Çağlayan Arkan is the Vice President of Manufacturing & Supply Chain at Microsoft. This week, he’s here to share how digital transformation impacts so many aspects of manufacturing as well as our daily lives. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Çağlayan covers a lot of ground. From talking about digital transformation in the industry to the skills gap, automation, and sustainability, Çağlayan demonstrates just how important digital transformation is across the board. Çağlayan shares...
Aug 03, 2021•47 min•Ep. 57
The Milwaukee Bucks’ run to win the 2021 NBA Championship was nothing short of remarkable. So what do business leaders, marketers, and the Bucks have in common? Find out in this week's special edition of Manufacturing Happy Hour. Last Friday, we sat down with Richie Burke - Founder of GoGeddit Marketing & Media and life-long Bucks fan - to riff about the incredible turnaround the Bucks organization has made over the latter half of the past decade and the selfless displays of leadership we sa...
Jul 27, 2021•46 min
Meaghan Ziemba is THE Maven of Manufacturing! As a writer by trade, she developed an early passion for storytelling and is now empowering women to change the world through manufacturing via her podcast Mavens of Manufacturing. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Meaghan discusses the role of good storytelling in the manufacturing industry and why many leaders overlook it. She shares the story behind starting her podcast and how she overcame her fears and did it anyway. Meaghan explores ...
Jul 20, 2021•47 min•Ep. 56
You’ve seen the viral videos of Spot, Boston Dynamics’ famous robotic dog, dancing to your favorite tunes, but did you know that this canine-inspired mobile robot has tons of practical applications in manufacturing too? Michael Perry, VP of Business Development at Boston Dynamics, shares how Spot is helping manufacturers optimize their processes and improve their safety standards in this week’s interview. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Michael shares some insights into his backgrou...
Jul 13, 2021•38 min•Ep. 55
After some recent cyber attacks on various verticals within the manufacturing world, Cybersecurity is on the mind of manufacturers everywhere. This week, we're diving back in the archives to bring you 3 of the best lessons we've ever received surrounding cybersecurity. We'll be tapping into 3 past guests to hear their practical approaches for getting started on a robust cybersecurity program while protecting against some of the latest threats like ransomware. If you enjoy this episode, please co...
Jul 06, 2021•23 min
Let’s get this out of the way first: Manufacturers are leaving money on the table. If you’re a US manufacturer and you have yet to take advantage of the R&D tax credit, you need to listen to this episode. This week, we are joined by Jessie Cahill and Scott Hamilton, who are both experts in Research & Development Tax Credit Services at CohnReznick. These two are helping put money back in the pockets of manufacturers through the R&D Tax Credit. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Ho...
Jun 29, 2021•39 min•Ep. 54
We’re back with another additive manufacturing episode of the podcast. This time, we’re talking to Jeff Mize, the CEO of PostProcess Technologies. Jeff and his team are revolutionizing additive manufacturing by pioneering automated and intelligent solutions to remove the biggest bottleneck in the 3D printing process: post-processing. Yes, the company is literally named after the third step in the additive manufacturing process. PostProcess is basically the Kleenex of the 3D printing world. Talk ...
Jun 22, 2021•51 min•Ep. 53
If you’re in manufacturing, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Aaron Prather pop up on LinkedIn. The company he works for is a household name as well. Not only is Aaron a Senior Technical Advisor at FedEx, but he's also an evangelist for automation and workforce development. Whether you’ve come across his robotics videos on social media, or this is your first time hearing about him, you’ll get to hear his whole story this week on Manufacturing Happy Hour. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Ho...
Jun 15, 2021•54 min•Ep. 52
One of the best things about a career in manufacturing is that there’s so much variety! One person who can attest to that is Sheena Patterson, who joins us in this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour. Sheena has been zooming through an incredible career in manufacturing that's taken her from the Midwest to Silicon Valley and back in less than a decade. Having led as an engineer with companies like Ford, Tesla, and Zoox, she's now the Vice President of Operations at Path Robotics , a company that...
Jun 08, 2021•43 min•Ep. 51
Is the world of automation and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) something to fear or celebrate? People worry about robots taking jobs, but according to this Manufacturing Happy Hour guest, robots are here to save the day. Jeff Christensen, VP of Product at Seegrid, joins this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour to talk about his work with AMR, automation, and problem-solving technology in the manufacturing space. He challenges the idea that automation and robots are something to be worried about ...
Jun 01, 2021•45 min•Ep. 50
What does a future-ready manufacturer look like? What trends and practices are here to stay post-pandemic? These are just a couple of the questions that Salesforce set out to answer in their recent Trends in Manufacturing report. After talking to over 750 industry leaders across the manufacturing world to get their take on the future of manufacturing, we had to take the opportunity to learn more about this through an interview with Salesforce’s Director of Manufacturing, Automotive, and Energy, ...
May 25, 2021•43 min•Ep. 49
We're diving back in the archives for this one. We're taking segments from 3 of our past interviews to bring you 3 of the best pieces of leadership advice that had ever come up on Manufacturing Happy Hour. From strategies for shaping culture to taking on unconscious bias in the workplace, this episode is for everyone that considers themselves a manufacturing leader.
May 11, 2021•32 min
We're bringing back RōBEX President Craig Francisco one last time as we take on a smorgasbord of topics impacting manufacturing leaders of all specializations. From sales to productivity, Craig shares some of his best lessons that you can find on his legacy podcast The 8 Keys of Sales Excellence in addition to what you can expect from his current show The Automation Solutions Podcast . It's a quick one, but this episode is jam packed with advice that will no doubt fuel your mindset....
Apr 27, 2021•23 min
This week we're talking all things LinkedIn! It's been awhile since we've done a solo episode of the show for you. In this episode, Chris walks through 4 of his top tips for manufacturers that are on LinkedIn (and we're not just talking about the sales team). From building your personal brand to creating content that prioritizes timeliness over perfection, this episode will help you take your LinkedIn game to another level regardless of your role or title.
Apr 20, 2021•20 min
Patrick O'Rahilly is the Founder of FactoryFix, a Chicago and Madison-based technology company connecting manufacturers with a network of vetted, skilled professionals through their innovative matchmaking platform. Said another way, Patrick and FactoryFix are taking on the hiring challenges of the manufacturing sector head-on! This episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour was recorded live during a fireside chat from one of our recent virtual happy hours. We cover common hiring mistakes, Patrick's th...
Apr 13, 2021•47 min•Ep. 48
Zach Arnold is the President of Arnold Machine Inc. (AMI), a premier full-service engineering and equipment manufacturing business that he’s been running for almost three decades. After starting the company in a garage in 1994, AMI now operates out of a 50,000 square-foot facility in Tiffin, Ohio, where they make innovative automated equipment for applications in automotive, appliance, heavy industry, and beyond. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we sat down with Zach to discuss where...
Apr 06, 2021•38 min•Ep. 47
Andrew Crowe might just be the most important person in manufacturing right now. He's a teacher, brand energizer, and a strong proponent for diversity in manufacturing, but that’s just scratching the surface. After discovering the promise and potential of manufacturing after college, he created the Elevate Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies. Elevate is a program that brings together companies, educators, and the next generation of aspiring youth to fill critical manufacturing jobs ...
Mar 30, 2021•55 min•Ep. 46
Craig Francisco is back on the podcast! And this time, he’s here to get technical… Craig Francisco is the President at R ō BEX, a new automation company that works with food, glass, and tissue industries. He’s previously spoken with us about digital marketing, but now it’s time to dive deep into the world of automation and robots. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, Craig shares the top 3 automation trends he and his team at RōBEX are most excited about in 2021. From autonomous mobile r...
Mar 23, 2021•32 min•Ep. 45
Nick Fallucca is passionate about pizza and people. He's the Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Palermo's Pizza, a company that's been an Italian frozen food staple in the Midwest and beyond for over 50 years. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we sit down with Nick to talk about all things pizza and what goes on behind-the-scenes in food manufacturing. He takes us through the challenges of packaging, experimenting with new ideas, and competing for shelf space. Nick also shares wh...
Mar 16, 2021•48 min•Ep. 44
If you’re familiar with the term “digital twin” in manufacturing, maybe it’s time to start thinking of blogs, videos, and social media content as the digital twin of your sales force. Greg Mischio is the Owner & Founder of Winbound, a marketing agency that provides content marketing for small marketing departments with a focus on manufacturing and industrial verticals. He also knows a thing or two about good beer in Madison, WI (which is definitely a plus). In this episode of Manufacturing H...
Mar 09, 2021•40 min•Ep. 43
Gavin Collier is an attorney turned serial entrepreneur. After cutting his teeth as an attorney and cofounding multiple companies, he's now focused on his latest venture as the CEO of Dynamic Blending, a global cosmetic manufacturing company. Dynamic Blending was just ranked #17 on Inc. 5000's list of fastest-growing private companies in 2020. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we discuss Gavin’s varied career journey from law to contract manufacturing. We look at the reasons behind Dy...
Mar 02, 2021•37 min•Ep. 42
Jake Hall is a believer that the future of manufacturing is in the hands of millennials. By day he’s a Business Development Manager at Feyen Zylstra , but most people know him as “The Manufacturing Millennial.” Through conversations and online manufacturing videos that he releases on a constant basis, he's doing his part to highlight the excitement behind automation and high-tech manufacturing. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we talk to Jake about how he built such a strong personal...
Feb 23, 2021•51 min•Ep. 41
Craig Francisco is a modern sales & marketing guru in manufacturing and beyond. In his 25 year career, he's served as an operations leader, a podcast host, a sales consultant, and now he’s the President at R ō BEX . This brand-new automation company is taking the world by storm with an incredible team and deep expertise in the food, glass, and tissue industries, just to name a few. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we discuss Craig’s varied career, some tips he’s picked up over th...
Feb 16, 2021•35 min•Ep. 40
Karen Kerr has a long track record in Venture Capital and manufacturing. For over 2 decades, she has been developing technology-based businesses, serving as Executive Managing Director at GE Ventures, as well as the Senior Director of New Ventures and Alliances at USC's Stevens Center for Innovation (just to name a few). Today, she's the Managing Director at Exposition Ventures in Chicago, IL. In this episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we discuss Karen’s exciting career in venture capital, how...
Feb 09, 2021•49 min•Ep. 39
Chris Grainger has had a long, illustrious career in electrical distribution, currently serving as the Engineering & Services Manager for the Electrical Equipment Company, better known as EECO . Now, he’s also the host of the podcast EECO Asks Why , a show that focuses on the heroes and ideas impacting the industrial world. In this episode, we talk about the origin story of how Chris’s career in electrical distribution got started, how he launched his amazing podcast, and how he secured buy-...
Feb 02, 2021•37 min•Ep. 38
Greg Paulsen is the Director of Application Engineering at Xometry, offering industry-leading manufacturing and 3D printing on demand. While we can’t help but highlight Greg’s experience as a wine educator back in his college days, today, he leads the Application Engineering team at Xometry as an advanced manufacturing expert and 3D printing evangelist. In this episode, we talk about the inner workings of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. Greg is so passionate about his role in the 3D prin...
Jan 26, 2021•48 min•Ep. 37
We’re back with another cybersecurity edition of the podcast, only this time, we’re focused on ransomware. Today we’re joined by Ofer Shaked, Co-Founder and CTO of SCADAfence, an Israel-based security company with the most comprehensive OT and IoT cybersecurity platform for critical infrastructure and enterprises. He’ll be sharing the details of a targeted ransomware attack he and his team recently helped resolve. In this episode, we’ll cover why targeted cyberattacks are becoming more common, w...
Jan 19, 2021•49 min•Ep. 36
Kristin Russum is a Director of Human Capital Services at TriNet . Having spent almost 2 decades as an HR leader across a number of companies, at TriNet, she’s now helping small and medium size businesses implement full-service HR solutions tailored by industry. In this episode, Kristin takes us through her journey in the HR world and shares some of her best tips HR tips that every manufacturing leader should keep in mind. From succession planning to creating workplaces that are diverse, equitab...
Jan 12, 2021•42 min•Ep. 35
Kristina Harrington is an eCommerce expert with no shortage of experience when it comes to easing the process of doing business with manufacturers. Having moved up the ranks with large equipment companies like Bucyrus and Caterpillar, she is now the President and COO of GenAlpha, a B2B eCommerce software business for equipment manufacturers. In this episode, we hear about Kris’ career journey and how her work experiences took her from Wisconsin to Latin America and back to cofounding GenAlpha. S...
Jan 05, 2021•52 min•Ep. 34
Paul Van Metre is a machine shop owner-turned-entrepreneur. After starting Pro CNC in Bellingham, WA in 1997, he recently went on to co-found ProShop, a cloud-based ERP software system that combines elements of an MES (a manufacturing execution system) with a QMS (a quality management system) into a single platform. In this episode, Paul shares his story about starting a company right out of college some Formula SAE buddies and how the challenges they faced as machine shop owners inspired them t...
Dec 29, 2020•35 min•Ep. 33
