Leaders of the North American metalcasting industry convened Sept. 11-13 in Park City, Utah, to hear and exchange fresh ideas and perspectives for business planning and strategy as part of the Foundry Executive Conference held by AFS.
Several well-regarded business speakers and authors filled out the agenda, including featured speaker and author Peter Zeihan. Zeihan discussed the future of global manufacturing and how metalcasting will be impacted in the current global manufacturing landscape.
Other speakers included:
Stephen Shapiro–Rethinking How You Do What You. Shapiro gave attendees tools to take back to their businesses for reinvigorating daily processes to stay ahead of the competition.
Terry Brock–Relationship Marketing and Technology. Brock brought his expertise in technology and social media to give conference attendees a better understanding on how to use relevant technology in the real world to build business relationships.
Vicki Hitzges–Old Dogs, New Tricks. Professional speaker Vicki Hitzges presented on how employees can survive the “bombardment” of change in the workplace. Her high-energy presentation showed attendees how to thrive in a constantly changing market and work environment.
Thomas Landstreet–Today’s Political Landscape and What is Ahead in the 2016 Race for the White House? Forbes.com contributor Thomas Landstreet’s unique presentation drew upon his experience analyzing government economic policies and their impact on manufacturing markets. Landstreet currently contributes to Forbes.com
Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington Office–Key Issues Impacting the Metalcasting Industry. Salmon’s presentation detailed specific bills and policies on Capitol Hill and how they impact the metalcasting industry.
A reception and awards banquet was held Sept. 13 to honor the recipient of the Keating Founders’ Freedom Award. Janis Herschkowitz, PRL Industries, was presented the Keating Founders’ Freedom Award for “significant contributions to the foundry industry and active participation in the fields of government affairs, human resource management, safety and health, or education.
The conference also included roundtable discussions and a State of AFS Address from Doug Kurkul, AFS CEO. The conference also saw a 25% increase in attendance for 2016.
For the complete agenda of the 2016 Foundry Executive Conference, click here.
The American Foundry Society is a not-for-profit organization formed in 1896. With its headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill., AFS provides members and consumers with information and services to promote and strengthen the metalcasting industry.
Janis Herschkowitz, PRL Industries, accepting the 2016 Keating Founders’ Freedom Award
Featured speaker Terry Brock addresses the conference on Sept 12.