OLYMPIA, Wash. — A regional conference aimed at helping Northwest manufacturers succeed in the 21st century is scheduled May 19-20 at the Oregon Conference Center in Portland, Ore.
“Manufacturing Leaders Conference: A Blueprint for the Next Millennium” will help CEOs, plant managers and other leaders of the manufacturing industry in the Pacific Northwest look at new ways to achieve “sustainable excellence” into the 21st century.
“One of the aims of the conference is to introduce the tools to help Northwest industries use resources more effectively,” said Mike McSorley, an energy specialist with the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy Program. “Greater efficiency will help our industries meet their goals of increased productivity, profitability and sustainability.”
The WSU Extension Energy Program is helping coordinate the conference.
Presentations on May 19 include:
- “Streamline Your Manufacturing Process,” led by Saijid Parvez, Warn Industries, 8:45 a.m.
- “Using Constraint Management Tools to Target Breakthroughs in Your Productivity,” Bill Dettmer, Goal Systems International, 9:15 a.m.
- “Employee Innovations: Programs to Maximize the Efficiency of Your Most Powerful Resource,” Craig Morgan, The Gray Matter Advantage, 9:45 a.m.
- “Product Stewardship: A Different Perspective on Environmental Management,” Marjorie Martz-Emerson, Hewlett Packard, 10:15 a.m.
- “Ecological Re-Engineering and The Natural Step,” Gil Friend, 10:45 a.m.
- “Leveraging Your Resources,” Sandy Glatt, Department of Energy, 11:15 a.m.
- “Facing the Future: Where Can You Go from Here?” Denise Swink, U.S. Department of Energy, 2:45 p.m.
The May 19 agenda also includes a keynote speech at noon by futurist Glen Hiemstra, “Beyond 2001: Thinking in the Future Tense.”
A panel discussion at 1:15 p.m., called “Powerful Ideas, Innovative Practices,” will look at key opportunities and threats to Northwest industry, and address the role of energy efficiency in modern business practices. It will be moderated by John Grund of the Oregon Business Journal. Panelists include Friend, Dettmer, Parvez, Tom Davis of Selzer Pump, and Craig Morgan of PeopleSoft.
The May 20 session at the Oregon Convention Center will have four presentations:
- “Financial and Technical Resources You Can Use,” Marsha Quinn, Department of Energy, 9 a.m.
- “Managing Technology Solutions to Commercialization,” Marcia Rorke, Mohawk Research, 10 a.m.
- “Turning Energy Efficiency and Environmental Responsibility into a Corporate Asset,” Paul Aldreti, Businesses for Social Responsibility, 11 a.m.
- “Using Regional Resources Available to Industry,” Greg Wheeler, Oregon State University, and Madeline Sten, Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention, 1 p.m.
The conference is being held in conjunction with the ninth annual Northwest Plant Engineering and Maintenance Show at the Oregon Convention Center. The trade show, also held May 19-20, will feature more than 400 booths.
The conference is being funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Industrial Technologies, and coordinated by Oregon State University, Washington State University, the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center, the Portland Energy Office, and the Far West Regional Resource Center for Innovation.
The May 19 session costs $95 per person. The May 20 session is free. Contact Energy Extension at 1-800-872-3568.
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