The annual Next Generation Manufacturing Summit, presented by BizTimes Media, features an exciting interactive discussion with chief executive officers of southeastern Wisconsin companies. The CEOs will share their companies’ best operational strategies and discuss their solutions for competing in a global marketplace.

Are you letting the disruptors control you, or are you building a “Proactively Adaptable Organization”? The annual Next Generation Manufacturing Summit featured a lively interactive discussion with chief executive officers and leaders of southeastern Wisconsin manufacturing companies. These CEOs shared their company’s ideas and best practices for competing in a global marketplace and how they strive to be “proactively adaptable” world-class manufacturers in the 21st century.

Following the CEO panel, the program continued with roundtable discussions.

Moderated Panel (8:00 AM – 9:15 AM):

• Jim Hawkins, CEO – Kenall Manufacturing (1)
• Jim Leef, President – ITU AbsorbTech (2)
• John W. Mellowes, CEO – Charter Manufacturing Company, Inc. (3)
• David Werner, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Director, Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division (IATD) – 3M (4)

Moderator: Mike Shiels, Dean – School of Applied Technologies, Waukesha County Technical College (5) 

Roundtable Forum (9:15 AM – 11:00 AM): This portion of the program was comprised of three 25-minute session discussions held at 15+ tables. A content expert was a table host, presenter and discussion leader.

• Achieving Results at the Speed of Engagement: A Leader’s Responsibility
• Artificial Intelligence – AI is about to change the rules of business.  Are you ready?
• Considerations in Business Transition Planning
• Does Next Generation Manufacturing Require Next Generation Cyber Security?
• Driving Profitable Growth In Your Organization
• Driving Talent Attraction and Retention Through Business/Education Partnerships
• Duty engineering
• Improving your business culture: Essentials in recruitment and retention success
• Industry 4.0: Hype or Business Value
• Introduction to the Blackbox – an Innovation process
• Proactively Adapting to a Global Manufacturing Economy
• Recruiting and Retention in an Ever-Changing Supply and Demand Environment
• Sales Forecasting
• Secure Your Secrets, Button Up Your Brands, and Patent to Protect Your Profits
• Succession Planning | What’s Next?
• Total Factor Productivity
• Turn Export Efforts Into Export Revenues: Best Practices to Fast Track to ROI

The 2017 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit was the main stage event at the Wisconsin Manufacturing & Technology Show.

Interested in sponsoring an event? To reap the benefits of the ultimate in-person marketing opportunity contact Linda Crawford, Director of Sales, to discuss opportunities. Event sponsorships are limited.