229: Manufacturing Leadership in Indiana and Beyond: Live from Indianapolis, IN

Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1 Apr 2025 · 46m

What this episode covers

Host Chris Luecke moderates a panel with Noel Hopkins of CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA), private equity advisor Steve Martin, and author Kathy Miller at Guggman Haus Brewing in Indianapolis. The group discusses how Indiana’s manufacturing-centric economy can leverage digital transformation and AI to scale, emphasizing that technology must solve business problems rather than drive them. They highlight the critical role of leadership in managing cultural change, addressing the skills gap through knowledge capture, and fostering psychological safety to encourage innovation.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 35m

    Supporting Advanced Manufacturing at a State Level w/ Bryce Carpenter

    Bryce Carpenter, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations and Strategy Officer at Conexus Indiana, explains how state-level organizations support manufacturers in digital adoption and workforce alignment. He details the 'Industry Exchange Workshops' designed to help small and mid-sized manufacturers identify real business problems before chasing technology, emphasizing data fundamentals and ROI assessment. Carpenter also discusses the critical need to align education curricula with industry needs and highlights the importance of peer-to-peer learning networks to overcome workforce fears and implementation barriers.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 35m

    Leading by Empowering Your People

    Mick North, President and CEO of Anderson Global, discusses his journey from automotive manufacturing to leading a midsize foundry tooling company. He explains how Anderson Global de-commoditized its business by leveraging engineering expertise, simulation, and collaborative problem-solving rather than competing on price. North also addresses the critical skills gap in manufacturing, the need to change public perception of the industry, and his philosophy on servant leadership and empowering teams.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 43m

    Cultivating More Effective Manufacturing Leaders w/ Bill Remy

    Bill Remy, CEO of TBM Consulting Group, argues that manufacturing leadership gaps are as critical as front-line labor shortages, driven by the outdated practice of promoting technical experts without providing leadership training. He emphasizes that effective leaders must focus on process improvement, safety, and quality rather than acting as 'cheap firefighters,' and must actively engage with the shop floor to build trust and retain talent. Rey also advises midsize manufacturers to adopt a 'crawl, walk, run' approach to technology adoption, focusing on specific problem statements and change management rather than chasing trends like AI without clear business cases.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 58m

    Diversity in the Manufacturing Sector w/ Andrew Crowe and Justin Sherman

    Andrew Crowe, founder of the Elevate Institute of Advanced Manufacturing, and Justin Sherman, founder of Equity Machine Works, discuss how manufacturing companies can address the skilled labor gap by prioritizing diversity and inclusion. They argue that the industry's traditional, 'old school' culture and lack of representation are driving away younger and diverse talent, while also highlighting the financial benefits of diverse teams. The guests provide actionable advice for shop owners, such as offering housing assistance, modernizing digital presence, and adopting servant leadership to attract and retain workers.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 37m

    Turning Around a Struggling Manufacturing Operation w/ George Murray

    George C. Murray, a business transformation expert and author, explains how to turn around struggling manufacturing operations by focusing on cash flow, margins, and operational flow while reframing 'change' as 'enhancement' to reduce employee fear. He details the importance of visible leadership, building trust through open dialogue, and using specific metrics like on-time delivery precursors and OEE to drive accountability. Murray also discusses leveraging AI to automate mundane tasks while upskilling workers for higher-value roles, citing his own success in turning a $13 million loss into profitability within 18 months.

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