Collaborate to Innovate
Southwest Ohio 2024
University of Cincinnati
Digital Futures
May 1, 2024
Where Product Innovators & Manufacturers Connect to Change the Region's Narrative on Workforce and Opportunity.
An exclusive invitation only event for Southwest Ohio product innovation and manufacturing business principals, of all sizes, to connect without outside influence to gain insight from other for-profit leaders and their dedicated trade associations.
Welcome | 1:30
Introductions
Embracing Industry 4.0/5.0
Digital Futures Initiative
Keynote | 1:50
Blueprint for Ohio's Economic Future:
Achieving Innovation through Collaboration
Steve Stivers
President & CEO
Raised in Ripley, Ohio, Steve Stivers learned from his mother and father the importance of family, hard work and public service, which have been the values he has carried with him throughout his life.
In May 2021, he was selected to lead the Ohio Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is the state’s leading
business organization whose mission it is to aggressively champion free enterprise, economic competitiveness and growth for the benefit of all Ohioans.In addition to his responsibilities as President and CEO, Stivers works with legislators, business leaders and government officials every day on issues affecting Ohio Chamber member companies.
Prior to joining the Ohio Chamber, Stivers represented Ohio’s 15th Congressional District from 2011 until May 16, 2021. He served on the Financial Services Committee and was the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance. In January 2003, he was appointed to the Ohio Senate and successfully ran for a full term in 2004. He was assigned to various committees and chaired Insurance, Commerce and Labor. He served in the Ohio Senate until 2008.
Throughout his career, Steve Stivers has led the way supporting programs and initiatives to encourage job creation, promote economic development, and put our country’s fiscal house in order. A career soldier, Stivers has served over 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and holds the rank of Major General. He served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Djibouti where he led 400 soldiers and contractors and is proud that each and every one returned home safely to the United States. Stivers received the Bronze Star for his leadership throughout the deployment.
Stivers received both his bachelor’s degree and his MBA from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Army War College. He resides in Upper Arlington with his wife, Karen, and children, Sarah and Sam.
Panel Discussion | 2:15
Successful Endeavors through Innovation & Collaboration
Nicole Fenyo (Moderator)
Executive Director
Ben Morris
Development Operations
Antonio Pagano
CEO
Fabian Schmahl
Co-Founder
Nicole Fenyo was born in England of Hungarian parents. Raised in South London until the age of 10, her father’s career then took her to Geneva, Switzerland where she continued her education in the Swiss system – perfecting her French and learning German. After attending universities in St. Gallen and Geneva (Switzerland), Nicole obtained her master’s degree from the University of Warwick in the UK.
Her career started in earnest after arriving in the US (South Carolina). In 1998 she joined the South Carolina Export Consortium, a public-private-academic partnership that assisted businesses around the state of South Carolina in starting their international commerce journey.
Nicole moved to Cincinnati in 2000, where her career was mostly in international B2B Marketing for manufacturing companies – from dry ice blast cleaning and production systems to industrial wire and cable, acrylic sheet and smart vending machines for industrial and retail applications. In 2019 she joined the Goering Center as a volunteer and was hired as Marketing Director in 2020.
“I am beyond thrilled to reconnect with the international community and build bridges, connections and friendships that will elevate the quality of life of our region and our members.”
Ben leads business development and government affairs for EdgeEnergy. Ben provides leadership for the day-to-day operations of the sales, marketing, and product teams while maintaining a focus on the company’s strategic goals, which include, go-to-market strategy, revenue growth, brand awareness, channel partnerships, and vertical expansion. Ben also manages local, state and federal relationships with a wide variety of public officials and organizations.
Prior to joining EdgeEnergy Ben has held sales management, marketing, and business development positions in several midwestern companies as well as founding a brand development and marketing firm in Cincinnati in 2011.
Ben attended Northern Kentucky University where he studied Marketing, Business Management, and History.
Mr Pagano holds a Master’s degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia and joined Modula S.p.A in 2006. He accumulated over 16 years of international sales and technical experience (as well as launching the Modula Academy) with the Italian parent company, before taking on his current role as CEO of Modula Inc, the U.S. manufacturing branch of Modula S.p.A.
Industry 4.0/5.0 Ambassador, Investor, Public Speaker, Educator, Advisor, Board Member
In 1997 Fabian began his career in the plastics industry at Thyssen Henschel Industrietechnik in Germany as Management Trainee, then Production Manager, and moved to the United States in the role of Vice President. Fabian then served as Executive VP at HF Rubber Machinery, after which he entered Tier 1 automotive as President & CEO of thyssenkrupp BILSTEIN of America, Inc. At Bilstein, Fabian managed the development and manufacturing of premium quality, high -performance automotive suspension solutions. During his 14+-year tenure, Fabian led BILSTEIN through 5 major expansions driven by new products, new customers, and new markets; he expanded its workforce by 600+ employees, and facilitated the planning, testing, and plant-wide deployment of advanced manufacturing technologies.
After his time in automotive Fabian joined as a partner of Accelevation, LLC which is a vertically integrated group of manufacturing companies serving the data center, electric vehicle, and robotic markets. Fabian focused on this rapidly growing business by providing an operational strategy, creating a supply chain system, building a capable team, and providing the core businesses with professional leadership.
Fabian is a co-founder and managing partner of Bold Promises Delivered LLC. Bold Promises Delivered is a midwestern investment firm which focuses on manufacturing and renewable energy companies. The company is providing support to the leadership of its portfolio companies driving sustainable growth and creating prosperity for all stakeholders.
Throughout his career Fabian has embraced a collaborative approach to a data-driven world, leading companies to solutions that increase productivity and production, with a consistent focus on workforce engagement and empowered leadership as critical success factors.
Fabian has earned extensive recognition for his commitment to his employees, community, and the manufacturing industry. In 2015, he received the German-American Friendship Award on behalf of the German Ambassador recognizing outstanding service to German-American relations. In 2016, he was named to Cincy Magazine’s 75/71 Business Hall of Fame, and in 2018 he received the Civic Leadership Award honoring Cincinnati leaders for “demonstrated leadership, professional achievement, and continuous, invaluable contributions to their community.” In 2022, he was inducted into the Greater Butler County Business Hall of Fame.
As an early adopter with hands-on experience in advancing Industry 4.0/5.0, Fabian is a sought-after speaker and advisor. His partnerships span public, private, government, and academic contexts. Whether investing, serving on boards, partnering with community stakeholders, or advising manufacturing technology leaders Fabian remains committed to the advancement of Industry 4.0/5.0 and firmly believes “you must automate to innovate.”
Since the summer of 2023, Fabian has been teaching a course on implementing industry 4.0/5.0 for the Master’s Program of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Fabian lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife, children, and their labradoodles.
Dual Citizenship: Germany / USA.
PROFESSIONAL APPEARENCES
VDMA: Keynote – European Robotics and Automation Summit 2023 – September 2023
CSH; Strategies for using Industry 4.0/5.0 to Address Labor Challenges – April 2022
Rethink Summit 2020; Manufacturing Leadership Council: CS AR/VR – October 2020
Digital Futures Conference; Digital Strategy and Leadership Panel – October 2020
IOT World; How I4.0 can help build resiliency & Keynote Panel discussion – August 2020
FB&T; Industry 4.0; A manufacturers view – February 2020
Top Shops Cincinnati; Automation Session, Collaborative Robots – September 2019
Microsoft Industry Leaders Summit; Industry 4.0; A manufacturers view – September 2019
American Automotive Summit; Innovate in Constantly Changing Times, Reinventing Front-Line Leadership to Drive Sustainable Growth and Innovation. October 2018
Panel Discussion | 3:00
What's Working in Workforce
Amy Meyer (Moderator)
Board Chair
Scott Bohman
Director, Manufacturing Engineering
Molly Fender
VP, Human Resources
Austin Plenzler
Director, HR & EHS
Amy Meyer is a seasoned business executive with over 25 years of experience in human resources, workforce development and marketing. Her experience has covered a variety of industries, most recently with advanced manufacturing and previously with domestic and international businesses. Amy is the Founder of Meyer Consulting Services.
Amy is currently the Chairman of the Board for the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Partnership (AMIP) Greater Cincinnati’s Industry Sector Partner a 501c3 non-profit focused on trades workforce development. Along with the AMIP leadership team, Amy established an organizational structure securing our business certificate and non-profit status. AMIP has become a recognized Industry Sector Partnership under the Ohio Manufacturers Association (OMA) under her leadership. Amy is a member of the OMA’s leadership council.
Amy has held key positions with Rhinestahl Corporation as Chief Organizational Development and Human Resources Officer, AAA Allied Group, F&W Media, Cincinnati Bell, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery throughout her career. In addition, Amy serves as Board member for local manufacturing companies and non-profit charities.
Her experience includes building strategic plans and delivering innovative people strategies for domestic and global growth utilizing organic and M&A capabilities. She has been a leader in accelerated cultural transformations to drive lasting change working hand in hand with executive peers to honor the importance of culture in driving business success. Her critical skills include understanding core competencies/assets of a business and the desired future state. Developing future leaders with strong self-awareness, respect, and integrity. Working as C-team leader to set the strategy and direction creating future-proofing high-level plans and benchmarks to achieve the strategy through balance of leadership and performance. Internal executive coach to C-suite.
Amy earned a Bachelor’s degree from Miami University in marketing and quantitative analysis and a Masters in personnel, training & development from Xavier University.
Second-Generation Shareholder and Human Resources Executive at Monti Inc. who enjoys driving engagement and building organizational scalability. I thrive in dynamic organizations where anything is possible and much is still being built. A leader who consults, guides and coaches all levels of leadership to create a positive and productive environment.
I care about people, growth, excellence and results. Bottom line, I believe in and deliver the impossible every day.
Austin joins Bilstein having worked the last five and a half years in Human Resources for Billerud (formerly Verso Corporation), a Swedish-based paper and packaging company. Headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio, Austin began his career with Billerud as an HR Generalist in January 2017 providing strategic HR support to C-Suite business partners with a focus on talent management and retention, organizational development, talent acquisition, compensation, and process improvement. In October 2018, Austin was promoted and relocated to the Escanaba, Michigan Mill as an HR Generalist where he managed a team of three schedulers and an HR Administrator responsible for labor relations, employee relations, talent management, workforce planning, succession planning, benefit administration and mill scheduling. In February 2020, Austin accepted a promotion to the role of HR Manager at the Escanaba Mill where he was part of the Mill Leadership Team and responsible for directing all functions of HR for the site location of 900 employees. In November 2020, Austin accepted the role as a multi-site HR Leader for Corporate HR and the Wisconsin Rapids Mill HR & EH&S teams. Previously, Austin spent time in numerous developmental HR roles with Evenflo Company Inc. and Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies.
Austin holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Management with a concentration in HR Management from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky.
Austin and his wife, Ty, and their three month old, Brooks, live in Centerville with their two Dalmatians, Polo and Wrigley. Austin is a diehard Minnesota Vikings & Notre Dame Fighting Irish football fan and his hobbies consist of hanging out with friends, golfing, collecting bourbon and DIY home projects.
Approximately 25 years in manufacturing environments ranging from power distribution, automotive, aerospace and now medical device. Assembly processes, implementation and improvement of process controls for those assembly processes has been a constant focus.
I am passionate about servant leadership. I am honored to be a part of a dynamic organization such as AtriCure, where the patient always comes first. I rely on my team to excel and constantly foster growth by encouraging them to take on new challenging projects.
Fireside Chat | 3:30
How Businesses Benefit Integrating Veterans' Unique Talents
Steve Stivers (Moderator)
President & CEO
A-Jay Orr
Founder & Executive Director
Raised in Ripley, Ohio, Steve Stivers learned from his mother and father the importance of family, hard work and public service, which have been the values he has carried with him throughout his life.
In May 2021, he was selected to lead the Ohio Chamber of Commerce as President and CEO. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is the state’s leading
business organization whose mission it is to aggressively champion free enterprise, economic competitiveness and growth for the benefit of all Ohioans.In addition to his responsibilities as President and CEO, Stivers works with legislators, business leaders and government officials every day on issues affecting Ohio Chamber member companies.
Prior to joining the Ohio Chamber, Stivers represented Ohio’s 15th Congressional District from 2011 until May 16, 2021. He served on the Financial Services Committee and was the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance. In January 2003, he was appointed to the Ohio Senate and successfully ran for a full term in 2004. He was assigned to various committees and chaired Insurance, Commerce and Labor. He served in the Ohio Senate until 2008.
Throughout his career, Steve Stivers has led the way supporting programs and initiatives to encourage job creation, promote economic development, and put our country’s fiscal house in order. A career soldier, Stivers has served over 30 years in the Ohio Army National Guard and holds the rank of Major General. He served the United States overseas during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar and Djibouti where he led 400 soldiers and contractors and is proud that each and every one returned home safely to the United States. Stivers received the Bronze Star for his leadership throughout the deployment.
Stivers received both his bachelor’s degree and his MBA from The Ohio State University and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the Army War College. He resides in Upper Arlington with his wife, Karen, and children, Sarah and Sam.
A-Jay Orr, PMP is a United States Army veteran, 3x Award-Winning Author, and internationally certified project manager with over 15 years at the forefront of technology and cybersecurity. As the founder and CEO of Simple Plan IT, he bootstrapped his startup into an eight-figure enterprise, specializing in innovative digital risk management solutions that protect businesses against cyber threats that target robotics, control systems, and IoT devices.
Beyond his technical acumen, A-Jay is a thought leader in cybersecurity governance, compliance, and resilience, frequently speaking on how to future-proof organizations against emerging threats. Over the past year, he has delivered over 30 talks and participated in panels on AI, automation, and overcoming challenges, drawing on his experiences as a cancer survivor and military veteran.
A-Jay’s dedication to supporting veterans is deeply personal and pivotal to his mission. Driven by the staggering reality that 22 veterans commit suicide every day, he founded The Ohio Veterans Collaborative and actively promotes veteran welfare, epitomized by his mantra, “Failure is not an option.” His commitment is visible, always wearing a hat that declares “I do it for the 22,” as he works tirelessly to ensure veterans find success and support in their civilian lives. A-Jay’s life and work are fueled by a relentless pursuit of resilience and empowerment, making him a trusted leader in both the field of cybersecurity and the veteran community.
UC Digital Futures Labs Tour | 4:00
Prof. Sam Anand
Lab Leader
Kelly Kohen
Director
Prof. Manish Kumar
Director
Prof. Ming Tang
Director
PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY
To best serve manufacturers in the Greater Cincinnati Region, AMIP connects manufacturers with experts and creates uncommon success for our partners. Our network of partners includes service providers, economic development organizations, universities and community colleges, collaborating manufacturers, government agencies, and more.
We are a community of UC experts who partner with government, industry, and the community to deliver reliable, lasting tech solutions to the real problems impacting people’s lives.
Mission
Inclusive, integrated research partnerships co-creating impactful new knowledge and applied solutions to real-world problems.
Vision
Harness creativity, technology, science, and the imagination for measurable change and social impact at scale.
Objective
Impact
To stimulate business and networking relations between the Cincinnati Tri-State region and Europe.
The European American Chamber of Commerce (EACC) of Greater Cincinnati is a dynamic network of European and American businesses and organizations working together to support the growth of trade and investment between the Cincinnati region and Europe. Our role is to foster relationships and build connections that enable European investors to find success here and American investors and exporters to do the same in Europe. We are ‘Where Europeans and Americans Connect to do Business.’
Established in 2007, the EACC of Greater Cincinnati was the first EACC chapter in the United States. Our network connects over 750 member companies through chapters and offices in Paris, Lyon, the Netherlands, New York, the Carolinas and Florida, with new chapters planned in the U.S. and Europe. We are a not-for-profit, non-governmental, non-political business association that is 100 percent member funded.
OUR VISION:
A growing and prosperous economic and business climate in Ohio.
OUR MISSION:
As the state’s leading business advocate and resource, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce aggressively champions free enterprise, economic competitiveness, and growth for the benefit of all Ohioans.
OUR VALUES:
Integrity
We are honest and forthright in our dealings. We do the right thing every time.
Collaborative
We work with others to advance Ohio as a competitive, pro-business state.
Nonpartisan
We are nonpartisan. We stand for pro-business policy, regardless of political affiliation.
Entrepreneurial
We embrace and support the courageous entrepreneurial spirit that is the backbone of commerce.
Transparent
We operate with transparency by communicating with unwavering candor, honesty, and respect.
Diversity
We value and honor all people, all perspectives, and all businesses.
Accountable
We do what we say we are going to do. We hold ourselves accountable for outcomes…good or bad. We don’t pass the buck.
With a rich legacy spanning over 40 years, TechSolve has earned a reputation as a trusted partner for manufacturers.
We are dedicated to driving operational excellence and fostering competitiveness within the industry. We understand the challenges that manufacturers face in today’s dynamic market, and our commitment is to provide practical solutions that make a real impact. TechSolve’s dedication to the manufacturing sector extends beyond providing solutions. We actively contribute to the industry’s growth by conducting cutting-edge research, facilitating knowledge sharing, and advocating for the adoption of advanced manufacturing practices.