INDUSTRY LEADERS SET TO CONVENE FOR EIGHTH ANNUAL WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING SUMMIT

“MAKING AN IMPACT” CONFERENCE THEME POINTS TO GROWING IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING

For more information, please contact Christie Carmigiano

CLEVELAND, OH – September 27, 2018 – The eighth annual Women in Manufacturing® Association (WiM) SUMMIT will be held next week, on October 3-5, 2018, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, IN.  Expected to attract more than 400 attendees from all sectors and careers in manufacturing, this three-day conference is the premier educational and networking event for women in the manufacturing sector.

Information about the SUMMIT including the full SUMMIT agenda can be found on the WiM website.

WiM is the only national association specifically dedicated to providing year-round support for women in the manufacturing sector. The annual WiM SUMMIT is the highlight of the WiM calendar and, like all of WiM’s programming, the event is dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women in the industry. 

“The theme of this year’s SUMMIT is ‘Making an Impact,’ a message that reflects the reality that the manufacturing sector is changing and changing fast,” said WiM President Allison Grealis.  “Rapid innovation and advanced technologies mean new opportunities in our industry.  Women are rising to the occasion, making an impact by taking on new roles and joining the ranks of leadership in greater numbers.  This year’s SUMMIT is dedicated to celebrating accomplishments and making commitments for continued progress.”

The high-tech nature of modern manufacturing will also be on display when the 2018 WiM SUMMIT kicks off with exclusive plant tours at some of Indianapolis’s leading manufacturing facilities including Crown Equipment Corporation, Fastenal Company, Rolls Royce and Salesforce.

The conference has a reputation for attracting high-profile speakers and this year is no exception.  Keynote presentations and discussion sessions will be led by industry executives including (a partial list):

• Vanessa Abrahams-John, Executive Director, Global Diversity, Inclusion and Talent Acquisition, Praxair, Inc.
• Joseph Anderson, Vice President, Institute for Process Excellence
• Kim Beardsley, Vice President, Worldwide Parts Services, John Deere
• Cindy Bolt, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Salesforce
• Tracey Lockhart, Global Head of Quality, Rolls Royce

Attendees can also enjoy the SUMMIT’s planned lighter events like morning yoga sessions and an evening silent auction to benefit the WiM Education Foundation.  The full SUMMIT agenda can be found on the WiM website.

“The WiM SUMMIT is reflective of our organization’s commitment not only to helping women succeed, but also to helping manufacturing companies grow, and helping our industry thrive,” continued Grealis. “We are looking forward to our best SUMMIT yet and to leaving attendees inspired to go out and make an impact on our industry now and in the future.”

The WiM SUMMIT is made possible by the support of sponsor organizations who are committed to the advancement of women in the manufacturing industry.  A list of SUMMIT sponsors is available on the WiM website.

To register to attend SUMMIT 2018, visit the WiM website or contact Jackie Bloom at 216-503-5700 or jbloom@womeninmfg.org. 

Stay connected with WiM for updates regarding this year’s program by visiting the WiM website and following WiM on Twitter - @WomeninMfg, #WiMSUMMIT.

Women in Manufacturing® Association is a more than 1200-member-strong national association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. It encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers. WiM is the only national association specifically dedicated to supporting women in the manufacturing sector with year-round programming and a national directory for women in the industry. For more information about WiM, visit www.womeninmanufacturing.org.