Carol Reiley

Carol Reiley is a serial entrepreneur, advisor, and an active advocate for diversity/bias in AI.  Her purpose in life is to save the world, one robot at a time. She’s been named the Mother of Robots and over the past 20 years has worked in a breadth of robotics applications ranging from healthcare (Intuitive Surgical) to space (Lockheed Martin) to underwater to self-driving cars.

She is currently CEO of a healthcare startup, a creative advisor of the San Francisco Symphony, tech advisory council member for Harman Kardon, a World Economics Forum Young Global Leader, and a brand ambassador for Guerlain Cosmetics. She cofounded and was President of drive.ai where she led partnerships with Lyft and Grab, helped build team of 8 to 150+ employees, and raised over $77M.

She also founded Tinkerbelle Labs for low cost healthcare as well as Squishybotz for educational robotics. She is a published children’s book author on the 1st growth mindset which has sold over 20K copies, was on the 1st female engineer on the MAKE magazine cover, and the youngest member on the IEEE Robotics and Engineering Board.

Slade Gardner

Dr. Slade Gardner is president of Big Metal Additive, a company advancing large scale metal hybrid additive manufacturing. Dr. Gardner has led BMA from startup to an internationally recognized company serving customers in space, aeronautics, maritime, heavy equipment, automotive and energy markets, as well as the DoD.

Ben Wald

As the Founder of Very, Ben Wald has helped lead over 250 product launches in the last decade, guiding a growing team of more than 50 engineers, designers, and data scientists in understanding our clients’ challenges and building custom IoT solutions. Before founding Very in 2011, Ben served as the executive director at Ashoka Changemakers, where he spearheaded the software development of a suite of products to connect social entrepreneurs with global resources. During Ben’s early career, he also co-founded two successful startups. His first endeavor was an online education software company that secured more than $5+ million in seed capital, was later acquired by eCampus, and resulted in Ben being named as one of Businessweek’s Top 25 Young Entrepreneurs. He also co-founded LookSharp, which secured $10+ in venture financing and was acquired by WayUp in 2017.

Laszlo Gonc

Laszlo is a recognized senior executive with 30 years of progressive experience in business and information technology. He is responsible for helping organizations, corporate and non-profit alike, navigate the digital frontier advising on cyber security, IT risk mitigation, and building digital technology strategies that drive performance and business value. He has experience across a number of industries advising senior executives, developing security strategies, evaluating IT risk and spearheading critical security projects for senior leadership – including but not limited to healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, legal, mining, and banking.

Laszlo is a member of the Forbes Technology Council, PEER150 and sits on a number of nonprofit boards and committees. He served as Chair of the Project Management Institute (PMI) Chicagoland Executive Council for a number of years. As a member of FBI Infragard, ISSA and ISACA, he currently serves as Executive Vice President for the Chicago chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) and Board Member for the Society for Information Management (SIM) Chicago.

Joanna Cooper

Joanna Cooper is Daimler Truck North America’s General Manager, Mount Holly. The Women in Manufacturing board member is bridging the gap of competence and confidence to transform executive leadership and business culture to drive results. Cooper reduces the learning curve by sharing how leaders can systemize their results.

Leading an amazing team of nearly 2,000 staff to produce Freightliner M2 and SD Plus medium-duty trucks. Workforce development and digital transformation have never been more relevant than now as leaders seek to transition product and service portfolios to more sustainable solutions. To learn more about Joanna Cooper’s innovative management tips, follow her on Linkedin.

David Feherty

David Feherty was born in the seaside town of Bangor in Northern Ireland. He grew up with aspirations to become an opera singer, until he discovered he had the knack for hitting a golf ball. He jokes about his career change, “I was always interested in music from a very early age. But when I turned pro at age 17, I haven’t sung a note since. Now, I only sing to punish my children.”

David enjoyed a successful professional career, with 10 victories worldwide and over $3 million in prize money. He was a regular on the European Tour, with victories including the ICL International, the Italian Open, Scottish Open, South Africa PGA, BMW Open, Cannes Open, and Madrid Open. He captained the winning Irish team in the 1990 Alfred Dunhill Cup and played on the European Ryder Cup Team in 1991, an experience that rejuvenated his fervor for golf.

In 1997, David retired from professional golf when offered a position as a golf commentator for CBS Sports. “I always enjoyed talking more than playing, and now CBS and the Golf Channel are paying me for what I like to do most.” Thanks to his sharp wit and colorful personality, David has become golf’s favorite announcer.

In 2011, the Golf Channel aired 18 episodes of Feherty— its most popular program. No topic was off limits in this original series that shares revealing interviews with well-known personalities from sports and entertainment, including President Clinton, Donald Trump, Samuel L. Jackson and Bill Russell among others. As one critic observed, “Feherty is like the man: brutally honest, funny, maddeningly scattered.”

For David, his most fulfilling activities are on behalf of badly injured U.S. troops. Through his Troops First Foundation, David stages events for wounded Special Forces, Green Berets and other U.S. heroes involving golf, hunting, bicycling and skiing. “Losing a limb, or the ability to use a limb, is one thing,” David says. “But the dignity they lose with it is perhaps even more important. And to be able to give them some of that dignity back is my mission with these days. It’s not a charity. It’s just us trying to pay back a very small part of the check that we owe them.”

Most recently, David joined the LIV Golf broadcast team to serve as an on-air commentator and co-executive producer of LIV Golf Event Coverage. David is one of the most influential and recognized voices in golf for more than two decades and is known for delivering insight and humor to audiences around the globe. He made his debut at the LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster and also served as a host and producer for an original new series in collaboration with LIV Golf. “His authentic style blends unique perspective, personality, and wit that educates and entertains fans like no other,” said Greg Norman, CEO, and Commissioner of LIV Golf. “Following more than 20 years as a player, he brought a new voice to the sport that has transcended golf culture.”

Teresa Beach-Shelow

Teresa Beach-Shelow is president of Superior Joining Technologies, Inc. Founded in 1992 by her husband Tom, SJTI is a precision-welding laboratory that provides micro-welding, laser welding, TIG welding, tool and die repair, multi-axis laser cutting and welding, NDT and fabrication services to customers in the aerospace and metalworking industries, nationally and globally. As the Compliance officer Teresa has led her company to prestigious registrations such as NADCAP for laser welding—one of 11+ companies in the United States with this distinction. Teresa is a recognized leader in the successful efforts to strengthen the manufacturing industry in northern Illinois. She is frequently requested to speak about women in manufacturing, public-private collaboration, workforce attraction, entrepreneurship, and related fields. Print articles have focused on Teresa’s achievements and opinions about the workforce and women’s ability to bridge the manufacturing workforce gap. In her spare time, Teresa likes to swim, bicycle, and spoil all her family, which includes 2 daughters (who have both worked at SJTI) and 5 grandchildren.   

Amanda Reel

Amanda Reel attended a technical high school with the intention of pursuing culinary arts. She had the opportunity to try out a variety of the programs the school offered and discovered welding. To her surprise, she enjoyed it and in 2014 she graduated with a certificate in welding.  

Before graduation, Amanda was hired by TRUMPF Inc., a global sheet metal fabrication equipment manufacturer and industrial laser manufacturer, as their first female welder. She advanced her skills through TRUMPF’s internal certification program and a short three years later, at just 21 years old, became the welding team lead managing a department of 13.  

In 2019 Amanda hung up her welding helmet and joined TRUMPF’s training department as a training engineer. In this role, she provides operator and programming training to both employees and customers on the company’s TruBend Cell 5000 automated press brake system.  

Amanda was featured in Connecticut Public Television’s “Making the Future” video series that tells the stories of up-and-coming young talent in manufacturing careers and was selected to TRUMPF’s Brand Ambassador program that highlights employees excelling in their careers.  

Amanda is a member of Women in Manufacturing and is pursuing an associate degree in engineering. 

Marhya Osheaski

Marhya is a business development expert who delivers sales objectives and achieves continued business growth. With a background in corporate sales and leadership, her manufacturing career spans more than 20 years. Originally from Canada, her manufacturing journey started with a temporary job on the very first day her work permit came through, and she’s never looked back!  

Marhya served in a variety of positions with Clariant, a global provider of sustainable solutions for the plastics and coatings industry, including purchasing, scheduling, and customer service. These roles prepared her for an inevitable move to the company’s sales team where she enjoyed success in territory and regional sales management positions. Marhya then took her sales knowledge and leadership experience from the plastics industry to the finishing world joining Axalta’s powder coatings division where, at the time, she was the only female sales leader. In 2020 she joined IFS Coatings in her current role as vice president of sales. 

Marhya is married, has two children and a dog (the real love of her life). She juggles work, family, travel, and her sanity to keep things fun! 

Lisa M. Habe

Lisa is President and Chairman of the Board of Interlake Industries Inc., a leader in short to medium run metal stampings with facilities in Ohio and Florida. Lisa oversees all aspects of operations at Interlake Industries. She has vast experience in the metal stamping industry and has guided the company in its continued reputation of unmatched excellence throughout the regions Interlake Industries serves. 

Currently, Lisa has been an active member in the Precision Metalforming Association, contributing to both the Roundtables and Women in Metalforming groups. She also served as a Board Member of the Lakeland Foundation, Women in Manufacturing, Precision Metalforming Association and Lake County Port Authority. 

Karen Gilgenbach

Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Mechanics from Michigan State, a Master of Science in Weld Engineering from Ohio State, an MBA and a Master of Science in Finance through Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. She has been a Certified Welding Inspector since 2006 and is a Certified Welding Supervisor as well as a Certified Robotic Arc Welder- Technician.  

Professionally, Karen is a Zone Vice President for Matheson Gas, a distributor of gas and welding supplies, where she is responsible for nine states and 36 locations. In this role, she enjoys helping her team utilize technical knowledge and automation to support their customer base and provide leading-edge solutions in manufacturing and metal fabrication.  

Jeannine Kunz

Jeannine Kunz is the chief workforce development officer at SME, including the leadership responsibility for Tooling U-SME, the learning and development arm of SME, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening the manufacturing industry. There, she leads a team dedicated to the ongoing education and training of the workforce. A recognized expert in the field of learning and development, Kunz is at the forefront of workforce management issues, providing forward-thinking learning and development solutions for companies, academia and individuals. She is deeply knowledgeable about the challenges facing the manufacturing workforce and provides guidance on best practices for designing, developing and implementing performance-based development strategies in today’s advanced manufacturing environments. Her work directly addresses industry dynamics related to people’s knowledge and skills in manufacturing. Under Kunz’s direction, Tooling U-SME is an innovative pioneer in 21st-century learning, from online classes and virtual reality labs to traditional instructor-led training. Additionally, the organization has developed and implemented competency-based occupational apprenticeship programs, several of which have been endorsed by the Department of Labor and is a nationally recognized certifying body in manufacturing for over 50 years.

Connie King

Prior to joining PMA in May of 2022, King served as the director of professional development for Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, OH, where she created and delivered original, competency-based learning programs for external organizations and university employees. Connie also previously worked for the University of Akron as a manager of business solutions, where she developed and implemented internal and external organizational development programs, and created community, industry-based consortiums for assessing and satisfying skills demands. Before her higher education career, Connie worked in a variety of corporate and entrepreneurial positions which included expertise in marketing, trade show/events management, publishing, and training and development.

Edward C. Dernulc

Ed Dernulc joined Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs in March of 2018 as the Director of the Foundation. Prior to joining NBT, Ed has had a 22-year career in banking in the wealth management area for Chicagoland banks such as Northern Trust, LaSalle Bank, Harris Bank and Amcore. In 2007, he went into the fund-raising arena, joining the Alexian Brothers Hospital Foundation where he served for six years.  He has served as the Executive Director of the Norwegian American Hospital Foundation before joining NBT. Ed has a M.B.A in Business Administration from Dominican University in River Forest, IL where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. He has his B.S. in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. He has served on the operating board for Lutheran General Hospital, he currently sits on the advisory council for Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business and is a board member for the Backyard Experience in Schaumburg, IL.

Monica Pfarr

Ms. Pfarr was named the Executive Director of the AWS Foundation in September 2017.  She previously served as Corporate Director for Workforce Development with the Foundation and Principal Investigator for Weld-Ed, the National Center for Welding Education and Training, located at Lorain County Community College since 2008.  Prior to joining AWS, Ms. Pfarr spent 6 years at Sinclair Community College leading their manufacturing workforce development efforts.  In her 12-year career at General Motors, Ms. Pfarr held numerous positions of increasing responsibility, including Manufacturing Training Manager and Superintendent of Production.

Lara Threet

Ms. Threet is the Program Coordinator and instructor for the Industrial Technology program at Mississippi State University. She is a three-time graduate of MSU – Bachelor’s in Industrial Technology with a concentration in Distribution, Bachelor’s in Marketing, and a Master’s in Instructional Technology with a concentration in Distance Education. She is currently working on her Doctorate of Technology through Purdue University. Ms. Threet is responsible for curriculum updates, recruitment, freshman advising, and serving as a liaison for the program to both the University as well as external communities.

Erik Qualman

Erik Qualman is the author of six bestselling books. Socialnomics has been featured in publications and on programs worldwide, including 60 Minutes and the Wall Street Journal, and it is used by a wide range of organizations, from the National Guard to NBC, Nordstrom and NASA. His book Digital Leader propelled him to be voted the 2nd Most Likeable Author in the World behind Harry Potter‘s J.K. Rowling.

What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube prompted Forbes and Fortune to include Erik on their list of Top 100 Digital Influencers.  How to Sell on LinkedIn is becoming mandatory reading for sales teams. His newest book is titled The Focus Project: The Not So Simple Art of Doing Less.

Qualman was formerly a sitting professor at Harvard and MIT’s edX labs. He holds an MBA from the University of Texas, and he received an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. He hosts the popular weekly podcast, “Super U,” and is the chairman of Equalman Studios, which has done film and animation work for the likes of Disney, Cartier, IBM and many other global brands.

Aaron Prather

Aaron Prather is the Director of Robotics & Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International, one of the world’s largest and most established standards-creating organizations. Prior to joining ASTM, Aaron spent almost 27 years working for FedEx. During his time there he held various positions, including Senior Technical Advisor, where he helped develop robotic applications for the shipping giant. Aaron is now focused on helping the Robotics Industry to grow and expand through standardization, workforce development, and research efforts. In his current role, he works with researchers, manufacturers, integrators, and end users to develop support structures that speed up robot deployments across numerous industries.

Edward Mehr

Mehr has been a student of engineering, manufacturing, and design for nearly twenty years. His expertise in machine learning led to a role as an early employee at both SpaceX and Relativity Space. Mehr is one of the inventors on Relativity’s patent for additive manufacturing. He co-founded Machina Labs with the vision to radically simplify manufacturing by using sheet metal to form casts via additive manufacturing using AI and robotics.

Gijs Van Der Velden

Gijs van der Velden is CEO of MX3D, a robotic 3D metal Printing company famous for its bridge for the city of Amsterdam. The technology was first developed in a Dutch Design Agency, which researched a great variety of new manufacturing technologies including new software tools that experimented with biomimicry and topology optimisation early 2000’s. MX3D employs 30 people and 10 welding robots. Verticals: Maritime, Construction and Oil and Gas.

Arnold Kravtiz

Arnie Kravitz is and experienced Industrialist who has served as CEO, COO, CTO, and Board Member of broad spectrum of publicly traded or privately held, large, small, and and medium enterprises, and start-up companies focused on technology-driven services, product manufacturing and shipbuilding industries.

He currently serves as the Blueforge Alliance Chief Technology Officer where he oversees all technical operations. This includes maritime systems, shipbuilding, and the expansion enrichment fortification of the submarine industrial base (SIB) and other untapped adjacent industrial bases (Maritime, offshore communications, energy minerals, and other heavy industries) that can be leveraged to enhance the SIB.

Chuck Brandt

Dr. Brandt is the ARM Institute’s Chief Technology Officer. Dr. Brandt leads the ARM Institute’s technical strategy and program planning, manages the ARM Institute program management office, and leads the organization’s headquarters Mill 19 robotic engineering plans and investment strategy. He joined the ARM Institute in 2018 from Innovation Works, where he was the Vice President of Technology Programs. Prior to Innovation Works, he was the CTO at the Technology Collaborative, both Pittsburgh-based organizations. In these and prior roles at Northrop Grumman, Westinghouse, and Raytheon, Dr. Brandt has showcased his ability to coordinate technology initiatives, early-stage product development, and university-based commercialization. Dr. Brandt holds a Ph.D. in Electronic Materials from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Illinois. He has presented over 50 papers and holds 6 patents.

Joanne Moretti

Joanne Moretti, has 32 years of experience in banking, high-tech, and manufacturing, leading go-to-market plans and global partnerships. Her award-winning career includes roles as SVP & CMO at Jabil, a Fortune 200 manufacturing company, as well as sales and marketing roles at HP, Dell, and CA, and she most recently sat on the board of DecisionLink as their CMO.

Dave Evans

Dave Evans has been featured on Discovery, TechCrunch, Inc., named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, and recipient of the Manufacturing Leadership Award from NAM. Before Fictiv, he was the first hire at Ford’s Silicon Valley Lab and focused on shortening development cycles for infotainment systems. Evans has a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, a passion for all things automotive, and a deep respect for the complexity of their engineering systems.

Scot Lindemann

Scot Lindemann is an experienced leader in the automation and robotics sector. Before joining Mission, he was president of BACA Systems and held various roles, including co-CEO for JR Automation. He has served on multiple boards, is active in FIRST Robotics, and has served as the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) director. Lindemann holds a Bachelor’s in robotic systems engineering from Lake Superior State University.

Micki Vandeloo

Micki Vandeloo’s firm helps fund the success of the manufacturing community (manufacturers and the for-profit and nonprofit companies who support them). With more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing, she has helped her clients fund their success by helping them find and access grant funding to support their growth projects. Micki has authorized the only book on for-profit grants, “THE For-Profit Grant Writing Guide”, available on Amazon.  Micki has spoken on the topic of manufacturing grants in front of audiences at trade show conventions and dozens of webinars and podcasts.  Micki has also contributed written content on the subject for Plant Services Magazine, Manufacturing Outlook magazine, and, most recently, the Farm Equipment Manufacturers’ Association Shortliner newsletter.  Micki has been recognized as a Pauline Annarino awardee by her peers at the Grant Professionals Association for her contributions to the grant professional industry and as a St. Louis Small Business Monthly Hero of Business.  Micki’s team of grant professionals at Lakeview Consulting has collectively obtained more than $100 million in grant funding.

John Madsen

John Madsen, Vice President, Manufacturing Practice Leader is from the world of sheet metal – stamping where he spent over 40 years. He helps bring a keen understanding of the many challenges facing manufacturers today and is committed to providing creative solutions using R&D Tax Credits to help your business become more competitive and increase profitability.

Mike Devereux

Mike Devereux has identified millions of dollars in tax incentives for manufacturing clients, led hundreds of research and development (R&D) tax credit study engagements and demonstrated leadership and exceptional judgment in the tax structuring of various acquisitions. He speaks nationally to various professional and industry trade organizations and associations about opportunities to reduce federal and state tax liabilities and has written dozens of articles for trade publications. Mike has also presented at a wide variety of association events, colleges and universities for educational purposes. Topics for his sessions have included Research and experimentation (R&E) tax credits, IC-DISC export incentives, tax incentives, and manufacturers and entity selection tax planning.