The Manufacturing Executive

Krystal Mattich, Senior Director of Security, Privacy, and Risk at BrainCorp, safeguards data and system security for autonomous robots. Shari Brown, Senior Director of Operations and Product Safety, oversees manufacturing operations and product safety. They discuss AMR navigation versus fixed robots. Safety architecture and sensor suites. Data security, privacy features like blurring, and building workforce trust.

Wasif Khan, CFO and co-founder of Via Photon with 25+ years at the finance-technology nexus, speaks about the surge in data center and AI infrastructure spending. He explores risk versus volatility, liquidity and economic cycles, uneven CapEx pockets, and where AI revenue and productivity gains may emerge. He also discusses practical strategies for managing investment cycles and building accountable engineering culture.

Ian Burns, President of Applied Control Engineering and seasoned engineer, explains why manufacturers cling to paper and spreadsheets. He highlights data quality and completeness as foundations for decision making. He explores practical digital twin uses like operator training and control testing. He also discusses OT cybersecurity priorities and the value of incremental automation investments.

Ken Mackin, CEO and founder of Worker Labs who builds flexible robotic workforces for high-mix manufacturing. He explains making robots simple and operator-friendly with iPad controls and drag-and-teach vision. Topics include removing automation barriers, multilingual operator interfaces, rapid mixed-pallet deployments, and shifting roles toward higher-value work.

Justin Baucum, leader of U.S. expansion at Isambard and former U.S. Army Special Forces operator, discusses veterans moving into manufacturing. He connects domestic shop capacity to national security. He outlines a franchise-like model to systematize and rapidly scale machine shops. He explains how replicable factories and unified industrial efforts boost defense and aerospace readiness.

Colin Webb, founder of Avatar Robotics, builds humanoid robot workforces for manual industrial tasks. Paul Baker, CFO of Productive, runs warehouse operations and deploys humanoids in live lines. They discuss moving robots from demos to reliable production, why humanoid form matters for two-handed tasks, testing robots in live kitting lines, and how robots augment workers and reshape manufacturing roles.

Matthew Feldman, co-president driving growth and engineering-focused pivots. Mike Feldman, co-president modernizing finances and operations. They recount a 100-year family manufacturer's Bronx roots. They cover digitizing workflows and CNC adoption. They discuss shifting from commodity to high-spec markets, lean consulting, and promoting from within.

In today’s episode, CEO of TREW Marketing, Wendy Covey, and host, Joe Sullivan use their upcoming event, The Industrial Marketing Summit, as an example to talk about the benefits of designing a niche event for your specific audience. Specifically, they dive into how hosting an in-person gathering can create a sense of community, spark meaningful conversations and build valuable relationships. Learn more about the event and register the marketer from your organization here: https://industrialmarketingsummit.com/

Author and consultant Dean Svarc rebuilt himself after his multimillion-dollar business collapsed, rising to develop a framework that’s now rescued multiple struggling companies. From overlooked basics to culture missteps, he'll share how hidden threats often lurk within a business – undermining growth from the inside out. And one at a time, he'll take you through his six-step blueprint for turning chaos into clarity.

Natalie Kaddas, CEO of Kaddas Enterprises, believes investing in employees means empowering them with lifelong skills. After discovering financial literacy gaps were holding her team back, she launched a transformative program focused on helping them understand money, set goals, and build financial stability. In this episode, she shares how teaching essentials like budgeting and credit scores led to dramatic improvements in retention, morale, and even business performance. She’ll explain the impact of removing financial anxiety and why supporting employee financial health can be a powerful catalyst for success