ManufacturingNEXT Event

The event is currently sold out. If you can no longer attend, please email Alex Rudoni at arudoni@myinforum.org.

Trailblazing Talent: Recognizing Women’s Contributions in Manufacturing Leadership

About the Event: Join us for an electrifying celebration of women's excellence in the manufacturing industry! "Trailblazing Talent" is an exclusive event dedicated to recognizing and honoring the remarkable contributions of women in leadership roles within the manufacturing sector.

Why Attend?

• Gain insights from pioneering women leaders who have shattered glass ceilings in manufacturing.
• Explore the innovative strategies and approaches these trailblazers employ to drive success.
• Network with industry peers, fostering valuable connections and collaborations.
• Be inspired by stories of resilience, determination, and triumph over challenges.
• Learn about emerging trends and opportunities for women in manufacturing leadership

Moderator

Frances Hogsten , VP, Human Resources, Americas, Haworth Inc. 

Promoted Vice President of Human Resources, Americas in February 2024, Frances leads the areas of Benefits, Member Relations, Talent Attraction, Occupational Health, and Payroll for the Commercial Interiors Americas business segment. Additionally she leads global efforts to promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program strategies that promote a culture of Belonging. 

Frances joined Haworth in 2011 as VP of  Global Supply Chain.  Most recently she held the role of VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Talent Attraction teams.  She holds a Bachelors and Masters degrees in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. She has over 25 years of Supply Chain & Sourcing experience, including developing a roadmap and executing a strategy to implement a Supplier Diversity program. Frances has significant experience in managing global teams located in Europe, Asia (China & India) as well as North America and has personally spent time in Mexico and Asia.  She has led global supply chain organizations for companies in multiple industries such as:  Ingersoll Rand (heavy industrial), Lutron Electronics (lighting industrial), Solectron (EMS), General Electric (heavy industrial). In addition to her contributions to establishing supplier diversity programs she serves as a Lean Champion for her functional group.

Panel

 Bethany Berkey, General Assembly Area Director of Flint Assembly, General Motors Co. 

Bethany Berkey began her career with General Motors in 2005 with the Tool & Die College at Parma Metal Center. While at Parma, Bethany held various positions such as Tool & Die Group Leader, Production Planner, and Press Room Planner. In 2011, Bethany was assigned to Detroit Hamtramck Assembly as the Business Manager in the Body Shop. While at Detroit Hamtramck, she also held other assignments such as Shift Leader in General Assembly, and Plant Launch Operations Manager for the Cadillac CT6. Upon leaving Detroit Hamtramck, Bethany had an opportunity to be the Strategic Business Manager for Global Workplace Safety. In 2017, Bethany joined the team at Lansing Grand River Assembly as the Manufacturing Engineering Director. While at Lansing Grand River, she also held the positions of Paint Area Manager, Stamping Area Manager, and Quality Director. In 2021, Bethany was promoted to Executive and moved to Kansas City to lead the Body Shop at Fairfax Assembly. Most recently, Bethany transitioned back to Michigan in 2024 as is the current General Assembly Area Director of Flint Assembly. Bethany holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Miami University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Cleveland State University. Bethany has been an active member of Women in Manufacturing, holding the positions of Vice Chair at Parma Metal Center and Chair at Detroit Hamtramck Assembly. Currently, Bethany is the mentor to the Flint GM Women + employee resource group. In her spare time, Bethany is a self-taught artist and enjoys working on DIY projects in her 100 year old house. She enjoys working outside and gardening and always has some sort of project in the works. 

France Allen, president and founder of Ventura Manufacturing

France Allen is President and Founder of Ventura Manufacturing based in Zeeland, MI.  She  was born in Mexico and immigrated to America in her early teens.  Life conditions brought her into the work force at an early age and she was unable to follow the more traditional academic path that most people do.  She took full advantage of any and all the learning opportunities that were available to her, in particular her selection into a 2 year leadership rotation through critical business functions as part of the Manufacturing Excellence Program at the former Prince Corporation in Holland, MI. This helped form a well-rounded business experience that prepared her to start her own business in 1997.  Today, Ventura Manufacturing, an InnoGroup company, is a $50M assembly and manufacturing organization that operates in four global locations. 

Graciela Cruz, SVP, Supply Chain Transformation, Chobani

Graciela graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. She started her career with Procter & Gamble, based in Southern California. Across her 13-year career with P&G, she had roles in Manufacturing, Program Management, and Supply Chain Planning. It is here that she developed her passion for a zero-loss mindset and continuous improvement.

After P&G, Graciela moved to West Michigan and spent 10 years working for Amway. Graciela's initial time with Amway was spent in Manufacturing. From there she led Supply Chain Planning, then the Transformation Office, and finally held the role of leading Supply Planning, Demand Planning, Procurement and Supply Chain Analytics globally. In this role, Graciela was responsible for managing the global supply chain that oversees manufacturing and distributing nutrition, beauty, personal care and home products sold in over 100 countries.

Graciela now works for Chobani, as SVP of Supply Chain Transformation. In this role, Graciela is responsible for leading and executing strategic initiatives to optimize Chobani’s supply chain operations across all regions and product lines. This includes establishing KPIs and metrics to help measure the success of supply chain transformation initiatives, while looking for new opportunities.

Maria Curtis, Director, Manufacturing Operations, Meijer

Maria was born in Colombia and moved to the US in 1999. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama and has been leading manufacturing and supply chain operations teams for the past 18 years. Immediately after college, Maria completed the Operations Management Leadership Program with GE Plastics, followed by two years of process, production, and project engineering experience.

In 2008, Maria joined MillerCoors as a packaging process leader in Los Angeles, CA. She held numerous leadership roles at the brewery, including Utilities Manager and Packaging Manager. Maria relocated to Michigan in 2016 and joined Meijer as a Director of Distribution to lead their largest distribution operations team in Lansing, MI. She has also led the self-manufacturing business and product development teams. Currently, she is the Director of Manufacturing Operations. Since joining Meijer, Maria has been intentional about participating in and leading the advancement of Meijer’s DE&I strategy. In 2019, she led a team to create the first multicultural resource group, MOSAIC, which aims to foster diversity and inclusion within the company. Additionally, she has led the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) at the corporate campus and has partnered with the Merchandising organization in the execution of HHM in our stores. Furthermore, she is passionate about mentoring young professionals and is the strategic champion for the internship and rotational programs for the Supply Chain and Manufacturing organization.

In 2019, Maria co-founded LIMA – United By Love LLC, a candle and gifts company with the mission to Unite, Empower & Give Back. LIMA is Maria’s passion project and has given her an opportunity to build an intentional network as well as to establish a deeper connection with her community. Since 2022, Maria has served as Board President at Grace’s Table, a 501c(3) in Grand Rapids, MI, with the mission to walk alongside teen mothers from isolation to community so they can reach their full potential. She is thrilled to lead the board to enable opportunities, elevate, and transform the lives of the families they serve. Furthermore, she is a community advocate for Hispanic professionals and Hispanic-owned businesses, and she serves on the Board of Directors at the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Maria lives in Ada, MI with her husband Eric, their children Simon and Ana, and their dog Jerry. Maria loves to spend time at the lake, golf, and travel.

Tickets:

Inforum Members- $25

Nonmembers/Guests- $35

CI Gratis tickets may be used for this event

Thank you to our sponsors!

Premier Sponsor

Presenting Sponsor

Supporting Sponsors

Mentorship Sponsor