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MANUFACTURING

Reimagining Toyota’s Customer Centered Supply Chain
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Reimagining Toyota’s Customer Centered Supply Chain

Manny Bansi is Vice President of Toyota Logistics Services (TLS). He is responsible for finished vehicle logistics for North American operations that includes managing Marshalling Yards and Ports Operations.

Manny started his career at NUMMI (Joint Venture Between Toyota & General Motors) back in 1992. He then went on to hold positions in various areas including Corporate Strategy, Production Planning, Human Resources, including two-year assignment at Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan.

Manny is also involved in many Business Partnering Groups (BPG) at Toyota Headquarters, such as Young Professionals, AAC, Spectrum, TODOS, TAASiA, and WIIT. He currently serves as Executive Advisor for TAAiSA BPG and believes in the growth of all of his team members through Toyota principles.

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Safety as a Competitive Advantage: How to Build Safety Into Your Culture and Drive Productivity
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Safety as a Competitive Advantage: How to Build Safety Into Your Culture and Drive Productivity

Peter Gibbons joined 3M in November 2021 as group president of Enterprise Supply Chain, which includes planning, procurement, internal and external manufacturing, logistics, quality, engineering, and business supply chain.

Prior to 3M, Peter served as chief executive officer of TireHub, a joint venture last mile distributor between Bridgestone and Goodyear. Possessing a wealth of experience in manufacturing and supply chain operations, Peter previously held senior-level executive positions at Mattel, Starbucks and ICI Paints. His growth mindset, inclusive leadership, and orientation toward developing talent and culture has helped him lead highly successful complex changes and significant transformation.

“I believe that building confidence and removing the fear of failure are key components of leadership,” says Peter. “People achieve great things when they are embraced and valued; when they are connected, not isolated; and when their intelligence and imagination are unleashed.”

Outside of work, Peter enjoys hiking, reading, and supporting the Glasgow Celtic soccer club and serves on the board of the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Physics from University of Edinburgh and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Strathclyde Business School in Glasgow, Scotland.

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Our Experience and Insights on Bringing AI into Our Enterprise
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Our Experience and Insights on Bringing AI into Our Enterprise

Mike has more than 18 years of GM and Product experience across B2B and B2C. His focus is on providing the 1P products, engineering, and SaaS services that make Starbucks partners’ lives easier so they can deliver the best in-store experience. Prior to joining Starbucks, Mike is

proud to have launched the Microsoft Supply Chain Platform in 2022, a breakthrough product that tackles customer supply chain disruptions and recently the Microsoft Copilot Studio. He also supports early-stage tech startups focused on ecommerce or demand/supply, and serve as an Advisory Board Member at FIND AI and FirstShift.AI.

He has an MBA, a Lean Six Sigma BOK, and two US Patents.

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Panel: Shopfloor Safety Advancements/Avoidances – A Strategic Report Reviewing Plant Level Operations
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Panel: Shopfloor Safety Advancements/Avoidances – A Strategic Report Reviewing Plant Level Operations

Safety in manufacturing touches nearly every aspect of the business. Despite its costs, it must remain a priority. Join our panel of leading manufacturers to hear their report from the shopfloor and how they are developing and advancing their safety procedures and policies.

Achieving a single source of truth and increased visibility into everyday operations in order to:
Monitor real-time processes
Document procedure and policies
Use these aids in traceability and accountability
Provide actionable reporting and analytics

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Panel: New Technology on the Shop Floor, How to Onboard and Maintain: Driving Efficiency, Training and Long-Term Success in Manufacturing
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Panel: New Technology on the Shop Floor, How to Onboard and Maintain: Driving Efficiency, Training and Long-Term Success in Manufacturing

Empowering Employee Engagement: Effective engagement is more than just morale; it’s about creating an environment where employees take ownership of their roles. We’ll discuss strategies for fostering open communication, recognizing contributions, and aligning individual goals with organizational success. Key challenges like overcoming resistance to change and bridging generational workforce gaps will be addressed.
Securing Buy-In for Digital Tools: Implementing new technologies often meets resistance on the shop floor. This session will explore how to present digital tools as enablers, not threats, by involving employees early, addressing fears of job displacement, and emphasizing practical benefits like improved safety, efficiency, and productivity. Training programs and peer advocacy will also be covered to ensure seamless adoption.
Building Skills for Tomorrow: Upskilling is critical to prepare your workforce for industry 4.0 and beyond. We’ll identify the technical and soft skills most in demand for 2025, strategies for integrating ongoing learning into daily operations, and how to overcome the challenge of knowledge gaps in a fast-evolving landscape.
Driving Continuous Improvement: In an era of fluctuating customer demands and supply chain complexities, continuous improvement remains a cornerstone. The discussion will focus on integrating real-time data analytics, fostering a culture of problem-solving, and balancing agility with consistency to optimize performance across the production line.

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Securing Manufacturing’s Transition to the Cloud: Key Cybersecurity Strategies for Executives
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Securing Manufacturing’s Transition to the Cloud: Key Cybersecurity Strategies for Executives

Vinod D’Souza leads the Manufacturing and Industry vertical for Google Cloud’s Office of the CISO. In this role, he partners with organizations to help them adopt Google Cloud and Workspace, supporting their overall security transformation. With over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and technology, Vinod has a proven track record of working with organizations in a variety of industries, leading customer-focused security and transformation engagements. Vinod holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics from Manipal Institute of Technology, Mangalore University, India.

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Making Long-Term Capacity Decisions with Confidence at Bristol-Myers Squibb
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Making Long-Term Capacity Decisions with Confidence at Bristol-Myers Squibb

Lynn leads global teams as VP, Global Biologics Supply Chain at Bristol Myers Squibb since Dec 2022. In this capacity she is leading a transformation to deliver a highly synchronized, transparent, and predictable end-to-end Global Supply Chain. Her role is focused on balancing agility and efficiency while investing in capabilities to enable accelerated delivery of pipeline assets through our supply network.

Lynn joined BMS from Merck, where she had 20 years of global experience across manufacturing, supply chain, strategy, engineering and policy, across developed and developing markets. During her tenure she has worked across small molecule OSD, biologics and vaccines modalities. She has lived overseas in Asia for over eight years on assignment in Taiwan and Singapore. Lynn’s most recent role was Large Molecule Value Chain leader responsible for Established and Global Health Security Vaccine value chains (including pediatric, Ebola and COVID response). In this role she partnered with commercial, research and manufacturing colleagues to manage long-term sustainable supply strategy for these vaccines.

In the community she currently serves as a board member for alma mater- Cornell Engineering (CEAA) and most recently the US-Taiwan Business Council. She is active with ASCEND (Pan Asian Leaders). Mother of three active daughters and avid sports enthusiast, she has coached youth sports for many years attracted to the parallels of leadership through lessons learned on and off the field.

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Driving Competitiveness by Leveraging Autonomous Business Concepts
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Driving Competitiveness by Leveraging Autonomous Business Concepts

Heather Bishop is the Global Director for Manufacturing at John Deere Power Systems, where she oversees strategic manufacturing and quality for the division responsible for engines, drivetrain, remanufacturing and batteries across more than nine operations in five countries. With over 30 years of experience in manufacturing and supply chain, including 25 years at John Deere, Heather is a passionate leader with expertise in global multi-unit operations and supply chain organizations, focused on developing talent and teams.

Heather has a proven track record of driving transformation through the integration of lean manufacturing principles, innovative technology in a manufacturing environment, and a strong organizational culture that focuses on engaging people and unleashing their talent.

Heather’s dedication to excellence extends to her personal life, where she cherishes time with her husband, 17-year-old son, and 16-year-old daughter. Heather also enjoys traveling and participating in adventures during her trips, listening to hundreds of books a year, planting and gardening, volunteering, and cooking.

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Engaging with Manufacturing Data / The Road to AI Transformation
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Engaging with Manufacturing Data / The Road to AI Transformation

Tom is a seasoned business professional with over 25 years of experience helping manufacturers leverage technology to drive business transformation and performance improvement. Since starting with IBM in the mid-’90s, he has specialized in developing and executing technology strategies that align with corporate objectives, enhance operational efficiency, and fuel growth.

Passionate about innovation, Tom helps manufacturers navigate the rapidly evolving technology landscape, enabling them to improve productivity, increase profitability, and expand market share. His expertise lies in delivering high-value outcomes through digital solutions tailored to the unique needs of the manufacturing industry.

When he’s not advocating for technology-driven transformation, Tom enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and two boys. Whether fly-fishing, camping, or birding, he values the balance and inspiration that nature provides.

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Evolutionary Progress in a World of Revolution: Moving Forward Within the Chaos
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Evolutionary Progress in a World of Revolution: Moving Forward Within the Chaos

Jeff Pehler is a partner in West Monroe’s Consumer and Industrial Products practice. He is known for his relentless pursuit of improvement, consistently driving measurable value for his clients. Recently, Jeff developed a product launch strategy that generated over $20 million in annual sales growth for a consumer services company. Additionally, he redesigned back-office operations, boosting EBITDA by more than 4% for an industrial products distributor. His expertise encompasses growth strategy, pricing, process optimization, and M&A strategy.

Kylea Robb is a Senior Manager with West Monroe in the Consumer & Industrial Products practice and is part of the Dallas office. She is a results-driven, relationship-oriented project leader experienced in developing and delivering more efficient processes and productivity enhancements with a technology layer. Her expertise includes enterprise digital strategy value creation, in depth manufacturing diagnostics, ERP and business applications strategy development, supply chain strategy and implementation, and overall process improvement.​

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The Top 4 Challenges for Executives in 2025
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The Top 4 Challenges for Executives in 2025

Shawn Smith has been with Milliken & Company in roles of increasing seniority and responsibility in production, supply chain, business development, and business improvement for twenty years. He is a graduate of West Virginia University with a degree in Industrial Engineering.

Performance Solutions by Milliken (PSbyM) brings a unique, Practitioner-based value proposition to its clients and has built an enviable record of helping companies achieve substantial and sustainable improvements in their operations and safety excellence efforts. This approach, built on the foundation of lessons learned while Milliken & Company created and implemented its own world-class performance system, helps client organizations engage and empower their associates by establishing a culture of continuous improvement and drive breakthrough operations impact. PSbyM currently serves companies in more than 100 operating locations in 28 countries across a wide range of industry sectors.

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Moments That Matter: How to Create the Right Ecosystem for a Thriving Manufacturing Workforce and Provide a Frictionless Employee Experience
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Moments That Matter: How to Create the Right Ecosystem for a Thriving Manufacturing Workforce and Provide a Frictionless Employee Experience

Adam Cooper

Partner, Digital Manufacturing Capability Leader

Ernst & Young LLP

Adam is EY’s Digital Manufacturing Capability leader within the Americas where he is responsible for asset development, resourcing and team stewardship, go-to-market strategy, alliance partnerships and revenue growth. He has deep experience applying digital and operations technology to enable connected industrial workers, manufacturing analytics, production optimization and intelligent asset management, from strategy to proof-of-concept to scale. Adam has 25+years of professional services / consulting experience working across strategy, sustainability, supply chain, and operations.

Amy Rardin

Global Senior Director, SC Digitization & External Partnerships

Procter and Gamble

Amy is a results-oriented leader with over 25 years of experience in supply chain management at a world-class consumer goods company. Amy excels in driving exceptional Product Supply results and inspiring organizations to embrace change. She prioritizes work using data insights, enabling teams to execute business strategies effectively. Her strengths include relationship building, persuasive selling, and innovation management. Amy holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from The University of Texas at Austin and leads the Texas Channel P&G Recruiting Team. Outside of work, she enjoys home improvement, golfing, and traveling. Amy lives in Cincinnati, OH, with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

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Overcome Uncertain Times: AI Enabled Transformation to Drive Business and Workforce Success
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Overcome Uncertain Times: AI Enabled Transformation to Drive Business and Workforce Success

Chris Dobbrow is a passionate advocate for lifelong learning and innovation, dedicated to partnering with industry leaders in digital manufacturing to drive transformative growth. With over 25 years of experience in technology and media, he has spent the past decade focused on AI-driven Industrial IoT, including more than five years at Augury. Chris has a proven track record of growing top-line revenue and EBITDA, leading full P&L operations exceeding $200 million. His expertise spans strategic enterprise sales, high-performing team development, and organizational transformation. He excels in forging strategic partnerships and executing forward-thinking strategies that drive sustainable success.

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Strategies to Enhance the Smart Factory Ecosystem
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Strategies to Enhance the Smart Factory Ecosystem

Lee has 25+ years of experience across manufacturing (Boeing/Corning), software technology (GE VERNOVA), and consulting (EY) that enables him to craft digital strategies that optimize manufacturing operations. A trusted advisor for manufacturing transformation, Lee works with clients to develop strategic roadmaps, navigate technology selection, and ensure financial viability for their smart factory initiatives.

GE Vernova, Proficy® Software & Services – Proficy® software empowers teams, illuminating the path to a greener, more profitable future. GE Vernova’s industrial software accelerates innovation, enables connected workers, and operationalizes Sustainability to drive measurable progress for over 20,000 diverse customers with cloud-based and on-premise HMI/SCADA, MES, historian, and analytics.

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Beyond the Single Site: How Novolex Optimized Manufacturing Resiliency & Costs at Scale
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Beyond the Single Site: How Novolex Optimized Manufacturing Resiliency & Costs at Scale

Through partnership with Redaptive, Novolex has utilized EaaS to reduce costs, improve resiliency, and create consistent maintenance costs in facilities across their entire portfolio rather than looking at individual sites.

Redaptive is an Energy-as-a-Service provider that funds and installs energy-saving and energy-generating equipment. Redaptive’s programs help many of the world’s most sophisticated organizations reduce energy waste, save money, lower their carbon emissions, and meet their sustainability goals across their entire real estate portfolios. With Redaptive, customers can overcome capital and contractual barriers to achieve energy-saving benefits quickly, all with real-time data powered by Redaptive?s proprietary Data Solutions metering platform. Redaptive was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Denver, CO.

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The Speaker Roundtable from NAMES24 —A Conversation About Manufacturing Issues and Ideas
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The Speaker Roundtable from NAMES24 —A Conversation About Manufacturing Issues and Ideas

For this special episode of Executive Platforms’ bluEPrint Podcast series we had some of the top speakers from the 2024 edition of the North American Manufacturing Excellence Summit series sit down and speak to the challenges and opportunities submitted by attendees of the event as they filled out their delegate profiles, weighted by popularity.

With topics ranging from workforce development, training, and optimization, through to Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement, to Digital Transformation, Change Management, automation, AI, controlling costs, and much more, this wide-ranging conversation will see five senior executives speaking to the issues, ideas, innovations, and inspirations that matter to all of them as prompted by their peers. It is a fantastic deep dive into what is most relevant to manufacturing executives today. Give it a listen!

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