2017 Manufacturing Summit<\/a>hosted by the DVIRC, a regional economic development organization that supports the profitable growth of small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers (SMMs). Now in its sixth year, the Summit brings together members of the manufacturing ecosystem, including SMMs, large manufacturers, government agencies, technology companies, academics, makers, designers, and students for a day of innovation and education.<\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s easy for business leaders to get caught up in the daily whirlwind of the business. The Summit gives us a chance to recharge our batteries, learn best practices, cultivate new relationships, and celebrate the manufacturing community,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>said Barry Miller, President and CEO of DVIRC. While many conferences focus on specific elements of manufacturing, such as a specific industry or part of the supply chain, this is the only event that brings together all members of the manufacturing ecosystem, according to Miller.<\/p>\nThis year\u2019s theme,\u00a0Making It Together<\/em><\/strong>, focused on four areas\u2014leadership, talent, culture, and technology\u2014which were supported by a lineup of speakers, breakout sessions, exhibits, and demonstrations of cutting-edge technology such as autonomous drones, robotics, 3-D printing, and virtual reality.<\/p>\n\u201cThe manufacturing industry offers unprecedented opportunities, but it requires new approaches, new technologies, new talent, and new business models,\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Miller said.<\/p>\nThe event featured a keynote by Thomas Koulopoulos, President and Founder of Delphi Group, who addressed the role of leadership in navigating disruption.<\/p>\n
Thomas Koulopoulos<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cWe need to rethink the way we look at age and its implications on ourselves and our organizations,\u201d<\/strong><\/em>said Koulopoulos.\u00a0\u201cToday we are all using the same technologies to connect and communicate, and even a 10-year-old can wield the influence of millions of followers. As long as we perpetuate the notion of a generation\u00a0gap, we are driving wedges into our organizations rather than leveraging this rich and diverse set of skills and experiences,\u201d<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0he said.<\/p>\nBrian Beaulieu, CEO and Principal of ITR Economics, provided economic insights to help manufacturing leaders make strategic business decisions. He addressed what he called\u00a0the<\/u>\u00a0management challenge for 2018\u2014ensuring that managers have enough talent, working capital, and equipment to handle growth opportunities.\u201cIf you don\u2019t have enough, and you don\u2019t have the right systems in place, this will be a period of profitless prosperity,\u201d Beaulieu said. \u201cYour top line is going to grow, but your bottom line is going to lag behind.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n