2024 Workshops
We encourage our industry to send their employees who manage or lead the specific topics below.
Whether it be HR management, IT, Operations, Sustainability - they should be here!
Smart Factories & Supply Chain
Presenter: Robert Ziner,
Founder & CEO, Advanced Bio-Material Technologies Corporation
Robert is an experienced and visionary leader in the building materials and bio-materials industries, with over 30 years of expertise in AI in Manufacturing, fiber processing, optimization, and innovation. He is the founder and CEO of Advanced Bio-Material Technologies Corporation (ABMT), a company that leverages AI and smart factories to create sustainable and local solutions for flax and hemp stalk, as well as other natural fiber products.
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Leveraging Operational Excellence to Respond to Market Changes
Presenter: Ashay Gude
Vice President – North America, TXM Lean Solutions
Ashay (Ash) Gude is a seasoned global operations and supply chain strategist, executive, and leader with a track record of exemplary performance in renowned corporations including Emerson, Rolls-Royce, and The Toyota Group in the United States, Japan, and Canada. As Vice President, North America for TXM Lean Solutions, Ash and his team support manufacturing and distribution companies in North America to implement sustainable operations and supply chain transformation solutions to drive profitability and growth.
Ash brings a global and perspective to set strategic priorities, build organizational capability, develop talent and deliver results while leveraging his twenty years of deep experience in product engineering, operations management, supply chain management, operational excellence, and Industry 5.0. He has managed 3 to 20 direct reports and up to 200 indirect reports supporting business unit revenues over US$ 2 BN.
Ash has also worked as a senior supply chain management consultant to Forbes Global 2000/Fortune 500 clients as well as a trusted operating model transformation advisor for over 50 US and Canadian organizations in food and beverage, industrial machinery manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medical devices, automotive, aerospace and custom manufacturing and distribution.
Ash is a member of the Canadian Board of Directors for the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and a winner of Supply Chain Canada’s 2020 Canadian Immigrants Impacting Supply Chain™ initiative. Ash also helps develop the next generation of supply chain professionals by teaching Strategic Supply Chain Management and Advanced Lean Six Sigma at York University's Schulich School of Business and the University of Toronto.
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FIRESIDE CHAT:
The Business Imperative for Sustainability
Please join us for a fireside chat with Dana Krechowicz and Natasha Shute which will highlight the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and opportunities currently facing Canadian manufacturers.
Key takeaways include understanding the value of an ESG strategy and the role of sustainable finance. Learn how other manufacturers have improved operational efficiencies, reduced operating costs, and created a competitive advantage by embedding ESG into their operations and strategies.
Presenter: Dana Krechowicz, Director
Sustainable Finance, Global Risk Institute
Dana Krechowicz has worked in the sustainability field for more than 15 years, with diverse experience in financial services, consulting, public policy and think tanks. She is currently Director, Sustainable Finance at the Global Risk Institute. Previously she led enterprise sustainable finance at HSBC Bank Canada from 2018 until it was acquired by RBC in 2024, working across personal, commercial and global banking, and asset management. Dana was also a member of HSBC’s global sustainability Centre of Excellence, focused on client climate transition plan assessments and developing the bank’s first Net Zero Transition Plan.
Dana has taught sustainability courses in the MBA program at the Schulich School of Business at York University, including developing and teaching the school’s first course on sustainable finance in 2021. She holds an International MBA from Schulich and a BComm from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University.
Presenter: Natasha Shute
Vice President, Commercial Sustainable Finance Group, RBC
Natasha Shute has over 10 years of experience in Commercial Banking with HSBC Canada where she supported clients in diversified sectors to meet their growth ambitions. She is currently a Vice President in RBC’s Commercial Sustainable Finance Group, a trusted advisor dedicated to advancing client climate strategies. She is passionate about partnering with the business and enterprise partners to help drive RBC’s sustainable finance strategy to support Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Natasha holds a Sustainability Leadership and Corporate Responsibility certification from the London Business School.
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The Mindset of Change Management
In today’s rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, fostering a culture of change management is essential for organizational success. Today we will explore the significance of Change Management as a culture and mindset, highlighting its role in navigating technological advancements and shifting market demands. Attendees will learn about the risks of resistance to change and the competitive advantages of agility.
Key strategies for building a culture of change will be discussed, including the importance of leadership commitment, employee engagement, and creating a supportive environment. Real-world case studies will illustrate successful change initiatives and highlight best practices from industry leaders. By addressing common challenges and emphasizing continuous improvement, this session aims to equip you with actionable insights to drive meaningful change within your business.
Presenter: Kimberly Callaghan
President, PPF Growth & People Solutions
Kimberly Callaghan is a dynamic and visionary leader with a proven record of accomplishment, driving growth and innovation, empowering people and
businesses to thrive through innovative organizational design and people solutions.
An accomplished executive leader, adept at developing and executing strategies that support employee engagement, retention, and development Kimberly understands that people and processes enhance performance and contribute to the overall success of a business as well as its ability to scale growth.
As President of PPF’s Growth and People Solutions division, she will set the strategic
direction of the company, leading a team of experts who are dedicated to delivering
impactful solutions for our clients.
Prior to her role as President of GPS, Kimberly held many senior leadership positions
throughout her career, such as: Head of Organizational Development and People,
Vice President of Organizational Development, and Vice President of Learning and
Enablement, where she honed her expertise in areas such as People, Culture,
Organizational Development, Sales and Leadership Enablement, Succession and
Change Management.
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