WMEP Manufacturing Solutions will be presenting the 22nd Manufacturing Matters! Conference on February 26 – 27th at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee.  “Focus & Go” is this year’s conference theme, and Steve Brown, CEO of Possibility and Purpose who previously worked as a futurist and chief evangelist for tech giant Intel Corporation, will provide the keynote address.

WMEP Manufacturing Solutions CEO, Tim Wiora, explains, “The manufacturing landscape is exciting and filled with many opportunities and challenges. This dynamic nature favors companies that proactively change with the times.”

“This conference is designed to help companies visualize their future and determine what they can focus on now to take best advantage of upcoming opportunities”, said Wiora.

The conference features 18 breakout sessions in six tracks. Additionally, there are five pre-conference workshops and events on February 26th.

Keynote Speaker:

Steve Brown, AKA, The Bald Futurist

As the former Futurist and Chief Evangelist at Intel Corporation, Steve has over 30 years’ experience in high tech, half of that spent in strategic planning or as a Futurist. He helps his audiences to understand the major technologies that will shape the future five, ten, or fifteen years from now, and to determine which strategies they will need to follow to take full advantage of the opportunity that is being created.

Sessions:

Strategic Growth

• Leveraging Voice of the Customer
• Growth with a Focus         
• Increasing Sales Through Lead Qualification

Improving Productivity

• Making things better with Lean Six Sigma
• Transformational Productivity Initiative (TPI) Assessments – Value and Insights Gained
• Assembly Teams and Smaller Batch Sizes Reduce Lead Times and Increase Flexibility

Workforce Excellence

• Employer Branding – Winning at recruitment through messaging      
• Effective Onboarding – Decreasing new hires time to proficiency.
• Developing a Data Driven Culture

Industry 4.0 / Automation

• Leveraging New Technologies to Address the Labor Shortage
• Automation Implementation Panel              
• Driving Business Success Through Data, Analytics and Business Intelligence

Improving Business Performance

• Integrating Sustainability into Decision Making   
• What is the difference between a 5X and 10X Company?
• Go-To-Market Strategy:  Sales Channel Partners

Leading for Success

• Negotiating: Master strategies for giving and getting concessions     
• Wisconsin Works:  The New Wisconsin Economy
• Communicating and Operating Successfully Across Generations in the Workplace

Agenda:

Wednesday, February 26th:

8:00am – 12:00pm | Secrets of Successful Negotiations

10:00am – 12:00pm | How your Digital Brand is Impacting Talent Attraction

1:00pm – 3:00pm | Winning the War for Talent

3:30pm – 5:30pm | Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery Private Tour

5:30pm – 7:30pm | Celebration of Manufacturing Reception – Hyatt Atrium

Thursday, February 27th:

8:00am – 8:30am | Opening Remarks

8:30am – 9:30am | Keynote Speaker: Steve Brown – CEO, Possibility and Purpose

9:30am – 3:15am | Sessions

3:15pm | Networking Reception