Session Recordings and Slides
Thank you for participating virtually in Rethink 2025! Below are the session recordings and slides from this year’s sessions.
Opening Address: Defining the Human-Machine Relationship
Keynote: A CEO’s Perspective on Digital Transformation
How Wall Street Views Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
Case Study: Transforming EnerSys’ Daily Improvements Through Digital
Case Study: Accelerating Celanese’s Digital and AI Transformation for 10x Manufacturing Value
Power Panel: Handicapping the Global Digital Transformation Race
Executive Interview: Demystifying Autonomous Operations – Turning Complexity into Practical Transformation
Case Study: Hershey’s Digital Factory – How Hershey is Driving Manufacturing Excellence
Fireside Chat: Reimagining Reliability as a Growth Driver
Keynote: Scaling Digital on Eaton’s Path for Growth
Fireside Chat: Shaping the Future of Digital Resilience in the AI Era
Panel Discussion: Next-Generation Leaders
Case Study: IPG’s M4.0 Journey, from Big Data Analytics to AI/ML Implementation
Executive Interview: Unlocking Transformative Visibility and Control with 5G Core and Open RAN
Panel Discussion: Bridging the Digital Divide – Accelerating Transformation for Small and Medium Manufacturers
Lightning Rounds
Pella Corporation – Product Attribute-Driven Dynamic Work Instructions via Voice-Directed Work, Engineering and Production Processes Project Category
Bayer Crop Science – Pesticide Application Tracker: Transformation of Safety and Integrity in Manufacturing, Collaborative Ecosystems Project Category
Corning Incorporated – Digital Innovation in Corning’s EXTREME ULE® Glass, Business Model Transformation Project Category
Tuesday, June 17
8:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
- Jay Timmons, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Manufacturers
8:15 a.m. Opening Address: Defining the Human-Machine Relationship
- David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
As AI-powered machines become increasingly powerful and exceed human capabilities, human-machine partnerships will become ubiquitous, requiring manufacturers to decide the proper nature of these relationships. How do we decide the question of what and how much responsibility and authority to delegate to machines? Should manufacturers pick their objectives and harness AI to achieve them or should AI pick some of the objectives itself? These and other questions concerning AI loom for the industry. How we answer them may determine the future of manufacturing.
8:30 a.m. Keynote: A CEO’s Perspective on Digital Transformation
- Barbara Humpton, President and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens USA; Member, NAM Board of Directors
Digital transformation isn’t just a technology initiative—it’s a business imperative. Yet many manufacturers still struggle to align their digital strategy with overall business objectives, limiting their ability to drive real value. In this opening keynote, the U.S. CEO of a global technology and manufacturing leader will share her perspective on how manufacturers can overcome key challenges—from accessing capital to building the right teams—to accelerate their digital transformation. She’ll also explore how ecosystems can drive innovation, productivity, and sustainability to align business and digital transformation strategies that position manufacturers for long-term success in an era of continuous industrial reinvention.
9:00 a.m. How Wall Street Views Digital Transformation in Manufacturing
- Jack Anstey, Managing Director, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Group, Goldman Sachs
Manufacturing’s digital transformation isn’t just about technology—it’s about value. Investors are paying attention to how manufacturers digitize, and those that do it right see a real financial impact. Hear how Wall Street evaluates digital transformation, why there’s no universal playbook, and what smart manufacturers do to maximize their valuation in an era of rapid change.
9:30 a.m. Break in Virtual Content
10:05 a.m. Case Study: Transforming EnerSys’ Daily Improvements Through Digital
- Raphael Germe, Senior Director of Global EOS and OPS Engineering, EnerSys
By implementing a robust daily improvement process as a core component of its operating system, EnerSys has revolutionized the century-old manufacturing of industrial batteries into a progressive, highly advanced lean operation. By fostering transparency and structuring opportunities effectively, EnerSys actively engages its workforce in continuous improvement. While AI accelerates waste reduction, root cause analysis, and the implementation of countermeasures, the foundation of success remains a strong culture driven by servant leadership.
10:35 a.m. Case Study: Accelerating Celanese’s Digital and AI Transformation for 10x Manufacturing Value
- Jon Mortimer, Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Celanese
- Andrew Penton, Manufacturing IT Leader, Celanese
Celanese, the 2024 ML Award Category Winner in AI and Machine Learning, is rapidly advancing its digital transformation to create autonomous, integrated, and optimized manufacturing plants of the future through digital twins and a unified data platform. At the core of this evolution is JO.AI, a generative AI-powered system that enhances decision-making, automates processes, and integrates seamlessly into workflows to improve operational efficiency. By embedding AI into its solution ecosystem, Celanese is driving proactive facility management, ensuring reliability, and unlocking substantial value across its global manufacturing network, all while keeping customers and employees at the heart of the digitalization journey.
11:05 a.m. Break in Virtual Content
2:40 p.m. Power Panel: Handicapping the Global Digital Transformation Race
Where are U.S. manufacturers on the digital transformation journey in comparison to companies in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world? Are U.S. manufacturers ahead or behind? This panel of distinguished manufacturing industry analysts will assess the digital competitive landscape and what U.S. companies can do to accelerate the digitalization and modernization of the U.S. industrial base.
- Julie Fraser, Vice President of Research, Manufacturing and Operations, Tech-Clarity
- Matthew Littlefield, Co-Founder, President and Research Lead, LNS Research
- Bob Parker, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Research, IDC
- Craig Resnick, Vice President, ARC Advisory Group
Moderator: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
3:30 p.m. Break in Virtual Content
4:05 p.m. Executive Interview: Demystifying Autonomous Operations – Turning Complexity into Practical Transformation
With the rise of AI, robotics and workforce challenges, autonomous operations are transforming manufacturing—but navigating the surge of new technologies and strategies can be overwhelming. This session explores practical approaches to cut through the complexity, combining effective management and proven technologies to drive real outcomes. Learn how manufacturing leaders are bridging technology, people and processes to achieve lasting transformation and measurable success.
- Alberto Gomez, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Innovation, Procter & Gamble
- Tessa Myers, Senior Vice President, Intelligent Devices, Rockwell Automation | Kalypso
- Kevin Seaver, Vice President, Business Operations, Filtration Business, Cytiva
In conversation with: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
4:35 p.m. Case Study: Hershey’s Digital Factory – How Hershey is Driving Manufacturing Excellence
- Will Bonifant, Vice President, Manufacturing and Engineering, The Hershey Company; Member, Board of Governors, Manufacturing Leadership Council
- Christopher Gantz, Senior Manager, Digital Systems, The Hershey Company
In 2024, Hershey set out to make its conversion cost improvement target best in class. To get there, the company devised a holistic strategy to digitally upgrade all work, bringing automation and advanced analytics to its frontline teams and automating repetitive physical tasks for workers. This session will focus on the technologies Hershey is investing in, how it is transforming its workforce to deliver them, and early lessons learned as Hershey launches the next phase of its manufacturing excellence journey.
5:05 p.m. Fireside Chat: Reimagining Reliability as a Growth Driver
What would change if you treated reliability as a growth strategy, not an afterthought? Leading organizations are redefining reliability and maintenance as core enablers of growth, resilience and future readiness. From rethinking the role of frontline teams to using real-time data to get ahead of failure, smart industrial leaders are transforming reliability into a competitive edge.
- Nick Haase, Co-Founder, MaintainX
- Steve Schock, Director, Maintenance and Reliability, KIK Consumer Products
In conversation with: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
Wednesday, June 18
8:00 a.m. Welcome and Introductions
8:10 a.m. Keynote: Scaling Digital on Eaton’s Path for Growth
- Craig Sutton, Vice President, Industry 4.0, Eaton Corporation
Scaling digital transformation across a global manufacturing enterprise requires more than just technology—it takes structure, strategy, and cultural change. This keynote will explore how Eaton is scaling its Manufacturing 4.0 journey from a single digital plant to a global network, using governance, process frameworks, and a tailored tech stack to drive real impact. Learn how they’re standardizing best practices, moving from automation to autonomy, and linking digital transformation to business growth.
8:40 a.m. Fireside Chat: Shaping the Future of Digital Resilience in the AI Era
AI has amplified enterprise focus on the strategic need for digital transformation. But at the same time, it has compounded complexity with heightened requirements for a robust infrastructure, workforce upskilling and reskilling, and mature data capabilities.
In this session executives will share insights on how forward-thinking manufacturers can capitalize on advances in networking, data and generative AI to propel digital transformation, enhance operational agility and reinforce supply chain resilience.
- Venkat Subramanian, Senior Vice President, Information Technology, The Coca-Cola Company
- Prasoon Saxena, Global President and Co-Lead, Product Industries, NTT DATA; Member, NAM Board of Directors
In conversation with: David R. Brousell, Founder, Vice President and Executive Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
9:10 a.m. Panel Discussion: Next-Generation Leaders
What’s on the minds of the next generation as they develop into the leaders of tomorrow? This panel discussion will examine the hopes, aspirations, and visions for the future from some of this year’s top finalists for the Next-Generation Leadership award.
- Trent Hensel, Maintenance and Tooling Manager, Whirlpool
- Adèle Martinat, Global Supply Transformation Specialist, Anheuser-Busch InBev
- Corey Roberts, Advanced Analytics Production Manager II, Peterbilt Motors Company
- CisLee Trost, Reliability Engineer, CertainTeed
Moderator: Penelope Brown, Senior Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
9:40 a.m. Break in Virtual Content
10:15 a.m. Case Study: IPG’s M4.0 Journey, from Big Data Analytics to AI/ML Implementation
- Emmanuel Boullay, Senior Vice President, Operations, IPG
2024 Large Enterprise Manufacturer of the Year IPG shares its six-year transformative journey into Manufacturing 4.0. Taking a deliberate, step-by-step approach, IPG built its M4.0 foundation on plant-level employee engagement, a strong focus on quality, and measurable ROI. Their “clean data first” strategy enabled the development of diagnostic and prescriptive analytics, paving the way for advanced AI and machine learning models that deliver predictive insights and prescriptive capabilities. As IPG continues to evolve, the focus has shifted to using M4.0 data to drive new levels of efficiency, precision, and excellence.
10:45 a.m. Executive Interview: Unlocking Transformative Visibility and Control with 5G Core and Open RAN
A new era of open, agile connectivity is taking shape. 5G Core and Open Radio Access Network (RAN) are redefining next-generation networks by enhancing interoperability, boosting performance and enabling global collaboration. These technologies empower more flexible, cost-effective and vendor-agnostic networks. With open interfaces, modular architectures and real-time control, they are unlocking powerful new capabilities and transforming how ecosystems are built and scaled. Now is the time for manufacturers to take notice.
- Ande Hazard, Vice President, Manufacturing, Transportation and Finance Solutions, AT&T Business
- Rob Soni, Ph.D., Vice President, RAN Technology, AT&T Services
In conversation with: Jeff Puma, Content Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
11:15 a.m. Panel Discussion: Bridging the Digital Divide – Accelerating Transformation for Small and Medium Manufacturers
As digital transformation reshapes the manufacturing landscape, small and medium manufacturers (SMMs) face unique challenges in keeping pace with larger enterprises and global competitors. Limited resources, workforce constraints, legacy systems, geopolitical uncertainties, and competing priorities can slow adoption, widening the digital divide. However, with the right strategies, SMMs can harness emerging technologies to drive efficiency, agility, and growth. This panel will bring together industry leaders to discuss practical approaches for accelerating digital transformation in SMMs.
- Chris Droney, Chief Operations Officer, Milo’s Tea Company
- Dan Dwight, President and CEO, Cooley Group; Chair, MLC Board of Governors; Executive Committee, NAM Board of Directors; Winner of the 2024 ML Awards Small/Medium Manufacturer of the Year; Winner of the 2024 Manufacturing Leader of the Year
- Joe Pfaff, Vice President, Global Business Technology, Husco
Moderator: Steven Moskowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director, Manufacturing Leadership Council
11:45 a.m. Break in Virtual Content
2:55 p.m. Lightning Round: Meet the Manufacturing Leadership Award Finalists
Get a deeper look at some of this year’s top projects from the Manufacturing Leadership Awards.
Featuring presentations from:
Bayer Crop Science – Pesticide Application Tracker: Transformation of Safety and Integrity in Manufacturing, Collaborative Ecosystems Project Category
- Dan Duckworth, Field Production Expert, Bayer Crop Science
- Brandon Maas, Senior HSE Manager, Bayer Crop Science
Corning Incorporated – Digital Innovation in Corning’s EXTREME ULE® Glass, Business Model Transformation Project Category
- Shihu Wang, Senior Staff Engineer and Manager, Machine Learning, Corning Incorporated
- Ali Moammadkhah, Senior Innovation Program Manager, Corning Incorporated
GM Defense – Reducing Variability Introduced by Low-Volume Manufacturing Requirements, Engineering and Production Processes Project Category
- Miguel Saez, P.h.D,, Senior Manager, Automation Execution Global Automation Standards and Cybersecurity Execution, GM Defense
- Patrick Spicer, Chief Technologist, Materials & Manufacturing Systems Research, GM Defense
Pella Corporation – Product Attribute-Driven Dynamic Work Instructions via Voice-Directed Work, Engineering and Production Processes Project Category
- Haley Berland, Senior Engineer, Intelligent Operations, Pella Corporation
- Mike Moody, Product Owner, Intelligent Operations, Pella Corporation
4:00 p.m. Content for Rethink 2025 Concludes
Our Insightful and Visionary Speakers
Our high-caliber speaker lineup will bring you the insight and inspiration you need for moving your business forward.
2025 Speakers
Barbara Humpton
Jay Timmons
Craig Sutton
Gregory Daco
Jack Anstey
Jon Mortimer
Andrew Penton
Tessa Myers
Alberto Gomez
Kevin Seaver
Raphael Germe
Emmanuel Boullay
Will Bonifant
Christopher Gantz
Steve Schock
Nick Haase
Julie Fraser
Matthew Littlefield
Bob Parker
Craig Resnick
Ande Hazard
Rob Soni, Ph.D.
Venkat Subramanian
Prasoon Saxena
Chris Droney
Joe Pfaff
Dan Dwight
Ted Bill
Paul Reitz
Kelly Nothaft
Jennifer Fitzgerald
Rose Barry
Carolyn Lee
CisLee Trost
Corey Roberts
Adèle Martinat
Trent Hensel
David R. Brousell
Penelope Brown
Jeff Puma
2025 ML Award Finalists – Lightning Round Presenters
Haley Berland
Dan Duckworth
Ali Moammadkhah
Mike Moody
Patrick Spicer
Miguel Saez, P.h.D.
Shihu Wang
