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We are always looking for inspiring stories of tech-led innovation!
If you are interested in sharing your experience with other manufacturers please contact us.
Emily is the Sr. Director of Learning & Development for Operations at Nestle USA, the largest market of the largest food and beverage company in the world. In her more than 25 years of L&D experience Emily has worked in both factory start-ups and turnarounds, corporate global headquarters, global transformation initiatives, and strategic talent and HR management. In her current role, Emily and her team are focused on accelerating the competence development and change management expertise across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Procurement.
Emily has a Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Texas Tech University and an MBA from Pepperdine University. She and her husband Chuck live in Cleveland, OH and have two adult daughters living in the United Kingdom.
sr. director, learning
& development
ensuring supply |
nestle usa
Craig Sutton is the Vice President for Industry 4.0 at Eaton Corp. He is driving the development and adoption of industry leading technologies to drive value and competitive advantage to their global manufacturing footprint which builds power management solutions. He has a passion for new manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing, robotics, lightweight materials, digital manufacturing, Industrial 5G, and Internet of Things (IoT) for manufacturing.
Prior to Eaton, he worked for over 23 years at John Deere with roles ranging from customer support, quality engineering, product engineering, product validation, and advanced manufacturing & innovation.
Along with experience in product design and advanced manufacturing, he currently serves on the CESMII (Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute) executive council, Girl Scout of NorthEast Ohio board, Quad City Manufacturing Lab board, and has previously served on the Western Illinois University College of Engineering advisory board, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Corp (IMEC) board, the Iowa Innovation Council, and MxD institute’s tech advisory council.
Craig received his bachelor’s degree in agriculture engineering from the University of Illinois, an executive MBA from the Tippie School of Business at the University of Iowa, and a Strategic Innovation Leadership certificate from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management. He currently works at the Eaton Center based out of Cleveland, OH.
Vice President Industry
4.0 |
EATON
With over 20 years of manufacturing transformation experience in Electronic Solutions, Medical Device, and Aerospace & Defense industries, Tony leads Enterprise Architecture Strategy for Industry 4.0 at Koch Industries. During his tenure at Koch and Molex, Tony has established cutting edge smart manufacturing, operational excellence, and digital supply chain capabilities in more than 20 manufacturing sites, spanning across 12 countries.
Embracing Agile Methodologies in a VUCA environment, Tony has been able to establish the latest in modern MES/MOM, IIOT, Unified Namespace, Industrial Data Fabric, Digital Worker, and Advanced Analytics (ML/AI) Technologies.
He holds a Bachelor's degree in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Iowa State University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University.
Enterprise Architecture
Strategist, Industry 4.0 |
KOCH INDUSTRIES
Brian Perlstein is the Digital Manufacturing Innovation Leader at Owens Corning, a world leader in insulation, roofing, and fiberglass composites. He is a member of Owens Corning’s Manufacturing Digital Transformation organization focused on identifying and deploying solutions that help drive operational transformation in the manufacturing environment.
Perlstein was appointed to his current role in 2022. With Owens Corning since 2018, Perlstein has worked to advance its digital transformation, leading programs such as the Early Warning Diagnostics process health program, and a strategic initiative to safely empower its workforce with information, knowledge, and expertise by making digital information more accessible through a variety of technologies and approaches.
Prior to joining Owens Corning, Perlstein held various roles, including Director of GE Digital’s Brilliant Factory Digital Lab, that helped to shape his knowledge and thought leadership in the Industry 4.x/ Smart Manufacturing space.
He earned two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Michigan - Dearborn, and a master’s certificate in lean manufacturing from the University of Michigan.
Digital Manufacturing
Innovation Leader |
OWENS CORNING
DG has been the vice president of Manufacturing Operations for the Americas since June 2023. In this role, he is responsible for manufacturing execution (customer service, operational quality, safety, and cost), highlighting the Connected Enterprise with the confluence of IT and OT on the shop floor through automation and ROK-on-ROK offerings including Fiix, Plex, FactoryTalk Production Centre, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and more. DG has more than 25 years of supply chain and manufacturing operations experience. He joined Rockwell Automation in 2009. Since then, he has held many leadership roles, including director, Materials, Logistics and Customer Care, Asia Pacific; and director of manufacturing operations, Asia Pacific. Most recently, DG was director, manufacturing operations, North America. Prior to joining Rockwell Automation, DG worked for Emerson Network Power, H.K. and held roles of increasing responsibility at Astec Power, Inc.
DG holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electronics and Communication from the Delhi College of Engineering in New Delhi, India, holds an MBA from the Asian Institute of Management in the Philippines, and completed an Executive Program in Management from Columbia University in New York.
DG is responsible for Rockwell Automation's operations in the North America and Latin America manufacturing facilities, which consistently deliver operational performance improvements through standardized processes and demonstrate the benefits of the Connected Enterprise through an engaged workforce.
The operations organization is chartered with managing and driving a stable, cost effective, futuristic manufacturing footprint that integrates various hardware and software technologies in its portfolio, using their integration to drive an efficient and productive manufacturing operation.
Vice President,
Manufacturing
Operations,
Americas |
ROCKWELL
AUTOMATION
Brian Marsh is an experienced leader in Digital Technology and Manufacturing Transformation, with a track record of working within CPG Food Companies to implement technologies in collaboration with teams focused on high-performance and/or lean principles in manufacturing for the past 25 years. Due to his extensive technical and manufacturing background, Brian is often involved in moderating activities between Operation Technology Engineers (OT), Information Technology Professionals (IT), and Lean Manufacturing (TPM) teams. Currently, he holds the position of "Senior Director, Digital Manufacturing" at Nestlé USA. Brian earned his Bachelor of Science degree in computer science from the University of Nebraska and pursued Electrical Engineering studies at Iowa State University. During his leisure time, he enjoys engaging in home improvement projects and spending quality time with his wife and two children, who actively participate in youth robotics leagues.
Senior Director, Digital
Manufacturing |
NESTLE USA
Susan Murray Carlock serves as Executive Vice President for Yorktown, IN-based Mursix Corporation, a leading supplier of precision components to the automotive, alternative energy, medical, appliance, security, and other markets. Ms. Carlock is responsible for developing new business opportunities and partner relationships in both domestic and international markets. Pivot Manufacturing was founded in 2020 and works with entrepreneurs in R&D and prototyping for manufacturability.
With thirty years of business experience in medicine, human resources, corporate relations, safety/risk management, and new business development, Ms. Carlock has served in various positions with Mursix Corporation and other business entities in Indiana. Upon joining Mursix in 2011, she was responsible for designing and implementing the company’s Defined Contribution Benefits Program, which has successfully provided Mursix employees with expanded healthcare benefit choices and helped to control the company’s escalating healthcare costs. As Vice President of Business Development, she re-engineered the company’s sales effort to better position the company to diversify its customer base and capitalize on its position in the growing vehicle electrification segment.
Before joining Mursix, Ms. Carlock served in various positions in various business segments and has entrepreneurial experience by assisting in the start-up of a hospital staffing company. She holds a B.S. from Marian University and is also a Registered Nurse. She serves on the board of Conexus Indiana, is vice chair of the Conexus Indiana Advanced Industries Council, Chairperson of the Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Board of Advisors, and serves on the Board of Advisors for Marian University’s Logistics and Supply Chain Management program, a division of the Byrum School of Business. Ms. Carlock is also a Women in Manufacturing and the PMA Press Club member and is active in various civic and economic development activities in Marion, Hamilton, and Delaware Counties.
Executive Vice President |
MURSIX CORPORATION
Nate Settlemire has experience leading several areas in manufacturing. Including organizations Bosch Rexroth, Parker Hannifin, and Charter Manufacturing. Holding various Engineering, Quality, Digital, and Operations roles. Throughout his career he has led the initiatives to enable business strategy using technology. Areas of focus have been in PLM, Simulation, Predictive Maintenance, Automation, and Robotics.
In his current role as Director of Digital Transformation at Charter Manufacturing, he continues to advance business strategy through technology by developing internal and external partnerships. Nate has partnered across business units and functions including operations, quality, commercial, and supply chain, to infuse innovative and transformative solutions into the organization.
Nate has a bachelor’s degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering from Miami University, and a Professional MBA from Ohio University. He is passionate about advancing technology in manufacturing, learning from others in this area and being a mentor to those seeking knowledge about it.
Director of Digital
Transformation |
CHARTER
MANUFACTURING
John Dyck was appointed CEO of CESMII - The Smart Manufacturing Institute, in June of 2018. CESMII is a Manufacturing USA Institute chartered with transforming the U.S. manufacturing market and increasing global competitiveness through the democratization of Smart Manufacturing technologies, knowledge, and business practices.
John brings a highly pragmatic perspective to CESMII, and a crisp focus on outcomes that will benefit the Nation’s energy and economic security by sharing existing resources and co-investing to accelerate development and commercial deployment of innovative technologies. He was recognized by the Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME) in 2020 as one of ‘30 Leaders Transforming Manufacturing in the USA’.
Prior to joining CESMII, John held senior leadership positions in large corporations like GE and Rockwell Automation, and was effective in raising VC funding and building a successful software startup called Activplant.
CEO |
CESMII
Terri Burgess Sandu is the Director of Talent and Business Innovation for Lorain County Community College (LCCC). In this role, Sandu leads a team of professionals whose work advances the College’s commitment to student success and business growth. She also serves as Director of the Ohio Technical Skills Innovation Network, or Ohio TechNet, a nationally recognized consortium of community colleges, universities and technical centers that advances collaborative, innovative solutions to meet manufacturing and technical workforce needs. Ohio TechNet members benefit from peer-to-peer collaboration, technical assistance and access to resources, making program expansion and innovation at their institution more efficient, faster to implement and easier to sustain. Since 2014 Ohio TechNet has been instrumental in generating and managing over $60 million of federal and philanthropic investment in Ohio’s manufacturing and tech talent innovations.
Sandu’s work has fostered in-depth collaboration with public and private partners including the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, the Ohio Semiconductor Collaboration Network, National Coalition of Advanced Technology Centers, Fund for our Economic Future, economic development leaders, and a number of Institutes within the national Manufacturing USA network. She currently serves as Co-Chair for the NextFlex Education and Workforce Development Working Group.
With a focus on innovative earn and learn models, high-value industry recognized credentials, engaging new talent, and supporting small business growth, Sandu’s team facilitates statewide and regional projects supported by the US Department of Labor, US Department of Defense, the Small Business Administration, the National Fund for Workforce Solutions and the Intel Foundation.
Before joining Lorain County Community College, Sandu served as the Executive Director of HHW Ohio, a community-based organization dedicated to accelerating women’s advancement as workplace and community leaders, with a focus on skilled technical and STEM careers.
Director of Talent,
Business &
Innovation | Director |
LORAIN COUNTY
COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
| OHIO TECHNET
Sarah Morgan is currently Director Digital Supply Chain Kellogg North America, driving strategy and execution of digital transformation across manufacturing. She has over 25 years of experience with roles in IT, engineering and operations leading teams to develop and deploy technology solutions supporting operations and coaching the work systems to support adoption. Prior to Kellogg, she worked in the healthcare industry digitally transforming patient records.
Sarah is passionate about championing women in tech and has served as a mentor for NextUp, judge for Society of Women Engineers scholarships, and is an active BERG community partner for Women of Kellanova+.
Sarah studied Business Management at Concordia University and holds certifications in Design Thinking from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management and Health Informatics from ASHIM.
Director Digital
Supply Chain |
KELLANOVA
Devin is the Founder and CEO of Squint, the leading platform for digitizing a factory's procedures using Augmented Reality (AR) on a mobile device. The Squint team is laser-focused on eliminating friction in training, operations, and maintenance on the shop floor.
Founder & CEO |
SQUINT
Jolly is an astute professional with vast experience in manufacturing/industrial environments, with a comprehensive education and training that have afforded him an excellent Knowledge of Engineering/manufacturing processes. A strong Knowledge of agile Project management, Traditional project management, implementing Lean Manufacturing processes, DOE, Six Sigma design, Industry 4.0, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. He is a certified Scrum Master and Project Manager (PMP). With over 15 years of advanced experience in a fast-paced and automated environment. Jolly Possesses a Master's in Industrial Engineering and is currently a candidate for a Doctor of Philosophy Degree with a concentration in Artificial intelligence. He has authored 3 articles in the field of Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning.
Staff Manufacturing
Engineer |
OTIS ELEVATOR
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Mike Yost is driven to get help to every manufacturer looking for results under the banner of I4.0, IIoT, Digital Transformation, or Smart Manufacturing. A seasoned industry veteran, Mike brings over 35 years of industrial, nonprofit, and leadership experience to his role as industrial guide and connector. He’s spent most of his career engaging and educating manufacturers on the role and value of modern information and internet technologies in transforming their operations. Mike is a proven thought leader and domain expert on a national and global level, as evidenced by his leadership roles at MESA International, CESMII - the Smart Manufacturing Institute, Manufacturing Works, and the Industry 4.0 Club. He was also a contributing expert for the World Manufacturing Forum Report in 2017 & 2019, is the creator of “project IGBYS” and the “6 Degrees of Smart Manufacturing” YouTube series, and is the host of two current LinkedIn Live series: Industry 4.0 Club’s “Fireside Chat” and CESMII’s “Smart Manufacturing Mindset” series. Mike has specialized in the Smart Manufacturing, Manufacturing Execution (MES), Manufacturing Intelligence (EMI) and Operations Management software arenas since 1999. He has strong startup experience and has held various leadership roles in automation and industrial software businesses, including GE’s Proficy Software business, Activplant Corporation and Rockwell Automation, and as founder/advisor to Bennit.ai. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and lives in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. with his wife and five children.
Dir. Mfg. Excellence
Program | Chair |
MANUFACTURING
WORKS | INDUSTRY 4.0
Larry Megan, Head of Digital at Baldwin Richardson Foods (BRF), is the proud husband of Amanda and father of four teenagers – Hannah, Tim, Emily, and Joshua. At BRF I serve as both Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer and am responsible for driving a digital transformation at BRF that supports our business growth and is worthy of World Economic Forum Lighthouse status, as well as managing the IT ecosystem for the organization. Prior to joining BRF, I spent the previous two years as a principal starting a DoD funded non-profit called Advanced Manufacturing International, chartered with enabling Industry 4.0 capability for Small and Medium Manufacturers. Before AMI, I had a lengthy career at Praxair/Linde, a Fortune 100 chemical manufacturer. Roles included Corporate Fellow, Director of Productivity for R&D, and Global Head of Digital Innovation. I am currently serving as a charter member of the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council, a national Industry 4.0 policy and advocacy organization sponsored by SME and CESMII. I also serve on the Board of Governors for the Manufacturing Leadership Council. I’m also on the advisory boards for the University at Buffalo (UB) Industrial Engineering Department and the UB Graduate School of Education Teacher Residency Program.
Head of Digital |
BALDWIN
RICHARDSON
FOODS
Sophia Long is the Manager of Industry and Innovation at Team NEO. With a diverse background, she began her career as an engineer at multiple Fortune 50 companies in Aerospace, Oil and Gas, and MedTech. In 2023, Sophia transitioned to Economic Development, where she now oversees the Smart Manufacturing Cluster of Northeast Ohio, focusing on amplifying regional initiatives. In her current role, Sophia champions the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies and development of digital capabilities, empowering regional companies to enhance their competitiveness.
Manager, Industry &
Innovation |
TEAM NEO
Bryan Bauw is Chief Operating Officer of Pico MES, a software startup that helps manufacturers improve their productivity. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Alabama and a Strategic Advisor to venture-backed manufacturing startups. Bryan has nearly two decades of experience leading advanced manufacturing teams and product development in high-growth businesses, startups and VCs investments. Prior to joining Pico MES, Bryan was Head of Manufacturing and Partner at Prime Movers Lab, Director of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering and Technology and General Manager at Collins Aerospace and held various manufacturing and business roles at GKN Aerospace. Bryan has a Master's and Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan.
Chief Operating Officer |
PICO
John Whited is the Plant Automation Engineer for Colgate-Palmolive's Home Care Manufacturing Site located in Cambridge, Ohio. He's been in this current role for two years and before that he spent ten years in Process Engineering with another local manufacturer. John's passion is simplification of processes through automation. John believes that production processes can and should be safe, easy to operate, intuitive, and well designed to produce reliably without reliance on the people skills or experience. John's focus in his current role has been on establishing best practices and implementing standards for how people work in a legacy plant that is more than thirty years old and in an environment with processes that have historically depended very heavily on people's experience. As the experienced personnel retire, the performance metrics have felt that experience gap as new employees take the helm of these human-dependent processes. John's goal is to implement automation strategies that enable the future to be less dependent on people's experience and more intuitive for personnel to manage without being subject matter experts.
Plant Automation
Engineer |
COLGATE-PALMOLIVE
COMPANY
Experienced manager with a proven track record in optimizing manufacturing processes across automotive, aerospace, and industrial coatings sectors. Skilled in process improvement, project and resource management, and leading cross-functional teams to achieve excellence in every aspect of manufacturing, ensuring our operations are safe, efficient, and compliant. Committed to continuous improvement, problem-solving, and delivering innovative solutions.
plant manager |
advanced polymer
coatings
Jeff Winter is one of the top Industry 4.0 thought leaders and influencers helping manufacturers digitally transform their business at scale. With over 17 years of experience working for different industrial automation product and solution providers, Jeff has a unique ability to simplify and communicate complex concepts to a wide range of audiences, educating and inspiring people from the shop floor up to the executive board room. As part of his experience, Jeff is also very active in the community of Industry 4.0. He currently is a part of the International Board of Directors for MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association), the leader of the Smart Manufacturing & IIoT Division of ISA (International Society of Automation), a U.S. registered expert for IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) as a member of TC 65, and is on the Smart Manufacturing Advisory Board for Purdue University.
Smart Manufacturing Advisor |
CESMII
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Over the last 20 years, Ashutosh has worked in senior roles at multinationals like Philips, Eaton, Steelcase and has expertise from Medical Devices, Hydraulics, Office Furniture and Lighting industries. His career has spanned across multiple countries, developing deeper understanding of different markets, the customers, and the cultures. In his most recent role, he has worked as a Director of Global Quality at Steelcase and leading a diverse team of quality professionals across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Ashutosh is passionate about the operations and has proficiency in problem solving. He has a master’s in chemical engineering and is a certified Black Belt.
Besides these professional accomplishments, in his spare time, he gets on a treadmill for a run or just lay down on the couch watching Cricket or American Football. He loves cooking Indian food and forcing his family to say, “That’s Delicious”.
Director of Global
PD&L Quality & North America Quality |
STEELCASE
Ben joined Cambria as its EVP and Chief Digital Officer in June 2015. Since joining Cambria, Ben has overseen a transformation that has allowed Cambria to generate more and higher quality product at a lower cost. He has transformed Cambria’s digital capabilities into a customer-centric and scalable operation that uses automation and data to serve the company’s growth.
Ben now serves as Cambria’s EVP of Information Technology, focusing his expertise on Cambria’s smart manufacturing, cloud computing and cybersecurity strategies. Ben’s career includes service as an Operations Executive for multiple “born in the cloud”, startup businesses and has delivered data and content systems to customers on six continents. He’s owned many facets of technology delivery to customers as part of his Operations experiences. Ben began his career working for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He holds a BS, Business Computer Information Systems from St. Cloud State University.
EVP/CIO |
CAMBRIA
Joe Mulrooney is the head of manufacturing go-to market for the US and Canada. He came to ServiceNow after completing strategic roles with Salesforce and Oracle. He brings 25 years experience helping manufacturers marry technology to process, enabling digital transformations that drive improved business outcomes.
Head of Manufacturing Industry - Go To Market |
SERVICENOW
Tim Knezevich is a forward-thinking innovation leader with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Cleveland State University. With a strong technical foundation and passion for driving growth, Tim has built a diverse career spanning multiple industries, including startup communities, biomedical device non-profits, and manufacturing initiatives. As a pioneer in Industry 4.0, Tim leverages cutting-edge technologies to shape the future of manufacturing. As Innovation Lead at Keystone Threaded Products, Tim spearheads initiatives that foster creativity, efficiency, and sustainability. Through his work, Tim aims to bridge the gap between innovation and practical application, creating lasting value for industries and communities alike
INNOVATION LEAD |
KEYSTONE THREADED
PRODUCTS
Amanda Walden is a trailblazing leader in chemical manufacturing and the President of Chemical Methods, Inc. From an early age, Amanda understood that a career in STEM offered both job stability and opportunity; this realization, combined with her passion for baking, steered her towards pursuing a degree in chemistry. Amanda’s extroverted personality guided her away from traditional lab work toward a field-based role where she could meet new people and problem-solve in the real world. Her ascent to the executive level is marked by a focused pursuit of efficiency and innovation in the industry.
Amanda possesses a unique expertise in lean manufacturing, constantly seeking ways to refine processes, reduce waste, and enhance operational efficiency. This is complemented by her exceptional skill in paint pretreatment chemistry and finishing, where she combines the precision of a chemist with the creativity of an artist, transforming ordinary surfaces into exceptional finishes.
Beginning her career with Chemical Methods as a lab tech, Amanda diligently worked her way up to her current executive role. Her vision as a leader is not only to advance the company but also to revolutionize the industry by making it more efficient and cost-effective for clients.
Amanda’s acumen extends into the realm of data analysis. Together with the Chemical Methods team, she excels in gathering and interpreting data related to the pretreatment process, leveraging this information to drive substantial improvements in manufacturing practices. Her goal is to demonstrate to manufacturers how effective data utilization can significantly impact their bottom line.
With Amanda's help, Chemical Methods customers are charting a course towards a future where streamlined manufacturing processes and insightful data analytics result in an average overall production budget reduction of 25%.
CO-FOUNDER |
INDUSTRY 4.0 CLUB
John Vargo leads MES and DxOps Transformation at RoviSys, a global leader in manufacturing automation and information systems integration. With over 23 years of experience, John has dedicated his career to developing strategies that drive effective digital transformation in manufacturing operations. His work focuses on improving operational efficiency, enhancing data transparency, and advancing quality and traceability. John's approach not only addresses today's challenges but also anticipates future opportunities, ensuring continuous evolution in manufacturing processes.
John has consistently built high-performance teams capable of delivering top-tier process automation, analytics, and manufacturing solutions across various industries. His broad expertise spans multiple manufacturing styles and process types, including batch, continuous, discrete, and hybrid operating models. John's client-first approach enables him to understand organizational challenges and help drive transformative change. His successful projects demonstrate his ability to foster collaboration, enhance communication, and streamline change management across workstreams.
director -
manufacturing
execution systems
& digital supply chain |
rovisys
Scott Burkey is a Technology Fellow at Smurfit Westrock, a global manufacturing and consumer packaging company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. He takes a pragmatic approach to implementing new ways of making training more effective and supporting front-line workers. Having worked as a software developer for over 20 years for brands like CNN, TBS/TNT and Coca-Cola, Scott now champions new technologies in the manufacturing industry which is one of the biggest adopters of augmented and virtual reality.
Prior to Smurfit WestRock Scott delivered VR products for the National Basketball Association. He serves in an advisory capacity to startups and non-profits, as well as serving on the Advisory Boards for the Georgia Association of Manufacturers and MX.0. Scott is a United States Marine Veteran that enjoys running and backpacking with his wife and 4 children in Atlanta, Georgia.
TECHNOLOGY FELLOW |
SMURFIT WESTROCK
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Matthew T. Miller is a seasoned Information and Operations Technology leader with a strong focus on growth and digital transformation. With extensive international experience in strategic planning, project management, and technology deployment, Matthew has a proven ability to translate business needs into technology requirements that drive organizational success. As the Head of Global Operations Technology Group at Sun Chemical Corporation, he leads the global OT group overseeing all manufacturing control systems and played a pivotal role in the company's digital transformation initiative. Matthew's career highlights include building a global OT organization and successfully leading the implementation of a Manufacturing MES platform. His expertise spans a wide range of areas including cloud integration, digital transformation, cyber security, and IT/OT strategy. With a track record of achieving significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction, Matthew is a strategic global thinker with exceptional leadership skills and a strong commitment to customer service. Matthew holds a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University and a degree in Electrical Engineering from Miami University, demonstrating a strong foundation of both business and technical expertise.
Head of Global Operations Technology |
SUN CHEMICAL
John Harrington is the Chief Product Officer of HighByte, focused on product management, customer and partner success, and company strategy. His areas of responsibility include market research, customer use cases, product priorities, go-to-market, and financial planning.
John is passionate about delivering technology that improves productivity and safety in manufacturing and industrial environments. He has spent his 25-year career both delivering software to manufacturers and working for manufacturers in operations roles. This experience has given him a unique perspective on how suppliers and end users each play an integral role in implementing new technology solutions.
John has a Master of Business Administration from Babson College and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER |
HIGHBYTE
In 2020 Jim Co-founded, NxGen Group, a company focused on assisting manufacturing organizations of all sizes to evolve and win in this competitive, disruptive manufacturing environment. This group will educate, assess, align and prepare organizations for their Smart Manufacturing journey.
Jim previously was the interim CEO of CESMII, the national innovation institute for Smart manufacturing, sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy and UCLA under the Manufacturing USA program.
Prior to this, Jim served for 32 years as director engineering – global reliability for General Mills. In this role, he was responsible for improving the company’s existing global asset base, focusing on technology, standardization, reliability and maintenance, processing and packaging improvement, debottlenecking, capital avoidance and energy reduction/sustainability.
Jim started his career in a small plastics extrusion company and for 6 years was responsible for the tooling and die design of their proprietary technology.
He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering and MBA, both from the University of Minnesota.
Co-founder |
nxgen group
Ryan is the Business Development Manager for Telit's IoT Platforms division and a Co-Founder of Industry 4.0 Club. He specializes in helping businesses in the Factory Automation & Manufacturing sectors leverage the latest IIoT technology to overcome complex organizational challenges, from edge to cloud.
Ryan collaborates with senior leadership at global manufacturers to identify potential process optimizations and to lead teams in delivering effective Industry 4.0 solutions, including Predictive Maintenance and AI/ML deployments. He is an expert in creating customized and scalable business development strategies for new markets and technologies, conducting market analysis, benchmarking products, roadmapping for the future, and improving marketing content.
Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending time with his dog Leo, automating his home, and exploring his new hometown Austin on his Segway.
2024 ADVISORY BOARD
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
There can be no success without a vision. Evolution vs revolution.
- Rethinking how we work Culture eats strategy for breakfast and technology for lunch.
- Continuous Innovation, the new continuous improvement. When you have the ideas, but the plants have the money.
- Millennials, meet the Gen Z workforce.
- Upskilling for factory of the future.
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