DIFM26 – Breakout Sessions
Breakout Sessions
TRACK 1: Executive Leadership
Event time – 11:15am
Preparing your Organization for AI Agents
For business leaders wanting to leverage AI agents and understand the impact of AI on their industry. Leave with actionable steps to integrate AI into your business operations.
Andreas Welsch
Intelligence Briefing
Event time – 1:00pm
Leading by Example: Intent vs. Impact
Every day, whether we notice it or not, we are leading by example. Title or no title, people learn from us; how we act, how we communicate, and how we show up. In this session, we will dig into the habits you are teaching (the helpful ones and the not‑so‑helpful ones), uncover the messages you may be sending without realizing it, and how to lead in a way that creates the impact you truly intend.
Lisa Pustelak
Culture Development Manager, NWIRC
Event time – 2:00pm
The Identity Ceiling: The Leadership Shift That Changes Everything
Every leader has a ceiling. Not a skill ceiling, but an identity ceiling. It is the quiet limit created by the beliefs, habits, and assumptions that shape how we lead every day. In this session, we will step back from strategy and operations to examine the one variable that drives them all: you. Through honest reflection and practical discussion, you will see how your leadership patterns influence your culture, your team, and your results. This is a peer level conversation about growth, blind spots, and the daily habits that either expand or restrict your impact. You will leave with clear insight and practical leadership habits you can apply immediately.
Matt Bresee
ActionCOACH
TRACK 2: Cultivating Talent
Event time – 11:15am
Driving Impact from the Inside Out:Creating a Culture Where People and Performance Thrive
In today’s manufacturing environment, leadership culture is no longer a “soft skill”—it is a critical driver of performance, retention, and innovation.
Selina Uglow
The Way to Healthy Living
Event time – 1:00pm
Cultivating Talent – Putting the Right People in the Right Seats and Keeping Them There
We will discuss what companies are doing to find, develop, and keep their human talent in an incredibly challenging marketplace.
Steven Seymour
Author and Director of Human Resources
Event time – 2:00pm
Culture as a Retention Tool
Retention is no longer just an HR challenge—it’s a culture challenge. This breakout explores how leadership behavior, trust, communication, recognition, and growth opportunities directly influence whether employees stay or leave. Participants will gain practical tools and insights they can use immediately to strengthen culture and improve retention.
Molly Reichard
Cultural Development Advisor
TRACK 3: Emerging Technologies
Event time – 11:15am
Upgrade Manufacturing: Capture Know-How, Document Better, Train Smarter
Modern manufacturing doesn’t require expensive platforms or flashy technology to move forward. This session focuses on how manufacturers can begin modernizing in practical, low-cost ways by capturing tribal knowledge, improving documentation, and creating repeatable, effective training. I will share real-world approaches to documenting what experiences operators know – what they listen for, look for, and think about during a process – and how simple, adoptable tools can turn that knowledge into usable training and data without overengineering solutions.
Brandon Kegley
Research Assistant, C&J Industries
Event time – 1:00pm
Shape the Next Generation of AI Ready Teams
Examine how AI agents accelerate analysis, automate complex tasks, and enhance decision-making across industries. Participants gain a structured view of AI’s evolving capabilities, the strategic implications for their organizations, and the foundational steps required to adopt AI responsibly. Based on Andreas Welsch’s latest book, The HUMAN Agentic AI Edge, this keynote is designed for leaders navigating digital transformation. It provides a grounded, forward-looking roadmap for harnessing AI agents to improve performance, enhance adaptability, and sustain a competitive advantage.
Andreas Welsch
Intelligence Briefing
Event time – 2:00pm
From Automation Hype to ROI: Making Smart Manufacturing Pay Off
Smart manufacturing investments don’t fail because of technology, they fail because of poor choices. This session shows how to cut through automation hype and make better investment decisions using proven evaluation methods. Learn how to balance impact versus complexity, calculate payback, weigh opportunity cost, and apply practical tools that help avoid costly automation missteps and drive measurable returns.
Shane Cantrell
Operational Excellence Specialist, NWIRC
TRACK 4: Operational Excellence
Event time – 11:15am
Understanding Gemba: Purpose, Behaviors, and Standard Practices
What is a Gemba Walk? A gemba walk is a Lean management practice where leaders go to the “real place” where work happens to observe process, identify waste, and find areas for improvement.
Chad Courtney
Operational Excellence Specialist II
Event time – 1:00pm
Leveraging Your Workforce for Higher Productivity
With hiring challenges and workforce shortages impacting organizations across industries, this session focuses on how to achieve more with the resources you already have. Attendees will learn practical strategies to unlock a 20–25% improvement in productivity by shifting focus from busy work to true productivity, improving system effectiveness, and better engaging employees.The session covers the foundations of operational excellence, building accountability and buy-in through the right KPIs and communication, and improving value-added flow across the supply chain. Participants will leave with actionable tools to better utilize their current workforce, increase engagement, and drive sustainable performance improvements.
Max Krug
Change Management Specialist, Future State Engineering
Event time – 2:00pm
From Shortages to Strength: Rebuilding the Manufacturing Workforce
Jeff Craig, CMRP
Senior Project Manager, Fuss&O’Neill Manufacturing Solutions
Tanya Perkins`
Business Development Manager, Fuss&O’Neill Manufacturing Solutions