Women and Manufacturing
EPISODES
Ellen Pietrowitz-Phillips is the President LEM Plastics and Supply, A woman-owned fabricator and distributor of raw material plastics, sheet, rod, tubing, and film. Their build-to-print fabrication services the aeronautical division, space division, medical products, radio engineering, and more, providing components for everything from the International Space Station to the production line at Budweiser. On today’s …
On today’s episode of the Women And Manufacturing podcast, host Lydia Di Liello welcomes Helen Mitchell, Senior Director of Conferences and Events with The Professional Pricing Society in Atlanta, Georgia. Hellen and Lydia discuss how The Professional Pricing Society’s conferences and online courses offer tremendous value through actionable insights, new skillsets, and networking opportunities for new and …
Today’s guest on the Women And Manufacturing podcast is Ashleigh Walters, President of Onex Inc. and author of Leading with Grit and Grace: A Journey of Organizational Culture Change. Ashleigh and WAM host Fran Brunelle discuss her experiences in managing a manufacturing company. Along the way Ashleigh shares some extremely valuable insight on lean principles, her culture of continuous improvement, and “The Wildly …
On this episode of Women And Manufacturing host Lydia Di Liello welcomes Ivana Bertuzzelli, Vice President of Portfolio Analytics at Intech Investment Management. Ivana invites us all to “sit back and enjoy the show” as she explains the complex world of investment management. As Ivana explains, we invest with the hope that we are going to make money by …
On this episode of the WAM Podcast, we welcome Whitney Koch, Marketing Communications Specialist with Welker inc., in Sugarland, Texas. Whitney shares with us how she transitioned from a high school teacher to writing technical copy and finally managing the digital marketing efforts for a 3rd generation manufacturing company. Whitney explains how small to medium-sized …
For our first episode of the year, Women And Manufacturing is proud to welcome Wendy Feldstein to the podcast. Wendy works for Crestron Electronics, a global leader in audio-visual automation and integration. In this episode, Wendy takes us through the incredible parallel origin stories of Crestron, her father’s company, and her journey to her current …
Elysabeth Alfano is CEO of VegTech Invest, a fund that invests in alternative proteins and the food revolution. VegTech is the creator and advisor to the world’s only plant-based innovation ETF. Elysabeth is a plant-based expert who speaks worldwide about the need for change in the global food supply system including speaking recently at the …
On this episode of the WAM podcast, our host Lydia Di Liello is joined by Pamela Tropiano, RN, BSN, MPA, CCM who is the Vice President of Healthcare Services at Molina Healthcare of Ohio. Pamela brings with her a deep understanding of the challenges facing complex and underserved populations including Medicaid and Medicare both from the direct …
How do you bridge the disconnect between manufacturing companies and their potential marketing success? Emily Wilkins, Founder and CEO of Marketing Metal, explains why her company is successful, while other marketing agencies struggle to meet manufacturing companies in the middle. From hesitancy when handing over marketing to inexperience in laying out goals and misunderstanding why …
Bed and Breakfasts offer an attractive alternative to bland hotels when traveling for business. Host Lydia Di Liello welcomes sister-in-law Laura Di Liello to the show today to discuss the ins and outs of running an inn and how staying at an inn can help you return home less stressed. Laura started her career as …
Guidewheel is a global software company on a mission to empower all the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance and their CEO Lauren Dunford is on a mission to show everyone how Guidewheel is making this a reality. Lauren sits down with WAM Host Frances Brunelle to share how even the oldest manufacturing equipment …
Isn’t pricing just setting and defining the value of a product? Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Antonella Sinito, the pricing operations manager at 3M, is here to explain why this approach is incorrect, and why pricing is actually all about improving customer experiences and simplifying processes. Tasked with creating data processes for 18 Latin …
Kara Branch is an engineer who has always been the only Black woman on all the teams she’s ever worked on and has experienced many challenges as a result. When one of her daughters decided she also wanted to pursue a career in engineering, Kara decided she wanted better for the next generation and so …
#178 (Re-air) The Role of Social Media in Manufacturing with Frances Brunelle and Charli K. Matthews
Have you considered the role that social media has to play in manufacturing? Many experienced members of the manufacturing community maintain that social media is not necessary for their businesses. After all, manufacturers are B2B companies that sell to other manufacturers. This kind of thinking, however, ignores the much larger role that social media has …
Culture eats strategy for breakfast. This is a quote from legendary management consultant, Peter Drucker, that implies that it’s the culture of your company that determines your success, regardless of how effective your strategy is. Today, Lydia Di Liello speaks with Jessica Navascues, a purpose-driven C-suite executive and a devout servant leader who uses this …
Manufacturing can be so many different things. Everything you use in your day-to-day life is essentially manufactured. Are you wondering daily how your favorite things are being made? Or wondering where they come from? Why are we not talking more, especially to young women, about the possibility of careers in manufacturing? Our guest on the …
As companies grow from national to international, private to public, so does their tendency to apply increased layers of bureaucracy and rigid hierarchical structures, often accompanied by a death knell for innovation. In this episode Frances Brunelle, The President of Accelerated Manufacturing Brokers inc. speaks with Sheryl Corrigan, the Director of Environmental Health and Safety …
Two years into the pandemic, the way that nearly all workers think about the social contract they have with their employers has changed in profound ways. For the hourly wage earners who power the economy, the desire for a flexible schedule, preferred shifts, and competitive pay rates is now more important than ever. In today’s …
Today’s guest believes that if you love the workers and workplace before the work, everything else falls into place. Robin Ritz is the creative visionary and the owner of InCord, North America’s largest custom netting fabricator, providing the best in custom netting products to customers worldwide since 1995. From the start, Robin has had a …
Host Lydia Di Liello is joined by the dynamic professional powerhouse and former Senior Director of Nike, Sarah Walton! During her 15-year career in Corporate America, Sarah worked in 10+ functions, proving herself to be an asset to any team, which successfully landed her roles at some of the largest global brands, including Target. In …
Today’s guest is an IT project manager at Oro, a business that builds customer-driven, powerful, and connected open-source software for B2B digital transformation. She is also a woman and a Ukrainian refugee. In this episode, Kate Yanshyna joins us to discuss all that she’s been through and how the company culture at Oro has supported …
While manufacturers are increasingly engaged in at least some level of social media participation, many are not optimizing it to reach their fullest potential! Today, Fran Brunelle sits down with Lauren LaDell, a.k.a. The Spindle Chick, to talk about why social media matters for manufacturing companies. Lauren is the National Sales Manager at Motor City …
Manufacturing is an amazing career choice and people seem not to understand that they can have a wonderful life taking up a career in this industry. Our guest today is passionate about informing kids and their parents that just because you go into a trade and start working right out of high school, does not …
Over 95% of what goes on in our brains is beneath our conscious level of awareness. Someone who understands this well is today’s guest, Suzen Fiskin. Suzen is a professional speaker and a pioneer in the world of coaching. With an extensive education in neurolinguistic programming (the foundation of Tony Robbins’ work) and hypnotherapy training, …
Today’s guest has worked in both the front end and the back end of the manufacturing business and has gained valuable insights from both. Tammy Casteel is a plant manager for Iconex, the world’s leading provider of receipt and innovative label solutions. They create value for their customers by enhancing transaction recording, ensuring order accuracy, …
Too many women blame themselves for the scarcity of well-made, professional, plus size clothing, but today’s guest is on a mission to help women feel better about themselves (and help them look fabulous in the process)! In today’s episode, Rosemary Coates interviews Danielle Malconian, President and CEO of Plus by Design and the brand, Vikki …
Welcome to a brand new episode of Women And Manufacturing. Joining us in conversation today is Jean Angus, President & CEO of Saint-Gobain Life Sciences, a global organization that designs, produces, and distributes fluid management components and systems to industries like biopharma, medical, food and bev, personal care, and chemical. Hear all about her journey …
Today we gain insight into the topic of project, contract, and supplier management, and how they relate to small and medium-sized manufacturers. Joining us for this discussion is an expert in this field: Angela Thurman is the Principal Managing Director of Thurman Co, an organization that helps small to medium-sized companies with strategic technical project …
People often believe that supporting US manufacturers is a lot harder to do than it really is. To explain how this is easier than you think, today we are joined by Dianna Huff. Dianna is the founder and president of Huff Industrial Marketing. In this episode, she describes her long career in manufacturing and how …
Changing demographics are creating new roles and leadership opportunities for women in family businesses. However, there are numerous stereotypes, unconscious gender biases, and even family traditions that can present challenges for women stepping into these positions of leadership, particularly when taking the reins in a multicultural, multigenerational family business! This has been the experience for …
Today we are joined by Patricia Hume to discuss some innovative software that is helping to revolutionize 3D CAD models and their use across entire organizations. Pat is the CEO of Canvas GFX, the company responsible for the Canvas Envision. This is an interactive content and collaboration solution that empowers everyone to use 3D CAD …
While quality inspection, audits, and standards in manufacturing may not be the highest items on your list of priorities, they are the backbone of a good manufacturing environment. Joining us for an important conversation on this topic is Shirley Dewi, Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance and Client Services at IAPMO, a one-stop shop for …
When you think of the purchasing power of women and compare this with the shocking statistics of how many women are in core C-level leadership positions, it is evident that something is very wrong in the business world. Joining us to discuss this and how we can all empower female entrepreneurs and business leaders is …
Today’s guest believes that manufacturing plays a vital role in creating new technologies to build a better world. Cathy Ma is the VP of Platform Growth and Engagement at ThomasNet, now owned by Xometry. She is passionate about using information, research, and knowledge to help all manufacturers, big or small, to thrive. Tuning in, you’ll …
Technology touches nearly every part of the manufacturing process today and, with the right solutions, any manufacturer can significantly accelerate productivity, streamline production, and see the kinds of efficiencies your organization needs to take it to the next level! In this episode of Women and Manufacturing, Rosemary Coates speaks to Vice President of Information Technology …
In today’s episode, Fran Brunelle is joined by brand storyteller and manufacturing marketer, Meaghan Ziemba, to celebrate women in manufacturing from the shop floor to the c-suite! Meaghan has been writing about manufacturing since 2008 and hosts a live broadcast video series called Mavens of Manufacturing, which focuses on women in the sector. Its mission …
In today’s episode of Women and Manufacturing, Frances Brunelle speaks with Tracy Albert, Co-Owner and Accounting Manager of Gambit Machining in Alberta, Canada, which specializes in small, precision, tight tolerance parts for critical use in no-fail industries, including instrumentation, energy, defense, medical, transportation, and more. Tracy joined Gambit in 2002 in an entry-level accounting role. …
Today’s guest is Jennifer Clement, and she joins us to speak about sourcing and manufacturing in China. Jennifer is the President of Complete Holdings and the US Partner of Complete Manufacturing and Distribution, also known as CMD in China. CMD provides boots-on-the-ground support for clients who manufacture in China when it comes to working with …
In our hyperconnected and ever-changing world, it’s essential to keep learning and upskilling. In fact, today’s guest believes that manufacturing leaders have a responsibility to actively promote continuous learning and expose younger generations to career opportunities in manufacturing by making education part of what we do on a daily basis. In today’s episode of Women …
With 100 billion items produced every year, it’s no surprise that the fashion industry is known as the second most polluting industry on the planet. From the crops grown and processed to the dyeing and transportation involved, Samantha Tollworthy — founder of USA-made sock company Teddy Locks — is working to reduce that fashion footprint …
Some of the biggest challenges through the last two years have been closely connected to issues in the supply chain. The playing field has definitely changed and here to help us better understand this, and share some insight into how we can build better systems, more suited to the current landscape is Lora Cecere. Lora …
Despite outdated beliefs that still persist about the role of the quality department in an organization, the entire manufacturing team, from operators to team leaders, is responsible for ensuring the quality of a product is upheld. After 38 years working in the food manufacturing industry, todays’ guest, Lucia Falek, is an authority on this topic! …
In today’s episode, Frances Brunelle speaks with Nicole Wolter from HM Manufacturing, a leading manufacturer of turnkey power transmission components for a variety of industries including aerospace, automotive, medical, marine, packaging, and more! Since starting at HM Manufacturing in 2009, when she left her successful finance career to join the family business, Nicole has overseen …
In today’s episode of Women and Manufacturing, Rosemary Coates speaks with Jill Cavano, the President and Owner of Scranton Associates. Founded in 1919, Scranton Associates is a family business that has been manufacturing private label water treatment chemicals in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, for over 100 years. In 2016, Jill bought all of the family members …
What started as a simple borrowing of steel toe boots years ago has turned into a lifelong friendship and a published book between Kathy Miller and Shannon Karels. With their extensive backgrounds in manufacturing, leadership, and operations, Kathy and Shannon wanted to share their experiences with other women looking to pursue similar careers. This is …
Increasing sales is a top priority in every business, right? Well, the manufacturing business is no different, but you’d be surprised how many businesses are making it far too complicated for themselves and aren’t taking advantage of readily available data! In this episode, Lydia DiLiello speaks with Lindsay Duran, Chief Marketing Officer of Zilliant, about …
Do you want to learn about Silicon Valley best practices for growing and scaling companies, the Valley’s unique vantage point for evaluating startups, and what rules can and should be broken in the course of building a global business? Well, this is the episode for you! Today, Rosemary Coates speaks with Michelle Lane Messina, CEO …
Statistics show that 80 percent of the information we receive comes through our eyes. This fact is key to the most significant developments in intralogistics. Picavi is the perfect symbiosis of modern technology and natural movement, using smart glasses for visual guidance and creating useful intelligence to reduce worker fatigue and increase efficiencies. In today’s …
In today’s episode of Women in Manufacturing, Frances Brunelle speaks with Belinda Donavant, Senior Director of Engineering for Canon Virginia, Inc. Since opening its doors in 1985, Canon has made substantial capital investments of over $700 million in five facilities, totaling two million square feet and employing over 2,000 people. Belinda has an electrical engineering …
No matter how advanced technology becomes, people will always be at the heart of every business. Yet, soft skills, are commonly overlooked because hard skills and technical expertise are deemed to be more valuable. Through her work, Susan Schwartz, our guest today, looks to tackle this issue. She is the President of Birch River Group, …
