Manufacturing Tomorrow

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.