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Kirkwood Hosts Advanced Manufacturing Conference

By April 24, 2008January 21st, 2019No Comments

May 14 program highlights “Changing Faces/Facing Changes” theme

Kirkwood Community College will host the Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Conference on May 14. The one-day conference will focus on workforce skills, management challenges and global opportunities in the field of advanced manufacturing. The program will be held at Kirkwood’s new Center for Continuing Education, 76th Avenue and Kirkwood Blvd. SW in Cedar Rapids.

More than 250 members of the manufacturing community attended the 2006 conference, as well as representatives from K-12 schools, economic development organizations, community colleges and universities.

Keynote speaker for the conference is John Brandt, CEO of the MPI Group, Manufacturing Performance Institute. Brandt is the former editor-in-chief of Industry Week and Chief Executive magazines. Brandt’s speech topic is “Creating Value-the Competitive Advantage.” He will address how global developments and trends have wide-ranging impact on the Iowa and Midwest economies, particularly the manufacturing sector.

Other speakers and presenters include:

-Jim Brazell, a recognized leader in business and manufacturing. Brazell is a consulting analyst in the Texas State Technical College system and the University of Texas at Austin. He will address the ways 21st Century technologies are changing technical work and what we must do to better prepare a workforce for more change to come,

-Mike Tramontina, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Prior to accepting this post in 2007, Tramontina served as director of the Iowa Department of Management and executive director of the Iowa Finance Authority. Tramontina’s conference-opening comments will give a statewide focus to the challenges and opportunities in the advanced manufacturing sector.

-Andrea Frederickson, a noted human resources developer and workforce motivation consultant. Before becoming a senior coach and facilitator at the American Institute of Management, Fredrickson experienced the business world in a variety of industries from front-line to management. Andrea’s presentation will focus on generational culture in the workplace, and helping employees accept and welcome differences.

Rockwell Collins is a major supporter of the Advanced Manufacturing Conference. Rockwell Chairman, President and CEO Clay Jones calls manufacturing “too important to Iowa, too irreplaceable” to let slip away.

“If we are doing our job as leaders, we must think further into the future than the next quarter’s financial results and past the next semester’s curriculum. Where will the new ideas in manufacturing come from? Where will the new educational models come from? Where will talent come from?” Jones asked.

The one-day conference will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a networking exchange finale, 5 to 6 p.m. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. Morning conference breakout sessions will be followed by a luncheon speaker and afternoon forums. Exhibits will be featured at the conference.

Registration for the May 14 Iowa Advanced Manufacturing Conference is $125 until April 23 and $145 after that date. Lunch and all program materials are included. More information and registration is available by calling Kirkwood Continuing Education, (319) 398-1022, or (800) 332-8833. Information is also available via the Internet at: www.kirkwood.edu/amc