South Suburban College Announces 6th Annual Manufacturing Conference at Oak Forest Center
South Suburban College is gearing up for its 6th Annual Manufacturing Conference. This year’s conference theme titled, Making the Model Work, is produced by South Suburban College’s Business & Career Institute (BCI) and will take place on Friday, Oct. 3, from 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the college’s Oak Forest Center, 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest.
“We talked to local executives about their challenges and solutions, and we learned many interesting things when planning this conference,” said Nancy Burrows, of BCI and chair of the 2014 Manufacturing Conference. “We will address those findings, and most importantly, we are also going to be discussing solutions. It is not enough to identify issues; we need to discuss effecting change.”
The one-day conference featuring breakout sessions, keynote address and panel discussions with the experts, is designed specifically to be responsive to top executives’ thoughts, questions, and issues.
The planning committee reportedly met and interviewed several regional manufacturing company executives to identify conference objectives.
BCI urges all presidents, business owners, decision makers and managers to attend.
The Manufacturing Conference serves as a forum for processing issues critical in the industry and will also offer thought-provoking and solution-oriented ideas on the following topics:
Business Continuity/Succession
Ready Workforce
Maintaining/Growing Your Business
This year’s keynote will be delivered by Drew S. Mendoza in the morning session, focusing on succession planning for businesses. Mendoza is the Managing Principal of the Family Business Consulting Group, Inc. and co-authored “Siblings and the Family Business,” has appeared on PBS, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio’s Marketplace and has been quoted in multiple newspapers and internet media outlets. His work has also been published in Family Business Magazine, Family Business Review, Family Business Advisor, and Trusts and Estates Magazine.
Burrows added, “In our region, we have so many family-owned businesses, many of them long-time established businesses, but what will happen if someone retires, a key person leaves, or the owner decides to expand? This can have huge implications, and succession will be looked at not just for family- owned businesses but all businesses. Many companies do not have a plan in place.”
The 2014 Manufacturing Conference will feature three different panels–one for each of the major topics in order to hone in on the issues. Moderator, Chuck Jenrich will once again lead the panel discussions. Jenrich, an SSC alumnus, is well-respected in the region for his expertise on manufacturing and education.
A pre-registration fee of $20 or $30 for walk-in registrations is required. The fee includes access to all conference activities, breakfast and lunch. The “local lunch” is provided by food manufacturers in the region.
“We also learned some very interesting things about employer expectations for new hires,” said Burrows. “This year’s conference is not to be missed!”
To register, call (708) 596-2000, ext. 2455. For more information, email bci@ssc.edu. The Oak Forest Center is located at 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest, Illinois.
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