Program 2022

October 11 - 12: Houston, TX (All timings in US Central Time)

7:45 AM - 8:30 AM

Registration & Morning Refreshments

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM

8:40 AM - 9:10 AM - Keynote

Leadership & Workforce Development

Why Culture is the Key to your Business Transformation Success

Christina Hudson, Director of One Excellence | Global | Pulse Impact Quality and Business Excellence, TechnipFMC

An organization’s ability to transform the way they do business in response to shifts in the market environment, expanding customer requirements and rapid advancements towards digitalization and tech automation is most critical.  The approach an organization takes toward business transformation will determine their level of success.  Having the right strategy in place is a major factor in business transformation success, but that is only part of a transformation formula. 
This presentation addresses the most critical aspect of a business transformation and explains why culture is the key to your business transformation success.

9:10 AM - 9:40 AM - Case Studies

Leadership & Workforce Development

"Selling” Innovation: How to Intrigue Leaders with innovative Ideas and Communicate the Value of New Ideas

Darin Powell, Global IT Digital Leader, Transformation Strategy and Experimentation, Bayer Crop Science

Innovation fuels transformation and innovators every day are coming up with ideas and concepts that change their world and business for the better. But breathing life into ideas requires partnership, alliances and buy-in from leaders and influencers. Understanding and using the skills and methods of an innovationist is key to helping navigate the influence waters and bring your innovation to reality.

9:40 AM - 10:30 AM

1-2-1 Pre-Scheduled Meetings & Networking Break

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM - Solution Spotlights

High Functioning Management System: Creating the Non-Negotiable Architecture for Success

Shane A. Yount, President , Competitive Solutions

Many organizations have people coming back to work after being virtual or hybrid for two years. Now is the time to “LEAN INTO” the non-negotiable systems and processes required to move from a position of Defense to Offense both organizationally and from a leadership execution standpoint.


Learn the four non-negotiable processes for a robust management system. Participants will learn how to build and use non-negotiable processes to engage and fully realize the potential of their workforce.  These processes help to create a teamwork driven culture of clear business focus, a sustained sense of urgency, and stronger team accountability.  With Process Based Leadership®, attendees will be able to reinvent and sustain their new, successful culture. 

  • Analysis of Low Functioning vs. High Functioning Management Systems and Business Ramifications
  • Build performance metrics that drive business focus, urgency and accountability
  • Reigniting your teams that are hybrid, virtual or in-person with non-negotiable systems
  • Establish leadership skills to elevate employee engagement in your organization
  • Create a communication cadence that informs at all levels and tiers
  • Transformational Processes to create innovation in teams

Nearshoring: A Simple Solution to your Supply Chain Headaches

Jorge Gonzalez Henrichsen, Co-Chief Executive Officer, The Nearshore Company

There are many options for solving a company’s current supply chain disruptions. Nearshoring offers the best solution as it provides the following sustainable and long-term benefits: proximity to your end market, access to a an affordable large and skilled labor force, local quality suppliers and multiple FTAs, high quality manufacturing systems and practices, certified and modern facilities, simplifies doing business due to cultural affinity, easier operation to manage as it remains in same time zone as headquarters, ease of implementation (with the right partner), and reduces geopolitical risks due to excessive global exposure.
In addition, Nearshoring takes company’s closer to their ESG objectives as: a shorter supply chains equals a reduced carbon foot-print, better IP protection equals better governance, and labor provisions under USMCA equals a proper work environment

11:05 AM - 11:35 AM - Case Studies

Strategic Operations

Your Colleagues As Your Clients: What happens when you nurture an environment of ideas and collaboration

Jennifer Pelky, Sr. Engineering Manager, Toyota Motor North America

Developments in Lean & OpEx

Making Lean Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence fit for the Customer

Pramatha Payra, Director of Business Administration & Global Quality Lead, GCL Solar Materials USA

  • Streamlining your Business Processes and Workforce 
  • The Benefits of Data Analytics

11:40 AM - 12:10 PM - Solution Spotlights

Data Readiness & Prescriptive Analytics: Accelerating Value-Driven Digital Transformation of Manufacturing

Frans Cronje, CEO and Co-Founder, DataProphet

  • Establishing a robust data infrastructure for your plant with AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS).
  • Evaluating AI-driven solutions for Manufacturing Excellence 4.0. 
  • How prescriptive analytics proactively improves key production KPIs and machine health.

12:15 PM - 12:45 PM - Case Studies

Strategic Operations

The Importance of Flexible R&D Strategy

Steve Rader, Program Manager NASA Tournament Lab (NTL) , NASA Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation

This presentation will provide an overview of NASA’s use of open innovation to provide needed flexibility and diversity in advancing research and development efforts. 
The presentation focuses on the impacts of the ever increasing rate of change in technology and how “open” methods are successfully being used to leverage this change and avoid disruption.

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Networking Lunch

1:45 PM - 2:15 PM - Solution Spotlights

Rapid Improvement Thinking NOW resulting in a Continuous Improvement paradigm shift LATER: An Executive Discussion

Phil McIntyre, Managing Director, Performance Solutions by Milliken

Many organizations view continuous improvement as a journey.  While the word journey is applicable, the mind-set that a journey translates to a long time should be challenged.  A commitment to continuous improvement and safety in a Rapid Improvement Approach (RIA) has been the foundation of many organizations improvements in efficiency and productivity based upon lean manufacturing concepts. In this session, we’ll discuss:

  • Where to work first
  • How to create a ‘Bottom-Up Approach’ that facilitates associate empowerment, ownership, and engagement
  • How Leadership and Team Development play an integral role in your journey
  • Case Studies from other organizations

Key Takeaways:

  • Challenge existing paradigms by embracing zero-loss thinking in cost, quality, delivery, and safety
  • Build and optimize a performance system vs. launching more initiatives
  • Leverage the power of operational excellence to deliver on corporate strategy and outperform competition
  • Establish the business case for change at all levels of the organization

2:15 PM - 2:45 PM - Case Studies

Strategic Operations

What are the steps industry is taking to combat the skills shortage and become a destination employer?

Deepa Swaminathan, Director of Supply Strategy & Digital Acceleration, Ericsson

2:45 PM - 3:15 PM - Case Studies

IoT & Technology

Augmented Reality: Leverage these Tools to Lead Smarter

Grace Perez, VP, Chief Digital Program Officer and Executive Lean Leader, GE Healthcare

  • Case studies with AR and AI
  • Where to start with augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Build a learning organization with these tools to lead smarter

3:15 PM - 4:00 PM

1-2-1 Pre-Scheduled Meetings & Networking Break

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM - Case Studies

Developments in Lean & OpEx

Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: Finding the sweet spot among People, Technology and Business within a Sustainable Ecosystem

Amit Lodh, Head of Enterprise Solutions Architecture, Gulf Coast and MidAmerica, AWS

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM - Panel Discussion

A Tale of Two Lockdowns

Natalia Mendez, VP, Head of Manufacturing Medical Devices, Philips

Antonio Hill, Head of Manufacturing Digital Solutions, Global Supply Chain, Stanley Black & Decker

Maria Araujo, Engineering Fellow, Director Sensing and IoT, Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain Strategy, Innovation & Deployment

  • Who wins when industry and government collide
  • Creating public sector partnerships
  • When a global supply chain is no longer reliable, who will invest in rebuilding domestic markets?

5:00 PM - 5:10 PM

5:10 PM - 6:10 PM

Evening Networking Reception

8:20 AM - 8:50 AM

Morning Refreshments & 1-2-1 Meetings

8:50 AM - 9:00 AM

9:00 AM - 9:30 AM - Keynote

Unlocking Innovation and Delivering New Services Through Digital Transformation

Jeff Winter, Industry Executive, Manufacturing, Microsoft

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM - Case Studies

Developments in Lean & OpEx

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM - Case Studies

IoT & Technology

A Customer First Approach to Business Transformation

Maria Araujo, Engineering Fellow, Director Sensing and IoT, Johnson & Johnson Supply Chain Strategy, Innovation & Deployment

Focusing on innovation to suit the needs of your clients and therefore your businesses.
  • Identifying technology solutions that fit to your company’s and your client’s needs  
  • Creating an ecosystem beyond your business to gain valuable external insights  
  • Deploy and scale your solutions to best evaluate your options and proof your results  

10:30 AM - 11:20 AM

1-2-1 Pre-Scheduled Meetings & Networking Break

11:25 AM - 11:55 AM - Case Studies

Developments in Lean & OpEx

Innovation Requires Innovation: What are the key drivers to maintaining a robust and resilient business?

Himanshu Joshi, Director of Operations , ThinkOrbital

The case study focuses on how a team of innovators and builders is coming together to solve for the next frontier – Space! Leveraging on innovative application of proven technologies, robust design, the company plans to undertake in-orbit assembly of one of the largest space stations ever. The team relies on the fundamentals of design thinking, lean, agile, systems thinking to deliver in-space autonomously assembled multi-mission platforms for multiple use cases. ThinkOrbital believes that continuous improvement, business agility, operational excellence synergized across people, processes and technology are the pillars of robust and resilient business.

Strategic Operations

How to apply Tech to the Shop Floor

Nourredine Boubekri, Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of North Texas

Planning, Implementation, and Management - Navigating the Issues

12:00 PM - 12:30 PM - Case Studies

IoT & Technology

Machine Learning in the 21st Century

Ken Snyder, Executive Director, Shingo Institute

  • Disruptor Preparedness
  • Establishing New Markets 
  • Bringing Home the Supply Chain

Leadership & Workforce Development

Leadership in an everchanging world

Neil Betteridge, Senior Vice President Category Development, fairlife

What is needed to shorten the skills gap
The top-down approach to leadership, and does it still work

12:35 PM - 1:05 PM - Case Studies

Leadership & Workforce Development

Is SMART Tech the Smart Move for Your Business?

Conrad Leiva, VP of Ecosystem and Workforce Development, CESMII – Smart Manufacturing Institute

• Aligning your SMART tech strategy with your business strategy
• Assessing information-driven practices
• Integrating SMART tech with your workforce

Developments in Lean & OpEx

Leading Culture Change from the Middle with a Social Focus on ESG & SDGs

Billy Ingram, Director of Lean Product Development, Interface

Andrea Hoffmeier, Co-Founder, SHERPA Institute

• The ABCs of ESG & SDGs: From Sustainability Alphabet Soup to Culture Change Performance Fuel!
• Why is the Social component of ESG is most valuable for systemic culture change and high performance?
• Busting the Top-Down ESG & SDG Leadership Myth; systemically cultivate innovation, engagement and commitment!

1:05 PM - 2:05 PM

Networking Lunch

2:10 PM - 2:40 PM - Case Studies

Strategic Operations

The “Right” Data to Lead Change – Using Standards to Control Supply Chain

Antonio Hill, Head of Manufacturing Digital Solutions, Global Supply Chain, Stanley Black & Decker

In the United States, due to supply chain disruption, many consumers have been forced to wait. Many manufacturers look for a digital silver bullet to solve all their concerns during this Industry 4.0 boom. All the lean practices and conventional wisdom coveted in the past tend to take a back seat for digital transformation. However, digital transformation takes time to implement and will not lead to the immediate results needed if a site is at the beginning of their journey. Taking a holistic system approach using proven methods can lead to light at the end of the tunnel.

This presentation breakdown the components to simplify a way to prepare the supply chain with the proper data elements to make the most informed decisions when head winds arise. Along with establishing rules of engagement when face with uncertainty, it will cover the KPIs that will anchor the decisions to be made in the future. In order not to overlook the power of advanced analytics, the presentation will provide a path to enhance the data.

3:10 PM - 3:40 PM - Keynote

From AI to EI

Zack Valdez, Chief of Staff, Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains, U.S. Department of Energy


After two days of discussion, Zack wraps up AMS22 with an insight into the work the Office of Manufacturing Energy and Supply Chains is doing to support and develop the industry. 
Leaving us with a thought provoking look at how manufacturing is poised to move forward into 2023.

3:40 PM - 3:50 PM

Chair's Closing Remarks & End of Conference