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Sessions & Speakers
NEW This Year:
If you need to provide professional development for your rising leader employees, and need training for your human resources personnel to provide effective guidance to them, we have a half-day workshop that can help.
From Team Member to Team Leader: Leadership Essentials for Emerging Manufacturing Leaders
Manufacturing employees stepping into leadership roles face new challenges and opportunities. This introductory leadership workshop is designed to help emerging leaders build a strong foundation for success by exploring essential leadership principles, communication strategies, and practical best practices that can be applied immediately in the workplace.
Led by Tim Waldo, Workforce Consultant with the University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, the workshop will provide attendees with tools to begin developing their personal leadership skills and chart a path for continued growth.
Who Should Attend?
- Operations Managers and Supervisors
- Manufacturing and Production Personnel
- Safety and Environmental Professionals
- Human Resources and Recruiting Teams
- Training and Workforce Development Staff
This new event is an add-on to the Operations Managers Meeting. The cost is $150, and it can be added during registration. if you have any questions, please contact the AWPA Office.
General Session Program
Preparing for ISO 9001:2026: What Wire Manufacturers Need to Know
As ISO 9001 transitions to its 2026 revision, manufacturers will need to prepare for changes that place greater emphasis on leadership, organizational culture, risk management, supply chain resilience, supplier performance, workforce knowledge, and quality culture.
This session will provide an overview of the upcoming changes and their practical implications for wire and wire products manufacturers, including what auditors are expected to focus on and what steps companies can take now to prepare for a smooth transition.
AI 101 for Operations: Practical AI for the Factory, Safety, and HR Teams
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a future technology—it is a practical tool that can help operations professionals work smarter, solve problems faster, and reduce time spent on routine tasks. This interactive session will introduce AI in plain language and demonstrate real-world applications for operations, safety, and HR personnel.
Attendees will learn what AI is, how it works, where it can add value, and how to use it responsibly for drafting reports, improving safety communications, creating training materials, analyzing operational data, developing job descriptions, documenting procedures, and streamlining administrative work.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamentals of AI and generative AI.
- Identify opportunities to use AI in operations, safety, and HR functions.
- Create effective prompts to get useful results from AI tools.
- Use AI to draft communications, procedures, reports, and training materials.
- Recognize the limitations, risks, and best practices for responsible AI use.
- Leave with practical examples they can apply immediately.
No technical background is required. This session is designed for operational professionals who want a practical introduction to AI and actionable ways to use it in their everyday work.
Lessons Learned: Reducing Wire-End Release Injuries Through Proactive Safety Measures
Safety remains one of the highest priorities at our Operations Meetings. At the end of the day, we're engaged in work that can have life-changing consequences, making the safety of our employees our highest responsibility. Every lesson learned and every improvement implemented at one facility creates opportunity to strengthen safety performance across our entire organization.
During this session, Kevin Natterstad of Sumiden Wire will use real-world incidents to demonstrate how the company leverages accident reports from across its global network to evaluate similar processes within its own operations. He will explain the review process that drives corrective actions, operational improvements, and the implementation of a strategy known as "Make It Your Own," which encourages every employee to consider risks within their own job rather than assuming similar incidents could not happen locally.
Attendees will gain practical insight into why injuries occur, identify common patterns in safety culture failures, and explore five key principles for improving workplace safety across all facilities. The session will demonstrate how effective information sharing transforms individual incidents into organization-wide learning opportunities, helping prevent similar events before they occur.
Please join us for this important discussion as we explore how sharing lessons learned leads to safer operations, stronger prevention strategies, and a culture of continuous improvement throughout the organization.
More Than Soap: Leveraging Lubricant Additives for Better Wire Drawing Performance
Brad Andrews from Condat will present new information on improving wire drawing by focusing on the fillers and additives in lubricants, not just soaps and fats. Attendees will hear the latest potential benefits and real-world solutions that can help drive efficiency and productivity.
Manufacturing Roundtable Discussions
Participate in interactive roundtable discussions designed specifically for manufacturing and operations professionals. These peer-to-peer sessions provide a forum for attendees to share challenges, exchange ideas, and discuss practical solutions to issues impacting their facilities.
Whether the topic is workforce development, safety, maintenance, supply chain management, or other operational concerns, participants will benefit from candid conversations with industry colleagues facing many of the same challenges.
~ Speakers ~
Brad Andrews
Condat
Kevin Natterstad
Sumiden Wire Products Corporation
Tim Waldo
Workforce Consultant, University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services