THE FIRST 100 DAYS: Executive Round Table with Business, Industry & Educational Leaders

Starting DateJune 15, 2017 Ending DateJune 15, 2017 Timing7:30 am - 11:45 am

Fox Valley Technical College - The Bordini Center

Thursday, June 15^th
7:30am-11:45am

Event Location: Bordini Center for Business and Innovation, Room BC112
View location details

– In partnership with the Fox Valley Technical College, Bordini Business Center for Innovation –

Spirit of the FIRST 100 DAYS – EXECUTIVE ROUND TABLE

FINAL PROGRAM-1ST HUNDRED DAYS Event Objective: Create a dialogue across business, industry, and educational support agencies to identify opportunities and challenges for economic growth and job development within the Framework of the First 100 Days Economic Agenda.

Panelists and Participants will address opportunities and challenges for: Manufacturing, Business, Construction, and Business Support Services providing a true cross section of the Wisconsin economic climate, within the White House’s First 100 Days Economic Agenda.

*The Executive Round Table will provide an interactive discussion for both panelists and participants. All in attendance will be provided a White Paper from the Event which will identify emerging themes and suggestions for future study/ interest.

Event Partners

This Event is Presented by the Center for Leadership in Government, Dr. Terri McCormick Dawson, PhD and hosted by FVTC Bordini Center.

Terri McCormick

Dr. Terri McCormick Dawson

Dr. McCormick Dawson is passionate about solving policy challenges and impacting results with the strategic use of knowledge, analytics, and leadership development.

Dr. McCormick Dawson’s public policy work has won numerous state and national awards: including the Eisenberg Award from the Wisconsin Public Defender’s Office; the Scales of Justice Award from the Wisconsin State Bar; Best Business Practice Award from the Small Business Administration in Washington DC; as well as numerous other recognition for her pioneering work in the state’s first competitive prescription drug purchasing pool.

Dr Susan May

Dr. Susan May

Dr. Susan May serves as the president and chief executive officer for Fox Valley Technical College, an appointment that began in July 2008.

May joined Fox Valley Technical College as an adult continuing education specialist in 1983. She served as the College’s executive vice president since 2005.

From 1997 to 2005 May served as the vice president for Instructional Services, and from 1994 to 1997 the vice president for Marketing and Economic Development. She also served in the positions of dean and outreach operations manager between 1989 and 1993. Earlier in her career, she worked as a teacher and department chair for New Holstein High School, New Holstein, Wisconsin.

Bill G. Smith

For more than 35 years, Bill G. Smith has been NFIB/Wisconsin State Director. The Janesville Press Gazette reported that Smith is “one of the most respected lobbyists in the Capitol.” He has built a solid legislative program for Wisconsin’s small business owners and has earned NFIB’s positive recognition by the media.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel calls NFIB “the leading small business lobbying organization” in Wisconsin, and Corporate Report magazine listed Mr. Smith as “among the best in the Capitol” among hundreds of registered lobbyists. Elected State Officials describe NFIB as “the most respected voice for small business in state government.”

Buckley Brinkman, WCMP Executive Director

Leading the organization since June 2011, Brinkman brought more than 25 years of transformational manufacturing leadership to WCMP, with a breadth of experience in helping companies drive growth, world-class competitiveness and performance excellence. Experienced in Lean, Six Sigma, supply chain management and turnaround planning, he led efforts to save dozens of operations in the U.S. by finding new ways for them to compete.

Throughout his career, Brinkman provided executive leadership to companies ranging from $5 million to more than $4 billion in sales. He revived the North American operations of the world’s largest playing card company, led the turnaround of a prominent trade bindery, and catalyzed the profitable turnaround of a recycled paperboard mill. Brinkman is an industry thought leader who has authored several white papers on innovation, corporate culture, business strategy and other topics.

Brinkman served as president and chief operating officer of U.S. Music Corp., an Illinois-based musical instrument manufacturer; as chief operating officer of Minneapolis-based Manchester Companies, where he received the Turnaround of the Year award for his work with a medical device manufacturer; and as president of Vallon, LLC, a Minneapolis-based interim executive placement firm. Most recently, he served as executive director and CEO of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP).

A Wisconsin native, Brinkman holds a Business degree from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Sherman Barnes

Sherman has over 15 years of experience in the transportation, logistics and supply chain industry. He has worked for various transportation companies such as CH Robinson, Landstar, United Parcel Services (UPS) and is currently the Vice President of Supply Chain Solutions for Schneider National. Sherman has a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Jackson State University and a Masters of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University. He has been married for over 10 years and is a father of 5 kids.

James Golembeski

James Golembeski is the executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board. Bay Area Workforce Development Board develops and implements strategies to meet the workforce needs of businesses in eleven counties of NE Wisconsin: Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Outagamie, Shawano, and Sheboygan.

Rod Ghormley, President Down Home USA LLC

Rod has served in Senior management roles at Amazon, QVC, Shopko, and Evine. He has been involved in the innovative marketing and digital retail sector since its inception. His current start up, Down Home LLC has been in existence for three years. Rod established Down Home LLC’s corporate name, its branding logo, mission, and corporate goals and objectives.

Down Home LLC manufactures and distributes textile products such as pillows, comforters, blankets, and throws. Rod works closely with international partners in China, as the head of Down Home LLC, a United States based company. As an entrepreneur and CEO Rod wears many hats in this small business.

Rod is the financial administrator handling accounts payable, payroll, and negotiations for insurance and other financial tasks. He also works directly with customers to distribute products. Rod is involved with price negotiations for the terms of sales of company products. And he is a member of the design team, which innovates and develops new product ideas with his international partner.

Beth Pritzl, Director of Research and Technology for the Fox Cities Regional Partnership

An Appleton native, Beth began work with the Fox Cities Regional Partnership in February 2013. A graduate of University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Beth has extensive experience in research and analysis, web design and maintenance, graphic design, and social media. Beth is the lead on programs such as The Fox Cities Economic Outlook Survey, the Fox Valley Wage and Benefit Survey; and the IEDC Best-In-Show program, Talent Upload. Prior to her hiring with Fox Cities Regional Partnership, Beth developed customer education publications for the retail industry.

High-tech employers in the Fox Cities depend on high-quality talent to meet current needs and facilitate future growth. Talent Upload is the matchmaker, giving students an opportunity to explore life as a young professional in the Fox Cities and employers a chance to engage them before they enter this ultra-competitive market.

Karen Harkness, Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Appleton

Karen Harkness has more than 20 years of experience in non-profit leadership, downtown management, community and economic development. For the past eight, Karen has served as the Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Appleton. In this capacity, Karen manages a wide variety of programs including economic development efforts, neighborhood revitalization initiatives, housing rehabilitation projects, planning and zoning tasks, assessments, diversity and geographical information systems (GIS) endeavors.

Prior to joining the City of Appleton, Karen served as the Executive Director of Future Neenah Inc. (FNI), a community-driven non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the economic and cultural vitality of Neenah, Wisconsin.

In her role at FNI, she promoted and managed strong public-private partnerships with the City of Neenah and other community groups, which fostered innovation, participation and successful completion of many community and economic development projects in Neenah. Karen created a comprehensive development program, including broad-based diverse partnerships and community participation, to build on the excitement created by the Riverwalk Initiative.

Karen has a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a B.A. in History from Coe College.

Manny Vasquez, Vice president of Business Development for Pfefferle Companies

Manny Vasquez serves as vice president of business development for Pfefferle Companies, Inc. – one of Wisconsin’s largest commercial real estate firms, with offices in Appleton, Green Bay, Madison and Wausau. He is responsible for developing business opportunities in the company’s brokerage, consulting and property management segments, offering a comprehensive platform of services to existing and future clients of the company statewide. Prior to joining the firm, Manny was at the helm of the Fox Cities Regional Partnership – a public-private economic development entity that supports business and talent development in Wisconsin’s Fox Cities region.