in 1876 in Stockholm, Sweden, outlines the most common information and emerging communication technologies powered by 5G and IoT platforms that the company considers priorities for adoption by manufacturers. We unpack the critical role cellular technology will play in the future in solving productivity, supply chain disruptions, and skills gaps. Lastly, we address how smaller firms can reduce the uncertainty in pursuing Industry 4.0, in general.
Other positions that Sebastian has filled at Ericsson during his 13+ year tenure include head of process management, product quality improvement manager and production engineer. Prior to Ericsson, he worked at Ving. He received his Master of Science in automation and mechatronics at Chalmers University of Technology.
As president and founder of Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers, Fran Brunelle specializes in the sale of small- and mid-sized manufacturing firms. With the goal of ensuring the continuity of U.S. manufacturing, Fran and her team help transition ownership to the next generation of entrepreneurs. Recently Fran was named to the 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market Mergers & Acquisitions.
Fran is also the host of WAM (Women and Manufacturing) podcast. Fran writes on topics that help manufacturing business owners prepare their companies for sale and navigate the sale process to ensure a positive financial result in support of their retirement.
During her 13-year tenure at Honda, Meredith Reffey, engineering manager at American Honda Motor Company, has worked in various North American manufacturing facility weld departments, creating specifications for weld equipment with a focus on final body welding and construction.
After serving as the weld equipment project leader for the 2018 Honda Accord and 2021 Acura TLX, Meredith recently moved into a management position, leading associates who conduct new model project roles within weld, paint, and assembly departments. She is a graduate of Honda’s Leadership Advancement Mentorship Program, otherwise known as the LAMP training program, and is the founder and co-chair of the Women Powering Honda business resource group.
She obtained her BS in Industrial Engineering Technology with a minor in Quality Assurance from the University of Dayton.
This second in a two-part podcast features an expert panel from The Ohio State University reacting to Ned Hill’s Institute for Materials Research Materials Week webinar presentation on “Lies, Damn Lies and Consultants: What Manufacturing and Supply Chain Leaders Need to Know about Digital Manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things.”
In order of appearance, the following panelists include: • Nate Ames, Executive Director, Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence • John Gray, Associate Director, Fisher College of Business Center for Operational Excellence • Farhang Pourbroghrat, Chair, Industrial Systems Engineering • Kathryn Kelley, Executive Director, Ohio Manufacturing Institute
A special thanks to the Institute for Materials Research for hosting this forum.
During a recent Materials Week webinar Ned Hill, a faculty associate at the Ohio Manufacturing Institute, spoke about OMI research on digitally connected manufacturing enterprises and what is needed strategically and operationally to support them along the Industry 4.0 pathway.
This first segment covers Ned’s presentation on “Lies, Damn Lies and Consultants: What Manufacturing and Supply Chain Leaders Need to Know about Digital Manufacturing, Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things.” The next segment will feature an expert panel reacting to this presentation.
In addition to his work at OMI, Ned is a professor of economic development at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs and is affiliated with the Institute for Materials Research Discovery Theme on Materials and Manufacturing for Sustainability.
A special thanks to the Institute for Materials Research for hosting this forum and particularly Executive Director Steve Ringel and Director of Innovation Jay Sayre for inviting us.
A self-professed Industry 4.0 champion and digital transformation leader, Ted Rozier serves as director of engineering at Festo Didactic North America. The company is a global leader in designing and implementing Industry 4.0 learning laboratories, educational equipment and programs that train people to perform in highly dynamic and complex industrial control and automation environments.
Ted has managed the development of several user-friendly automation control turnkey systems on a global scale. Before joining Festo Didactic, Ted spent 18 years leading the Automation Engineering Department for Doosan Infracore Machine Tool Corporation. He specializes in the design and development of robotics and machine tool turnkey systems for the automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical industry.
Greg Cebular, vice president of sales at The Technology House, a contract manufacturer specializing in additive manufacturing, cast urethane molding, injection molding, and CNC machining. He is also VP of Sales at Sea Air Space Machining & Molding, a sister company to TTH that specializes in ISO certifications in aerospace, defense and medical industries. Greg began his 3D printing tenure at TTH in 2003.
Greg is a graduate of Ohio University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies.
Rebecca Dray, CEO of Society Profits and executive director of Buy Social USA, focuses her work on building networks of accredited social impact businesses selling goods and services to companies across the US. The goal is to develop a social procurement system that improves society alongside corporate sustainability, shareholder and customer satisfaction & employee retention. Society Profits provides third-party accreditation for social enterprise sellers and helps them gain social procurement contracts, build local networks and improve their social enterprise businesses.
In 2019, Rebecca co-founded Buy Social USA, offering social procurement support services to large corporations, governments and anchor institutions. She served for two years as a Michigan chapter leader for Social Enterprise Alliance and was appointed this year as a board member of the nationwide nonprofit network. In its more than 20-year history, SEA has grown to 1000 members and 16 chapters.
Prior to her work in the US, Rebecca led community enterprises and nonprofit organization management companies in the United Kingdom. Rebecca started her career in the hospitality industry working for Marriott Hotels.
Stephanie Gaffney is the director of Additive Manufacturing Programs at the Youngstown Business Incubator, an internationally recognized program focused on the development of software and additive manufacturing companies in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley.
Stephanie Gaffney joined the YBI team in September of 2014 as an industry liaison for the precision printed parts network, and now works to integrate additive manufacturing into small to medium operations throughout Ohio. She has managed $20 million in unclassified R&D projects to address the joint operational needs of industry, military, academia and non-profits. Stephanie brings significant industry experience from several sectors of the economy, as well as management experience from owning her own company. She was named an America Makes ambassador in 2019 and is serving a two-year term on its executive committee.
Stephanie is a graduate of Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a minor in Mathematics.
Greg Kimmel, National Security Business Line Manager, and John Clay, Research Lead outline their leadership roles and the impact of the Critical Care Decontamination System™ (CCDS) developed and commercialized at Battelle, an international nonprofit research and development firm headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
Beginning his career as a research scientist, Greg has served Battelle for 19 years. In addition to his work as general manager for Battelle’s CCDS, he spent a year as an industry fellow at The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. He also was president of Kimmel Engineering Solutions
John is a chemical engineer and research lead for the Battelle CCDS, where he directs research in support of field deployments, including due diligence testing and performance evaluation of N95 filtering facepiece respirators. He is also a clinical professor at The Ohio State University Department of Chemical Engineering, and a Project Management Professional.
Mary’beth Ramey, control systems engineer for the Delrin area of DuPont Transportation & Industrial talks to us about her career path in engineering and the innovative products she has worked on at the Washington Works Site in in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Dupont is a spinoff of the world’s fourth-largest chemical company, DowDupont, and is focused on speciality products that serve both industrial and consumer markets. Dupont polymers are used in everything from mobile phone components and insulin injector pens to electronics for autonomous vehicles, even roller blades.
Mary’beth has also worked as process engineer for DuPont’s Zytel product line. She is currently the membership chair and webmaster of the Columbus Chapter of the International Society of Automation, or ISA, and she serves on the ISA Standards Committee on Human-Machine Interfaces. She received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Virginia Tech.
Brandon Cornuke, vice president, and Alec Simon, director of Startup Services at the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET) talk about this year’s MSPIRE pitch challenge, which has gone virtual this year.
Brandon leads the organization’s efforts to help innovators turn manufactured product ideas into viable businesses. He specializes in strategy development, business model design, and lean innovation. He also teaches MBA students as an Adjunct Professor of Design and Innovation at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management. His career includes time as director of Digital Strategy and Innovation at American Greetings, as well as co-founder of his own consumer products company, Joyce Labs. He directed Target’s consumer TV sales strategy and was an IT strategy consultant with Hitachi’s global consulting team. He received his MBA at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Before serving as startup advisor at MAGNET, Alec served as a ventures associate at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Cleveland. He has worked as a retail transformation strategy analyst at Key Bank and senior business analyst at Capital One. He earned his MBA at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management and his bachelor’s degree in Operations Management at Ohio State.
Matt Garbarino, Director of Marketing Communication at Cincinnati Incorporated outlines his career at one of the oldest machine tool manufacturers in the U.S., producing press brakes, laser cutting systems, shears, PM presses, and additive equipment. Cincinnati was the first company to use Big Area Additive Manufacturing, or BAAM, technology to print the world’s first 3D printed car, the Strati from Local Motors then later, a Ford Cobra.
Matt manages all marketing, branding and communications initiatives for the company. Before his second term at Cincinnati Incorporated, he served as president and COO at MachineTools.com and founder and CEO of The FabZone.com, a B2B website that matches buyers and suppliers in the metal fabrication industry. He also worked as sales manager at SigmaTEK and as manufacturing engineer in the Delco Chassis Division at General Motors. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology at Purdue University and pursued an MBA at Wright State University.
Norman Jones, PhD, dean and director of The Ohio State University at Mansfield and Aimee Ulstad, associate professor in Integrated Systems Engineering at Ohio State, talk about the new Bachelor of Science in Engineering Program being offered at the regional campuses beginning this Autumn 2020. We discuss the workforce needs, the types of students, and the manufacturing partnerships that are factors in the program’s development.
Prior to his appointment as dean at Mansfield, Norman served for two years as the interim dean. Norman oversees an academic community of more than 1,000 students, 100 faculty and 60 staff members. He also assists with the management of shared services with North Central State College, Ohio State Mansfield’s co-located college. He joined Ohio State’s faculty in 2004 and has taught undergraduate- and graduate-level courses on American literature, the Bible and film. Norman earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities from Yale University, and a master’s degree and doctorate in English from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Prior to joining the faculty at Ohio State, Aimee was an industry professional and practicing engineer with more than 30-years’ experience in various fields. She began her career as a packaging equipment engineer at Procter & Gamble, then moved to Anheuser-Busch where she worked for 27 years as a project manager, engineering manager and finally as the resident engineer, managing all technical areas of the facility. Aimee received her degrees in Mechanical Engineering and her MBA from The Ohio State University.
[[Full disclosure: I am heavily involved with the development of the BSET program]]
For 14 years, Joe Sullivan, co-founder of Gorilla 76, a St. Louis-based industrial marketing agency and his team have helped mid-sized B2B manufacturers identify, attract, engage and drive sales opportunities with customers. The company uses a combination of positioning, content marketing, search engine optimization, website development, and sales enablement, among others.
Prior to founding Gorilla 76, Joe worked as an art director for Schupp Company, whose clients include MillerCoors and Russell Stover. He earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Advertising Design and Business Marketing from Washington University in St. Louis.
Kelly Reo, Executive Director of the Center for Operational Excellence at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, joined the Center in 2018, bringing over 20 years of management and consulting experience with her.
She has served as a program and project manager on many strategic initiatives for large organizations across a variety of industries - finance, banking, manufacturing, retail, and higher education - from NiSource to L Brands. She has led teams in strategy development, business process improvement, technology implementation, and change facilitation.
Most recently, she spent 14 years at Navigator Management Partners, now Avaap, where she was Vice President of Operations and Marketing.
She has a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Ohio State and a Marketing Management Certification from the Harvard Extension School. Additionally, Kelly is currently enrolled in the Master of Business Operational Excellence program at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business.
Rosemary Coates is founder and executive director of the Reshoring Institute (https://reshoringinstitute.org), a nonprofit focused on expanding U.S. manufacturing supply chains.
As management consultant for 25 years and president of Blue Silk Consulting, she has helped over 80 global supply chain clients and works as an expert witness on legal cases involving global supply chains. She is an Amazon.com best-selling author with five supply chain books, including The Reshoring Guidebook and the Legal Blacksmith – How to Avoid and Defend Supply Chain Disputes.
Rosemary serves on the board of directors at the University of San Diego Supply Chain Management Institute and teaches Global Supply Chain Strategy at UC Berkeley. She earned an MBA from the University of San Diego and a bachelor’s degree in business logistics from Arizona State University.
Joe Lyden is president of Caster Connection, an Ohio-based manufacturer of casters and wheels with clients that include John Deere, Honda and BMW. The company’s mission is to develop innovative and optimal material handling solutions in order to deliver enhanced ergonomics, safety, and efficiency to their clients.
Joe has worked at Columbus Caster for almost 12 years. Before becoming president, he served in the roles of sales director and national and regional sales manager. He received a bachelor of business administration in marketing at the University of Toledo and also attended Ohio University.
Dan Newman, principal analyst of Futurum Research and CEO of Broadsuite Media Group, works with the world’s largest technology brands to explore digital transformation and help enterprises leverage disruptive innovations to gain a market advantage.
A five-time best-selling author, including his most recent Human/Machine:The Future of Our Partnership with Machines; and Building Dragons: Digital Transformation in the Experience Economy. Daniel is also a Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Huffington Post contributor. A special thanks to the Ohio State’s Center for Operational Excellence for arranging this interview.
Brad Henry is founder and CEO of EduTechnologic, a company that specializes in augmented reality, cognitive services and wearable solutions for industry. He works to integrate advanced technologies for training, on-the-job support and usability.
Brad has more than 25 years’ experience in educational technologies and e-learning environments. Prior to founding Edutechnologic, he was director of Learning Technology at the Ohio Department of Higher Education eStudent Services, where he also served as an educational instructional designer and software engineer.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in Education, Adult and Continuing Education at The Ohio State University, he completed his master’s in Career and Workforce Development and is now a PhD candidate in Educational/Instructional Technology.
Jim Vinoski, Forbes contributor and manufacturing expert, has covered the challenges and opportunities that manufacturers face, highlighting topics as diverse as the role of digital technologies in prosthetics production, generative design, mass personalization and Fiestaware.
Jim leads teams for plant and corporate manufacturing and supply chain initiatives. He has been a site leader for Midwest Grain Products, a large distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and spent more than 15 years in plant system engineering and corporate leadership roles at General Mills.
Phil Winkelmann serves as continuous improvement manager at Plastic Packaging Technologies. After a rigorous lean journey, the Columbus, OH-based facility now has the distinction of being named a 2019 IndustryWeek best plant finalist.
The flexible packaging manufacturer produces innovative packaging solutions for customers in food, snack and beverage, health and medical, lawn and garden, pet care and specialty consumer products. The company’s roll stock supplies include stand-up pouches, 3-sided seal packages and single-web quad bags.
Prior to Plastic Packaging Technologies, Phil worked as a continuous improvement leader at a number of manufacturing and logistics companies, including project manager at Cardinal Health and Senior Honeywell Operating System Specialist. He earned a master’s in business administration as well as a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Dayton and is a Six Sigma Black Belt.
Ben Marsh is CEO of Scout Systems, a manufacturing software company that supplies Machine Learning, human and process solutions to manufacturers. Their technology increases plant productivity, reduces defects, and includes an interface that reduces worker training time.
Before Scout Systems, Ben held a number of manufacturing, mechanical, and applications engineering roles, including at RedDOT Seattle, CASCADE Engine Center, and Vaporcor. His bachelor’s degree is in mechanical engineering from Santa Clara University and he has earned a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma.
Art Barter is not only owner and CEO of Datron World Communication, he founded the Servant Leadership Institute from his experiences rebuilding his company’s culture. Datron World Communications is a 30-year-old, privately owned company located in Vista, California, that manufactures tactical military and public safety radio equipment to a diverse worldwide customer base in over 80 countries. The company produces HF and VHF military and commercial voice and data radio products, a complete line of radios for the public safety market, and a network of solutions support staff.
After purchasing Datron World Communications in 2004, Art upended the company's traditional power-led management culture and replaced it with a servant leadership model that he developed. After years of hard work, not only were the employees of Datron happier, they were more efficient. As a result, Datron grew from $10 million to $200 million in revenues in only 6 years.
In order to spread his passion for servant leadership, Art founded the Servant Leadership Institute in 2010. Since its inception, the Institute has developed curriculum geared toward empowering others to become effective servant leaders.
Matt Long, vice-president of continuous improvement and John Miller, engineering manager at Herman Miller, offer up lessons learned during their journey toward their version of Lean, the Herman Miller Performance System (HMPS) during this episode.
Herman Miller is a 108-year-old furniture and home furnishings manufacturer based in Zeeland, Michigan that garners more than $2 billion-a-year in earnings. Revered not only for its iconic designs, as evidenced by the company’s Eames Lounge Chair, but also for its culture, Matt and John are visiting Ohio State to communicate best practices in lean manufacturing.
For eight years, Matt has served as VP of continuous improvement with the responsibility of global implementation of the business processes, supply chain and dealer management; he directed the program for 14 years prior to that. Prior to that, he held manufacturing and tooling engineering management positions at the company. He also worked in manufacturing and systems engineering positions at Lift Tech International, Kaydon Corporation and McDonnell Douglas Aircraft.
John has been an engineering manager at Herman Miller for almost 20 years. He specializes in lean product development, failure mode and effects analysis and lean Manufacturing. Both Matt and John are engineering alums of Lawrence Technological University.
Greg Paulsen is director of Applications Engineering at Xometry, an innovative industrial engineering company that specializes in CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, urethane casting, and injection molding services. They offer a 24/7 online quoting platform and a network of partner manufacturing facilities.
Greg has also directed Xometry’s molding and new manufacturing technologies, applications engineering, the project engineering group and served as business development manager. Prior to Xometry, Greg worked as a project engineer at Prototype Productions. He earned his master’s degree in Integrated Science and Technology at James Madison University.
Mick McCormick, Robotics Business Leader at Yale Materials Handling Corporation, has worked in the material handling field for 30 years. He has experience in automated guided vehicles (AGVs), robotics, lift trucks and distribution management. Before his term at the Hyster-Yale Group, he served as director of product management, robotics, business intelligence and information solutions at The Raymond Corporation and as a business integration manager at Toyota Industries.
Yale Materials Handling is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of materials handling equipment. They provide products and applications for more than 700 industries, including warehousing, large-capacity cargo and container handling. The operating company Hyster-Yale Group includes three operating divisions at 26 facilities, 13 counties and employs more than 5,000 people.
Ben Redwood is director of business development at 3D Hubs, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Founded in 2013, 3D Hubs offers parts prototyping and production to manufacturers using 3D Printing, CNC Machining and Injection Molding.
Ben has also served as the director of supply chain, where he grew the 3D Hubs global supply chain across all manufacturing technologies. He began his tenure at 3D Hubs as a technical marketing manager, establishing the 3D Hubs Knowledge Base and authoring the 3D Printing Handbook.
Prior to 3D Hubs, Ben was market development engineer at Galvanizers Association of Australia. He received his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering at University of Canterbury.
Vasil Hlinka CEO of AwareAbility Technologies, an Internet of Things technology company. In addition to consulting with customers on their data capture investments and needs, they produce hardware that can operate in ultra low-power and no-power environments.
Before AwareAbility, Vasil held a number of consulting and leadership positions at a number of technology and IT companies. In addition to consulting, his portfolio includes work at Lochbridge, Compuware, and BMW Financial Service. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrics and Electronics Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Teresa McMahon, Executive Director of the Iowa Lean Consortium, is a leading authority on change management and organizational performance. She helps members of the Iowa Lean Consortium to increase their proficiency with Lean tools and share best practices to improve their bottom line.
Prior to ILC, Teresa was deputy director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. She served as performance results director for the Iowa Department of Management and has held several positions at the state’s Department of Natural Resources. She received her juris doctorate at the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law and a BS in Business Administration at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business.
Steve Phillips is the owner of Phillips Precision, located in Boyleston, MA. Founded in 1997, Phillips Precision has grown its machining capabilities and expanded its offerings to rapid prototyping, laser marking, 3D printing and precision milling and turning.
Steve is the inventor of the Pitbull Clamp workholding device and Loc-N-Load quick-swap fixture plate system. Prior to Phillips Precision, he worked at Bose Corporation as a model maker and at Saint-Gobain Abrasives and Norton as a machinist. He has an extensive background in CNC machining, inspection, geometric dimensioning & tolerancing, and computer-aided-design.
Ritch Ramey is the engineering technologies coordinator at the Robotics & Advanced Manufacturing Technology Education Collaborative, or RAMTEC, which provides training to high school students and incumbent workers on industry-standard facilities and equipment. RAMTEC is located at the Tri-Rivers Career Center Advanced Manufacturing facility in Marion, Ohio; other training sites are now located at most career and technology centers throughout the state.
Ritch has served Tri-Rivers Career Center since 1987, leading the instruction of high school students in engineering and industrial robotics. He is involved in the Project Leads the Way high school Digital Electronics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing courses. He also teaches industrial robotics, CAD, digital electronics and CNC, among other courses, at Marion Technical College.
Ritch received his bachelor of science degree in technology at Bowling Green State University, his vocational education certification at the University of Toledo and his associate degree in manufacturing engineering at Marion Technical College.
Will Zell, CEO and Founding Partner of Nikola Labs leads a wireless power company with a far-field technology that converts radio frequency (RF) energy into direct current (DC) power. One of their products that may interest those in manufacturing is a transponder and predictive sensor system that provides predictive maintenance on machines by monitoring temperature and vibration.
Will has been at Nikola Labs since 2014. He has founded three technology companies and has had a successful real estate and venture development career, including serving on IKOVE Venture Partners Advisory Board and as managing director of Endeavor Forward, a startup accelerator. He draws from a broad range of experience in communications, organizational development, leadership, branding and innovation.
Ron Burton is executive vice president of the Transportation Research Center, the largest independent vehicle test facility, research and development, and proving grounds in the U.S. A 32-year veteran, Ron has program management oversight in injury biomechanics, vehicle crash worthiness and biomechanics, advanced crash-avoidance technology, and human factors programs. Ron has been a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers since 1998 and has chaired SAE task groups in active safety and dummy testing and evaluation. He is a key contributor to the design and development of TRC’s 540-acre Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test Center, or SMARTCenter. Ron received a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Wright State University. Avery Caughenbaugh has been TRC’s marketing specialist since 2017. Her responsibilities are in customer service, social media, public relations, events and conferences, and facility tours. She began her career at TRC as a Durability Test Driver before she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications at Ohio State.
Bob Mick, Director of Professional & Distance Education Programs at The Ohio State University College of Engineering, leads the online Masters of Global Engineering Leadership program,a professional degree for practicing engineers who want to increase their management acumen and leadership skills along with their technical expertise. The degree is delivered completely online and can be completed in 12 -28 months. Students admitted to the program pursue course work in business leadership, public policy, ethics, accounting, and a technical specializationin automotive systems, welding or additive manufacturing, to name a few.They practice new professional and technical skills by completing a culminating project. Prior to his tenure at the College of Engineering, Bob was a program coordinator for the Executive MBA program and Program Director for the Master of Business Operational Excellence degree, both at the Ohio State Fisher College of Business.
We have a special treat for our podcast listeners! Luconda Dager, President of Velvet Ice Cream Company, at the headquarters located at Ye Olde Mill in Utica, Ohio is the fourth generation of her family to lead the 103-year-old company that distributes more than five million gallons of ice cream each year.
Before joining Velvet Ice Cream, Luconda worked several years in the retail fashion industry. She is a frequent speaker and author on dairy industry topics as well as small and family business issues. She serves on the board of directors of the International Dairy Foods Association and the Midwest Dairy Foods Association. In addition, she leads several community philanthropy programs, including the Utica Sertoma Ice Cream Festival and Pelotonia, which benefits cancer research at Ohio State.
Luconda was inducted into the Women of Influence in the Food Industry in 2012 and Columbus Business First’s “Forty under Forty” in 2007. She received a bachelor’s degree in business from Xavier University.
The Ohio Means Internships & Co-ops program in Central Ohio that is funded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education is focused on providing students with work experiences in advanced manufacturing. The following two segments capture two OMIC programs from this autumn.
The first event you will hear is at an Engineering Career Fair offered at the co-located campuses of Central Ohio Technical College and OSU-Newark. The students were exposed to internship opportunities with area employers and received job-driven training on critical thinking and human relations skills. I interviewed student and industry participants as well as two administrators.
The second event was at the INNOVATE-O-thon developed by The Ohio State University Institute for Materials Research. For this particular externship program, student teams focused on a mobility challenge that will help shape DriveOhio’s technology strategy. The students identified value propositions and built business cases for deployment of autonomous vehicles at Ohio State’s campus. The winning team was interviewed, as well as IMR’s director.
Bob Graff, Senior Sales Manager of STEM Education & Workforce Development at Yaskawa America. Yaskawa Motoman, located in Miamisburg, Ohio, produces robotic automation for industry and robotic applications, including arc welding, clean room, coating, material cutting, materials handling, and spot welding. Recently, they have become well-known for their collaborative robot, or co-bot, line.
Before Yaskawa, Bob served over 18 years in the education technology industry as an account manager at HMH, a global K-12 learning company, Gateway, Primex Education Solutions, and Apple Computer, among others. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Cincinnati.
Key terms: robotics and automation, workforce implications, future skills needed in manufacturing
Nate Strum, executive director of Grow Licking County, joined GROW Licking County Community Improvement Corporation in 2015, three years into the CIC’s existence. As executive director, Nate serves as the primary point of contact for business and industry attraction and expansion inquiries about Licking County.
Prior to Grow Licking County, Nate served as project manager of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Regional Industrial Development Corporation. He also worked as a business development specialist in Allegheny County and as planner/zoning administrator for the City of Zanesville.
In this episode, Nate discusses GROW Licking County Community Improvement Corporation’s recent manufacturing strategic plan and its efforts to develop a supportive ecosystem. We also cover the role of economic development professionals in developing regional business and educational partnerships that can help companies thrive.
Bronson Jones is CEO and owner of Banner Metals Group in Grandview, Ohio. Founded in 1921 as a tool and die company, Banner Metals Group has expanded its offerings to metal stamping, fabrication, welding, CNC machining, laser cutting, and engineering services. Banner Metals manufactures metal products for industries throughout the world, including aerospace and automotive.
Bronson took the helm of this family-owned company four years ago, after serving as vice president and general manager for 20 years. Before Banner Metals, he worked at McDonnell Douglas; early on in his career, he was a tool and die maker for Superior Die Tool & Machine Company.
Stephanie Kovach, who is an employee development specialist, and Amy Nelson, who is a manufacturing talent program development specialist, discuss their innovative approaches to workforce development practices at Crown Equipment Corporation. Located in New Bremen, Ohio, Crown Equipment is the fourth largest material handling manufacturer of powered industrial forklift trucks in the worldwith almost $3 billiona yearin worldwide sales. Nelson and Kovach spoke at the Center for Operational Excellence summit to discuss Crown’s approach to sustainable employee development. The Employee Talent Development Process is designed to engage, innovate, and empower workers. By systematically deploying this employee development process and supporting tools, Crown is working to create a continuous talent development culture across the company’s 18 global manufacturing sites.
Key topics: talent and human capital, growing workers’ talents, individual development plants, mentorship program.
A household name, Stanley Black & Decker is a Fortune 500 American manufacturer of industrial tools, household hardware and security products. As Vice President of Breakthrough Innovation for Stanley Black & Decker’s Innovation Accelerator team, Bob Welsh’s focus is to improve and advance SBD’s global innovation processes and impact. Additionally, his team is responsible for the creation, oversight and management of the company’s first employee Makerspace.
Bob has held a number of roles at the company and its brands, including Vice President of Industrial Design for Global Tools and VP for Brand Marketing and Industrial Design for DEWALT Powertools. He received an Executive MBA in Management at Loyola University and his bachelor of science in Industrial Design at Ohio State.
This segment is sponsored by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.
Key Topics: innovation hubs as corporate growth strategy, product development and commercialization accelerators, technical education, Manufactory 4.0, and makerspaces
Dr. Barbara Trautlein, PhD, is a leadership strategist, keynote speaker, host of the Women and Manufacturing Podcast, and founder of Change Catalysts LLC. She has worked with leaders in manufacturing and steel industries, among many otherindustries, to facilitate successful and sustainable change at all levels. Some of her company clients include: Ford Motor Company, Abbott Laboratories, Steel Dynamics and ThyssenKrupp. She is the author of the best-selling book,
While working for Systems and Materials Research Consultancy, Anjan Contractor, CEO and co-founder of BeeHex, invented NASA’s 3D food printer system for deep space missions.The system can "print" dishes using layers of food powders that will have a shelf life of three decades.For the first time, astronauts mayenjoy space pizza while meetingthe agency’s strict nutritional and sustainability requirements.
Anjan founded BeeHex and further developed his 3D food printer system to accommodate a variety of food consistencies and developed a no-drip extrusion platform for chocolate and pizza printing.Then he hit the road to print pizza at multiple events, winningawardssuch as “Best New Tech” by Vice Magazine, “Best Tech in Silicon Valley”and “Best New Technology” atTaste Talks Food and Drink Awards.
He ultimately partnered with Donatos Pizza and relocated to Columbus. This is not his first time in the city, as he received his master’s degree in materials science and engineering and bachelors in mechanical engineering at The Ohio State University.
Key Topics include: technology and food manufacturing, 3D printed foods, personalized information
Dan Rockwell is CEO and co-founder of Big Kitty Labs, a rapid prototyping digital agency based in Columbus, Ohio. The company was founded in 2009 after a series of events that led him to realize that building things should be easier, and that prototypes provide a ready foundation.
Building Big Kitty was an act largely for himself and his partner Tushar Kulkarni to invent concepts, play with technologies and do everything that most people weren't doing - building things fast. Big Kitty serves startups in the region looking for rapid innovation.
Previously, Dan worked as program manager of the Software Prototyping Center at The Ohio State University's Technology Commercialization Office. There he helped take numerous university ideas to market, launching several startups.
Dan is an advocate for the innovation scene in Columbus. He helped form many tech-related events such as Ignite Columbus, Wakeup Startup, and is a speaker for Startup Weekend and Give Back Hack across the state. He's known for his loud laughs, ample mentoring time, futuristic thinking and belief that anyone can change what happens next.
Key Topics: how rapid prototyping can help manufacturers, how to get a product to market faster, how to make the leap into digital.
Sundar Veeraraghavan, PhD, manages emerging products at UES Inc., a Dayton-area science and technology firm and an R&D 100 Award winner. At UES, he focuses on helping to mature and bring to market the cutting-edge technologies that his colleagues develop in materials science, surface engineering, power and propulsion, lasers and photonics as well as bio- and nano-materials. UES provides these R&D services and products to commercial and defense markets.
Sundar is a product commercialization professional who has worked in R&D, Marketing and Clinical functions for over fifteen years in diverse university, consulting, large corporation, startup, and small business environments.
Key topics: changing landscape of defense manufacturing, the Defense Manufacturing Assistance Program, how to attract a highly skills workforce.
John Brandt, CEO and founder of The MPI Group, is an internationally recognized expert on manufacturing and technology with more than two-decades experience devoted to studying leadership in effective, purpose-driven organizations as well as how companies can adapt themselves to today’s new markets, corporate structures, and customer demands.
John’s work at MPI Group has produced the Six Strategies for Next Generation Manufacturing Success and studies on manufacturing performance benchmarking, distribution and logistics and manufacturers’ readiness for the Internet of Things.
Before founding The MPI Group in 2003, John was publisher and editor-in-chief of IndustryWeek magazine, which under his leadership garnered more than 70 editorial awards for excellence and doubled its revenues. He led the development of several pioneering research efforts, including the IndustryWeek 1000, the World’s Best Managed Companies Program, and the IW Census of Manufacturers. John also served as president, publisher, and editorial director of Chief Executive. Key topics: overarching trends in manufacturing, MPI Group's annual Internet of Things survey and John's advice to small and medium firms.
Jeff Berrie, PhD, is vice president and division manager at BerrieHill Research, a Division of Applied Research Associates. BerrieHill offers expertise in the design and development of antennas, computational eletromagnetics and RF measurements.
Previously, Jeff worked at Mission Research Corporation (now part of Orbital-ATK) for 13 years, leading the Signature Exploitation Group of their Electromagnetic Observables Sector. There, he managed projects and directed technical work in areas of computational modeling, aerospace materials, radar, and conformal antenna arrays. Before that, he worked at The Ohio State University ElectroScience Laboratory while completing his masters and doctorate degrees.
Robert Handfield is the Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University and director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor with the Supply Chain Management Research Group at the Manchester Business School.
Robert is the consulting editor of the Journal of Operations Management, one of the leading journals in the field. He is the author of several books on supply chain management, the most recent being The Living Supply Chain: The Evolving Imperative of Operating in Real Time published earlier this year, as well as Supply Market Intelligence, Supply Chain Re-Design and Introduction to Supply Chain Management, which has been translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
He has also co-authored textbooks for MBA and undergraduate classes including a 3rd revision of Purchasing and Supply Chain Management. Robert was identified in the ‘Pros to Know’ list compiled by Supply and Demand Chain Executive journal. His expertise builds from consulting work with Flex, Nike, Lenovo, and other Fortune 200 companies.
Robert earned his doctorate in operations management at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Helen Muga, PhD, is founder of Pacific Water, a business that provides innovative water products and services. She developed Pacific Water as a way to expose her students to the business world of water, and to show them how to build a business from the ground up. She and her students design and build residential and commercial water treatment systems that minimize the use of plastic that provide good quality, clean water. Her intent is for Pacific Water to be a leading water company in developing and manufacturing innovative water technologies. Dr. Muga is program director and assistant professor of engineering at Baldwin Wallace University. She also was one of two founders of the Department of Engineering at the University of Mount Union. Prior to moving to Alliance, she was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida, Tampa. As one of the the first Papua New Guinean women to hold a doctorate in an engineering field, she is a strong proponent of providing women engineers more opportunities and encouraging them to remain in engineering.
During this podcast, two members of the MAGNET Incubation Center talk about their new and growing companies. Lisa Oswald is owner of Kay Chemical. For over 50 years, Kay Chemical has been a Cleveland-based, family-owned company that manufactures high-quality industrial hand cleaners. The products, including K-GARD hand cleaner, are praised by mechanics, artists, and other workers for getting out the toughest grease and grime and healing dry, cracked skin. Lisa took ownership of the company in 2012 after her uncle stepped down. Mike Dougherty founded SmartMulch, a startup that reimagines mulch as lightweight, compressed tiles that are easy to transport and set in place. As anyone who has hauled it around the yard can attest, traditional bagged mulch is heavy, awkward, and messy. SmartMulch tiles were designed to install in half the time, prevent weeds, be clean & hassle free, all in zero-waste packaging. The water-activated tiles are currently in the product development phase.
Brandon Cornuke is VP of Startup Services at the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network – otherwise known as MAGNET. The Incubation Center he leads helps innovators turn manufactured product ideas into growing businesses, specializing in strategy development, business model design, and lean innovation. He also teaches MBA students as an Adjunct Professor of Design and Innovation at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management. After beginning his career as an IT strategy consultant with Hitachi’s global consulting team, Brandon attended Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and co-founded a consumer products company, Joyce Labs that launched Dry Goods, the first aerosol-based athletic body powder. Brandon then accepted a position at Target where he led one of the retailer’s largest consumer electronics businesses, directing the strategy for the company’s half-billion dollar consumer TV sales. Brandon took his entrepreneurial experience and retail expertise to American Greetings where he become the director of Digital Strategy and Innovation.
Carla Bailo, assistant vice president for Mobility Research and Business Development at The Ohio State University, helps the university accelerate sustainable mobility and transportation innovation. While integrating related research and education across Ohio State’s academic units, she also helps coordinate Ohio State’s involvement as the primary research partner for Smart Columbus, a $140 million program to transform Central Ohio into the nation’s premier transportation innovation region. Carla is a leader in engineering and vehicle program management, with 35 years of experience in the automotive industry. Before joining Ohio State, she served as senior vice president of research and development for Nissan North America. She was responsible for vehicle engineering and development operations in Michigan, Arizona, Mexico and Brazil, managing a $500 million budget and 2,500 employees. In addition to her Ohio State activities, Carla is currently the 2016-2018 vice president of automotive for SAE International, a global association of more than 138,000 engineers and related technical experts in the aerospace, automotive and commercial-vehicle industries.
David Levine is co-founder and president of Wireless Environment an innovative lighting company based in Mayfield Village, Ohio, that produces LEDs, power sources and controls under the Mr. Beams and SwitchSense brands. Exceeding $20 million in revenue in 2016, Wireless Environment produces off-grid, energy-efficient lighting with integrated power sources for light bulbs and fixtures. In 2008, they launched a line of wireless LED light fixtures under the Mr. Beams brand, a best seller on Amazon.com, with lighting bright enough to illuminate a closet, powered only by batteries so it could be installed anywhere, by anyone. ReadyBright, the world's first home portable power outage lighting system run solely on batteries, followed. David has launched 21 consumer products and built a power tool company to $4 million in sales from start-up. A senior product manager at Black & Decker and DeWalt from 1995 until 1999, he launched their rotary tool business. In 2000, he co-founded Home Products and launched eleven Kitchen Drawer Power Tools, including the first miniature-powered screwdriver. David earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and holds a BA in History from Washington University.
Tom Lix, founder and CEO of Cleveland Whiskey, a company that uses a proprietary process to accelerate the aging of whiskey from 6-12 years to 24 hours. Cleveland Whiskey also creates a series of unique finishes with woods such as Apple Wood, Honey Locust Wood, and Hickory Wood not traditionally used for barrel production. Needless to say, the startup is pushing the boundaries of traditional whiskey; Cleveland Whiskey is well into the commercialization process with distribution agreements in most of Europe as well as distribution in Japan and China. Tom directed the Center for Entrepreneurship and taught at Lake Erie College; he was also vice president of the Cleveland Lakefront Development Corporation before coming up with an idea to develop a patented technology that dramatically speeds up the process of aged whiskey. He earned a doctorate in marketing management at Boston University. And more importantly, he learned to make spirits during his Navy days.
Enjoy the second of a two-part series from Ohio State's Center for Operational Excellence’s Leading Through Excellence summit. Even though the event was sold out, you can benefit from four of the breakthrough leaders who presented on best practices and industry leading research. In this session, Eric Olsen, Director of Central Coast Lean, Professor and Chair of Industrial Technology and Packaging, California Polytechnic State University offers insights into "The Power of Lean Habits.” And Mark Reich, COO of Lean Enterprise Institute, focuses on "Strategy Deployment and Alignment through Hoshin.” For more information, go to http://mfgtomorrow.org.
Enjoy the first of a two-part series from Ohio State's Center for Operational Excellence’s Leading Through Excellence summit. Even though the event was sold out, you can benefit from four industry leaders offering best practices and the latest research. In this session, Derek Browning, VP of sales and marketing at LeanCor Supply Chain Group outlines “systems thinkers” who focus on business as a series of connected, customer value-driving processes; and Cary Dunston, CEO of American Woodmark, who shares his viewpoints on the benefits that come with leaders who focus on emotional Intelligence.
Ashley Thompson, co-founder and CEO of 50 Strong, a blow molding manufacturer in Lima, Ohio, that produces water bottles and bicycle accessories; these products are distributed to Walmart stores nationwide. 50 Strong was formed in 2012 when Ashley and her husband Brendan launched the business. The company is a division of Precision Thermoplastic Components, a custom injection molder and extruder founded by Ashley’s father. The firm made nearly 3 million bottles. Ashley started her career in corporate law. She took a few years off to start a family, then returned to head PTC’s human resources department before launching 50 Strong. Her husband, Brendan, was a mechanical engineer at PTK and served as vice president of sales before filling the same position at the new company.
Today we are speaking with Cheryl Hay, Director of Project Talent Acquisition at JobsOhio. Cheryl is responsible for the challenging work of developing a skilled advanced manufacturing workforce for Ohio’s firms. Before JobsOhio, she served as deputy chancellor with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and focused on strategies to help Ohio’s higher education system align with the workforce needs of Ohio businesses as well as their employees. At the same time, she continued to serve as vice president of workforce development for Columbus State Community College. Before CSCC, Cheryl also worked as vice president of workforce development for the Columbus Chamber, where she initiated efforts to ensure a quality workforce for 3500 local business members. She spent thirteen years in the private sector carrying out the human resources needs of White Consolidative Industries, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of household appliances, with 27,000 U.S. employees.
Cindi Marsiglio, vice president of US Sourcing & Manufacturing at Walmart, is responsible for delivering Walmart’s $250 billion commitment towards additional US manufacturing in the next ten years. In that role she leads the company’s mission to facilitate opportunities with current and new suppliers and accelerate making US-made goods available to Walmart customers She is also responsible for leading Walmart’s Supplier Diversity program, encouraging diverse companies to explore new opportunities with Walmart. Not many understand the lockstep relationship that Walmart has with manufacturing. Two-thirds of the manufactured goods in their stores are made or grown in the US. With 60% of Americans shopping at Walmart, they can “move markets," taking an active role in the manufacturing supply chain.
Chris Caplice, PhD, is executive director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Transportation and Logistics. He created and leads the MITx MicroMaster’s Program in Supply Chain Management – the first online credential offered at MIT with 100,000 students from 180 different companies participating. In addition to founding the MIT FreightLab – a research initiative that focuses on improving the way freight transportation is designed, procured, and managed, Chris is chief scientist for Chainalytics, the leading analytical supply chain consulting firm. Prior to joining MIT, he held senior management positions in supply chain consulting, product development, and professional services at several companies including Logistics.com and SABRE. Chris was selected as the first Silver Family Research Fellow in 2016 in recognition of his contribution to supply chain education and research. He recently received the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Distinguished Service Award, one of the industry’s most prestigious honors.
Today’s podcast is a series of flash interviews with manufacturers and service providers participating at [M]Power, a gathering of Northeast Ohio manufacturing leaders sharing best practices across keynotes and workshops. MAGNET, the Cleveland Engineering Society and Crain’s Cleveland Business sponsored this event that convened more than 450 participants in Cleveland.
Anthony Schlegel, president, founder and inventor of The Difference USA, discusses the process that led to the local manufacture of this portable hand placement/striking machine used primarily for football strength training.
Anthony formed The Difference USA, LLC, after completing his MBA from the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University and leaving his post as the associate director of football sport performance for the Buckeyes.
Anthony started his college career at the U.S. Air Force Academy before transferring to Ohio State and the Buckeye team. He was selected in the 2006 NFL draft by the New York Jets and played with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Today we are speaking with Sridhar Kota, PhD, director of MForesight, a national consortium that is helping to set the trajectory of U.S. advanced manufacturing. He is the Herrick Professor of Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan and the Director of the Institute for Manufacturing Leadership – a think-and-do tank focusing on policy, education and outreach. Between 2009-2012 Sridhar served as the Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In this role, he developed policy recommendations and implementation strategies to enhance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, and to foster innovation-based manufacturing of emerging technologies. He played an instrumental role in launching several initiatives including National Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, National Robotics Initiative and National Digital Engineering and Manufacturing. Sridhar has authored over 200 technical papers and submitted over 25 patents. He’s also the founder & President of FlexSys Inc. specializing in shape morphing aircraft wings and bio-inspired products.
Today we are speaking with Congressman Tim Ryan, U.S. Representative for Ohio's 13th congressional district, about his strong advocacy for manufacturing, including the NNMI program under which America Makes was generated in Youngstown. Congressman Ryan serves Northeast Ohio, including Youngstown and Akron. When he took office in 2003, he was the youngest Democrat in the House at 29 years of age. He currently serves on the House Appropriations and Budget Committees. Congressman Ryan is also the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Manufacturing Caucus as well as the co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus. Before heading to DC, he also served in the Ohio Senate. Congressman Ryan received a degree in political science from Bowling Green State University and earned his juris doctor degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center in New Hampshire. He is a native of Niles, Ohio.
The quickest Manufacturing Podcast ever features several industry leaders participating in the Fisher College of Business Center for Operational Excellence Summit in April. We ask John Matera, COO of WillowWood, Craig Wreede, production manager at Crown Equipment and John Labrador, head of food safety and quality at Agrana about best practices in manufacturing innovation and continuous improvement. Special thanks to the Center for Operational Excellence for helping to arrange these interviews and to those who were interviewed, who were pulled from the crowd to answer questions.
Gary Conley has been President and CEO of TechSolve, a National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) center, since 1995. Among a host of accomplishments, Gary oversaw completion of the TechSolve Business Park, which is home to 13 businesses and 2,000 employees.
Before coming to TechSolve, Gary was President of the Economic Development Corporation of Los Angeles County. He was also President of North Coast Harbor, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio and oversaw development of Cleveland's lakefront, including the Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
With more than 40 years of experience managing economic development programs and organizations, he has led the implementation of hundreds of public and private development projects, representing billions of dollars of investment.
Pete Buca, Parker Hannifin's Fluid Connector Group vice president of technology & innovation, discusses their technology breakthrough process on Manufacturing Tomorrow.
Today we are speaking with Pete Buca, Vice President of Technology & Innovation for Parker Hannifin’s Fluid Connectors Group. Pete is currently responsible for engineering and new product development for Parker Hannifin’s Fluid connectors group with over 400 new product programs in the pipeline that have contributed substantially to Parker becoming the No. 1 motion and control products company in the world. During his 35 years with Parker, Pete has introduced product, process, and service innovations and led teams in the commercialization of these new ideas. Among Pete’s major accomplishments with Parker are: the development of Parker’s Macrospray technology and its deployment for use in electronics cooling; using statistical process control to improve and expand manufacturing operations for Parker’s Aerospace Group; and establishing Parker’s cooperative development effort with Cleveland Clinic Innovations.
We are at the headquarters of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company speaking with Norbert Majerus, Lean Champion. Norbert is a Senior Master Black Belt in Lean and has led lean transformation at Goodyear R&D for almost 13 years. He has also served as a Lean champion with product development during his 33-year tenure with Goodyear. His book, Lean-Driven Innovation: Powering Product Development at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, outlines how its R&D team at Goodyear was able to reduce the product development cycle time by 70% and improve throughput three-fold by applying Lean product development principles.
Peg Pennington is executive director of the Center for Operational Excellence at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. In her role as executive director, Peg works closely with member companies, managing and coordinating problem-solving consultations, site visits, and best-practice knowledge sharing. She is closely involved in new member recruitment and planning for seminars and forums. In addition to her role with the Center for Operational Excellence, Peg is a senior lecturer at the Fisher College of Business Department of Management Sciences. She joined Fisher in 2000 from Emerson Network Power, where she was manager of financial planning and analysis. As a senior lecturer at Fisher, Peg teaches Lean enterprise and Six Sigma and also serves as a coach and faculty member for the college’s Master of Business Operational Excellence degree program.
Hilary Johnson is Sales Engineer of Fabrisonic, a company that provides 3D metal printing services in a wide range of metals through a patented ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) process. How she got to this position was anything but a direct route. Even with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA in marketing from the University of Toledo she was unable to find full-time employment during the Great Recession; however, she become immediately employable after she pursued an associate’s degree in a manufacturing-related program at Columbus State Community College. She talks about her and others’ experiences and how manufacturing has been an excellent career choice, offering her the ability to use her creative and technical skills on the job.
Nick Pinchuk is chairman and CEO of Snap-on Incorporated, a $3.3 billion, S&P 500 company located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Founded in 1920, Snap-on is a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professionals. From hand and power tools to information and management systems, they serve customers in aviation and aerospace, agriculture, construction, government and military, among many others. Nick joined Snap-on in 2002 and has been CEO since 2007; he was named Chairman in 2009. A manufacturing industry veteran and firm believer in the importance of continuous improvement, Nick is one of the industry’s biggest advocates. In 2011, the Career and Technical Education Foundation named Nick its National Business Leader of the Year. And in 2012, SkillsUSA awarded Nick “Champion of the Year” for his extensive work in supporting and influencing the growth of a highly skilled workforce throughout America. And recently he was named to the 2014 IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame. This segment is also supported by the Center for Operational Excellence at the Fisher College of Business.
Shawn Hendrix, president of Nissen Chemitec America, offers insights on perfecting technologies to stay ahead of the global economy, empowering hourly associate teams in the continuous improvement process and integrating Poka-yoke effectively on the production floor. Located in London, Ohio, NCA is a part of the automotive division of Nissen Chemitec Corporation, headquartered in Japan. The manufacturer produces high quality plastic injection molded parts for the automotive industry, focusing on parts that require 700 to 2600 ton size machines. Before taking the leadership position at NCA in 2012, Shawn served as senior vice president for several years. He worked at Honda of America for 23 years as manager of their plastics and stamping procurement departments. During his career, he has traveled around the world to visit over 150 manufacturing plants, large and small.
Today we are speaking with Dr. David B. Williams, dean of the College of Engineering at The Ohio State University. As dean, Williams is responsible for the strategic vision, mission and goals of the college, oversees the education of more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and leads the administration of 950 combined faculty, research scientists and staff. Ohio State is ranked second in the nation among all universities and colleges in industry-financed research expenditures, with nearly half of that research conducted in the College of Engineering. Since 2005, more than 275 individual companies have invested in research in the College of Engineering. Dean Williams is involved in many university-industry economic development partnerships. He serves on the boards of ASM International, the State of Ohio’s Third Frontier Advisory Board, Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow, Columbus 2020, Metro Early College STEM School, EWI, Ohio Aerospace & Aviation Council, and the Transportation Research Center. Before coming to Ohio State, he served as president of the University of Alabama in Huntsville, leading the university into a Tier One research classification and creating pioneering research collaborations such as one with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s “Skunk Works.” A native of Leeds, England, Dean Williams holds multiple degrees from the University of Cambridge.
Today we are speaking with Ethan Karp, CEO of the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET) and Felix Brueck, board chairman. They lead MAGNET, a nonprofit organization and Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) in its mission to support, educate, and champion manufacturing in Ohio with the goal of transforming the region’s economy into a powerful global player. Before Ethan became CEO of MAGNET in May 2015, he served as vice president of client services and marketing and was director of MAGNET’s Partnership for Regional Innovation Services to Manufacturers – or PRISM – a program to connect manufacturers to innovation resources in the region. In addition to serving as chair of the MAGNET board, Felix co-founded with his wife Books@Work, an initiative of That Can Be Me. This program connects professor-led literature seminars to front-line workers for lifelong learning, as well as help companies incorporate “soft skills” such as critical thinking and collaboration, into the workplace. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Bob Charleston is senior vice president of operations and supply chain at the T. Marzetti Company.Marzetti is a leading specialty foods company including many of America’s favorites, like Marzetti salad dressings and dips, New York Brand frozen breads and Sister Schubert’s homemade rolls. They also supply dressings, sauces and dips to restaurants including Wendy’s, Chick-Fil-A, and Taco Bell, to name a few. Bob has held leadership positions at a prestigious list of top international companies. Most recently, he served as Corporate Vice President of Supply Chain Operations at Associated Hygienic Products, LLC (which specializes in diaper and training pants); he also has experience leading sales, customer business management, operations, and supply chain at ConAgra Foods, Wrigley, General Mills/Pillsbury, and Rubbermaid. Bob graduated from Kent State University with an MBA, and received his bachelor of science in engineering management from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He is also a Six Sigma Black Belt. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Kenny McDonald is the chief economic officer of Columbus2020, whose mission is to generate opportunity and build capacity for growth across the 11-county Central Ohio Region. We discuss his team’s work to make the region’s large and diverse manufacturing base “cool” again.
Vance Greene is senior director of global quality and operational excellence at Clopay Plastic Products. Clopay is a global leader in specialty films, extrusion coatings, and engineering laminations. With plants in the United States, Germany and Brazil, the company specializes in hygiene, healthcare, and protective apparel products. Clopay's world headquarters and technical center are in Mason, OH - other centers are in Augusta, KY, and Nashville, TN. Vance was previously responsible for Clopay’s manufacturing operations in North America and across Europe. He received a Master’s in business operational excellence at the Ohio State Fisher College of Business, and a bachelors in paper science at Miami University. Before Clopay, he worked as a paper mill superintendent for Georgia-Pacific. He serves as the company’s representative on the College of Engineering non–governing advisory board and Fisher College Center for Operational Excellence. Clopay started out making low-cost paper window shades. They then made waterproof laminated paper and board for packaging during WWII (as well as airplane drop tanks and blackout window shades).). Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Harry Moser founded the Reshoring Initiative in 2010 to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Prior to starting the Initiative, he held leadership positions at GF Machining Solutions, formerly known as GF AgieCharmilles, where he began in 1985 as the company’s president and retired in 2010 as Chairman Emeritus
Glenn Daehn, Ohio Manufacturing Institute’s executive director and Mars G. Fontana Professor of Metallurgical Engineering at Ohio State, outlines how manufacturers and universities can best work together. He also provides details about the latest trends in metal forming and lightweighting. As founding director of OMI, Daehn developed the initial mechanisms to promote and improve engineering services engagements between Ohio manufacturers and the university. He currently has leadership roles in several Ohio State manufacturing initiatives and programs related to manufacturing technology development. He is a technology leader for the national Lightweight Innovations for Tomorrow (LIFT), a collaboration among Ohio State, EWI and the University of Michigan to develop the specific tools and skills to make research breakthroughs practical for industry’s production of parts primarily for vehicles, airplanes and other forms of transportation. Glenn is also director of the Honda-OSU Partnerships Program. Glenn’s expertise is in impulse-based metal forming for joining, welding, cutting and forming as well as novel material processing. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Building upon the 125+ years of innovation at Abbott, Matthew focuses on driving market opportunities across the company’s food, nutrition and well-being sectors. This has led to outstanding results for the company’s commercial and research functions, where Roberts has led teams that have introduced over 100 new products to market. He also has assisted in billions of dollars in merger and acquisition transactions. As a scientist, Roberts is the author of numerous scientific publications and holds four patents. He’s in the studio after presenting at the Fisher College of Business Center for Operational Excellence quarterly professional development meeting – we appreciate them helping to arrange this interview. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Earlier this year, Edward W. (Ned) Hill, dean and professor of economic development at the Cleveland State University Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, was invited to The Ohio State University to present on "The role of higher education in development and the role of economic development in higher education.” He talks all things manufacturing on the Manufacturing Tomorrow podcast: the third industrial revolution, a flexible workforce that does not need a lot of supervision and following your customer to the grave. He also offers recommendations on what universities should do to support manufacturers - engage curiosity driven and promote service-leadership. In addition to serving as dean and professor of Economic Development at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affair, Hill is nonresident senior fellow of The Brookings Institution, where he is affiliated with the Metropolitan Policy Program; and nonresident visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics at the University of California at Berkeley though his membership in the MacArthur Foundation's Research Network on Building Resilient Regions. He chaired the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) from 2007 to 2010, where he remains a member of the advisory board. Ned writes on economic development and urban public policy and edited Economic Development Quarterly from 1994 to 2005. His latest co-authored book, Economic Adversity and Regional Economic Resilience, is to be published by Cornell University Press in late 2015. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Dave Mayewski from Rockwell Automation discusses how big data, the Internet of Things, and automation technology affect the manufacturing production floor and administration on this podcast. Dave is a Regional Industry Manager for Rockwell Automation in Twinsburg, Oh responsible for Manufacturing Business in the Eastern Region of the US. In this role he represents Rockwell Automation at technology events and in developing partnerships in industrial markets and technologies. Previously at Rockwell Automation, Dave served as the Regional Commercial Manager for the Architecture and Software product business and as a System Solution Manager working with customers and business units across a broad range of industries to solve their control applications. He leads architecture developments in industry verticals including power generation and advanced energy and in engagements with key universities. Prior to Rockwell Automation he worked in roles of increasing responsibility engineering systems for process and machinery applications. Rockwell Automation (NYSE: ROK), is a leading global provider of automation, power, control, and information solutions that help manufacturers achieve a competitive advantage in their businesses. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.A., the company employs about 21,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Chuck Speelman, superintendent of Tri-Rivers Career Center, visited the Manufacturing Tomorrow studio recently. He has been the superintendent at Tri-Rivers Career Center in Marion, Ohio since 2007. During that time he has worked locally and at the state level to develop and operationalize educational initiatives - including the Robotic & Advanced Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative (RAMTEC) training center. RAMTEC is the first training facility of its kind in the State of Ohio. Bolstered by a $15M Straight A grant, high school students, adult students and incumbent workers have access to an industrial training center that provides industry certifications in robotic operation, robotic welding, CNC operation, and industrial maintenance. RAMTEC’s vision is to help modernize Ohio’s education system – and manufacturing. Most recently, the RAMTEC initiative was selected as the statewide winner of the 2014 Excellence inWorkforce Development Innovation Award by the Ohio Economic Development Association. Chuck has worked in school administration. At Tri-Rivers he has made significant improvements to curriculums and now all career tech programs at the school provide students with transcripted and/or articulated college credits. Chuck has his Master’s degree in education administration and has additionally graduated from special training programs such as, the Seton Hall University Executive Educational Leadership Doctoral Cohort Program and the Ohio Superintendents’ Leadership Institute. Chuck has been awarded numerous local educational service awards, serves on multiple boards and/or advisory councils, and is an active member of Rotary Club. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
Manufacturing Tomorrow invited Becky Bach, Global Director of Continuous Improvement for Anheuser-Busch InBev, to give us the inside scoop on the world’s largest brewer’s workforce culture . She is responsible for the Lean Six Sigma program growth from 60 to 700+ participants in four years and the success of their Business Excellence Programs. Before AB-InBev, Becky was a Director of Strategic Operations & Business Development for NBC Universal and led the Operations Management Leadership Program for General Electric. She is a Master black belt in Six Sigma and has led Lean & Six Sigma deployment in all of these organizations. She arrived in town to present at the Fisher College of Business Center for Operational Excellence summit – thanks to them for carving out time for our discussion. We are lucky to have her here in the studio. Anheuser-Busch InBev’s global portfolio includes Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Beck's. The company operates 13 breweries in the US, including three in the Midwest. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
This week's Manufacturing Tomorrow podcast features Milt Kniss, adult education RAMTEC coordinator at Tolles Career & Technical Center and former vice president of operations at Autotool. Autotool is a single source tooling and automation supplier of complete automation systems and custom automated weld cells in Plain City. Prior to Autotool, Kniss was operations manager for Precision Edge Surgical Products and Executive Vice President of Seating Systems for Commercial Vehicle Group. He also served as president of control systems for Dura Automotive Systems. Autotool and some manufacturing allies hope a mobile laboratory that visits schools to promote technical education can help shed the bad reputation. In a recent Business First article about Autotool’s mobile lab effort. Kniss said, “Manufacturers across the country have made clear the disconcerting lack of qualified workers for skilled manufacturing jobs. Part of the problem is bad marketing – guidance counselors, parents and students still envision manufacturing jobs as grease-covered, outdated relics of a bygone era.” The mobile lab would serve Central Ohio counties and would provide manufacturing lab experience at technical schools in the seven-county area. Covering the latest topics, Manufacturing Tomorrow guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
This week's Manufacturing Tomorrow podcast features Alex Bandar, founder and CEO of Columbus Idea Foundry. At the Foundry, Alex and his all-volunteer team teach classes on design and fabrication, provide consulting and production resources, perform micro-manufacturing services for local businesses, and incubate 30+ individuals, artists, entrepreneurs and small businesses within the walls of the shop. In leading the Maker Movement wave, he is redefining what it means to manufacturer. Covering the latest topics, our guests include company C-suite executives and engineers to industry-facing academics, supportive government and regional economic development agents of change. More information is at http://omi.osu.edu/podcast.
This week's Manufacturing Tomorrow podcast features Mark Russell, president and COO of Worthington Industries, a world leader with sales of $3.1B annually in diversified metal processing for automotive, industrial, and commercial products.
Mark Romanchuk is the owner and president of PR Machine Works, Inc., a contract manufacturer in Ontario providing precision machining, fabrication, and assembly services. He is also serving his first term in the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 2nd Ohio House District (Richland County). Today, we speak with him about his nearly 30 years experience in small business, systems engineering and management.
Manufacturing Tomorrow focuses on 3D metal printing with Mark Norfolk, president and CEO of Fabrisonic, as the podcast explores manufacturing leaders and the innovations, solutions and partnerships that propel them.
In roles that have included associate chief engineer with responsibility for the development of North American manufacturing technology strategy and senior manager in charge of the shared IT infrastructure, Jeff has seen firsthand the pace of innovation at Honda. He provides insight into the “holy grail” of automobile manufacturing, the most pressing technical and resource issues facing the industry, and the external partnerships that have resulted in Honda’s prosperous tenure in the U.S.