The Manufacturing Executive

Josh Tarbutton, a PhD engineer and founder of Bravo Team, dives into the importance of giving engineers creative freedom to solve problems. He shares insights from his military background on trust and teamwork that accelerate innovation on the factory floor. With a compelling restaurant analogy, he highlights the communication gaps between engineering and sales teams. Tarbutton emphasizes that investing in R&D and fostering a culture of agency can lead to groundbreaking developments, showcasing how freedom inspired innovations like Gmail can transform companies.

Terry Szmagala, a seasoned legal and government affairs expert from TGS Advisory, offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between manufacturers and government. He emphasizes the importance of viewing government as a key stakeholder, discussing its role as a regulator, funder, and customer. Terry shares actionable insights on leveraging regulations to create product advantages and the need to prioritize government funding discovery. He also encourages manufacturers to engage with policymakers, highlighting their influence and the benefits of embedding government engagement into their processes.

COO of Frontline.io, Gilad Tzori, has spent years inside of manufacturing organizations, witnessing firsthand how complexity, workforce shifts and rapid technological change have upended traditional service and training models. In today’s conversation, he’ll explain why step-by-step PDFs and classroom lectures are no longer sufficient, and what a new era of immersive training looks like for the manufacturing sector. He'll also share real-world examples of virtual and extended reality tools in action and discuss how AI and digital twins can transform the way teams learn, collaborate and solve problems on the shop floor.

In this engaging discussion, Rush LaSelle, CEO of Fathom Digital Manufacturing, shares his extensive experience in advanced manufacturing and digital transformation. He reveals why human-centered thinking is essential amid workforce shifts and automation. Rush explains digital enablement, the challenges of labor shortages, and how adaptable humanoid robots may fit into factory settings. He also emphasizes the need to make manufacturing attractive to the younger generation, showcasing it as a high-tech and exciting field. Essential insights for any industry leader!

The workforce crisis in US manufacturing isn’t just a challenge – it’s a national security risk. This is particularly true in casting and forging, where today's guest Mike Kubacki has spent two decades. In our conversation, he explores the urgent need to rebuild America’s industrial base, the reality behind modern manufacturing environments and how innovative programs are connecting hands-on learning with next-generation careers. We’ll learn why engaging students early, supporting employee growth and linking frontline work to real-world impact are key to the future of US manufacturing.

Any business owner, CEO or President wants to feel confident that the dollars they spend will produce a positive return. But sometimes focusing on ROI too soon forces you to abandon your long-term business strategy in favor of short-term wins. In this conversation, we'll look at how to measure marketing impact in two different business scenarios: 1) for a manufacturer that needs a short-term sales lift 2) for a manufacturer that's trying to build a sustainable plan for growth. We'll not only explain about how to choose the right KPIs in each scenario, but also, how to know whether you've been successful at achieving them.

Friddy Hoegener, Co-founder and President of Scope Recruiting, specializes in sourcing supply chain talent. He discusses the role of AI in recruiting, emphasizing its benefits for note-taking and sourcing, while cautioning against its use in interviews where human judgment is vital. Friddy highlights common hiring pitfalls and introduces the concept of candidate scorecards to ensure alignment and effective evaluations. He underscores the complexities of culture fit and the importance of personal touch in the recruiting process.

How do you take a boring product in a declining industry and build a powerhouse business around it, all while refusing outside funding? In this conversation, Chairman and CEO of TerraSlate, Kyle Ewing talks through the gritty and sometimes unconventional principles behind his business model – from demanding prepayments, to mastering cold calls, to holding cash reserves. The result? A playbook for profitability and growth when everyone else says it can’t be done.

Relocating manufacturing operations from Asia to Mexico isn’t just about a change in location. It’s a bold strategy shift for manufacturers seeking greater control and speed. In this conversation, CEO of Tinker Tin, Matt Hannula, will explore everything from cultural differences to quality control to legal hurdles. And he'll share actionable insights for any manufacturing leaders considering the move.

Imagine assembling a complex product with only scattered notes and fading tribal knowledge to guide you. In this conversation, we're talking about manufacturing work instructions. Despite their importance in passing expertise from veterans to new hires, most work instructions are outdated, manual, and hard to keep current – often putting entire production lines at risk. My guest, Founder and President of Dirac, Fil Aronshtein, will explain why modernizing work instructions matters, and how new tools are helping manufacturers improve how they build.