ManufacturingNEXT Event

05/07/2026 07:30 AM - 09:30 AM ET

Category

Industry Group

Admission

  • $35.00  -  Nonmembers (Guest)
  • $400.00  -  Table sponsorship

Location

The Pinnacle Center
3330 Highland Dr
Hudsonville, MI 49426
United States of America

Description

 

 

 

 

 

From Shop Floor to Scorecard: Building a Manufacturing Culture that Drives Performance

Join us for an engaging panel discussion designed for manufacturing professionals who are passionate about building high-performing teams and sustainable operational success. This event will explore how organizational culture is the foundation for manufacturing excellence, and how intentional strategies in onboarding, operator engagement, KPIs, and communication can drive continuous improvement.

Patrick Markey is a Plant Manager at Amway, leading the launch of a $50M flagship manufacturing facility as part of the company’s latest supply chain transformation. This initiative includes relocating all Southern California operations to Amway’s global headquarters in Ada, Michigan by the end of 2026.

With 12 years of manufacturing leadership experience across five Amway plants, Patrick focuses on shaping high‑performance cultures by bringing out the best in people and results. His experience ranges from transforming culture in a declining business to creating culture in a plant startup, consistently striving for 100% engagement and 0 loss.

 

 

Jennifer Swift is a  Plant Manager at Perrigo, bringing 25 years of dedicated service to the organization and 11 years of distinguished Air Force  experience. Throughout her career, she has held key leadership roles including Training Manager, Engineering Manager, and Technical Operations Manager, each contributing to her comprehensive understanding of plant operations and organizational performance. Jennifer focuses on  KPI‑driven leadership, strong operational discipline, and commitment to cultivating a culture of engagement, accountability, and cross‑functional collaboration.

She holds an MBA and is PMP certified, combining strategic insight with disciplined, results‑oriented execution. Deeply passionate about people development, Jennifer is dedicated to mentoring emerging leaders, strengthening technical capability, and building high‑performing, empowered teams that consistently deliver operational excellence. Her leadership philosophy centers on transparency, continuous improvement, and fostering an environment where individuals are equipped and inspired to reach their full potential.

 

 

Chelsea Whiteside began her career in commercial lending at Mercantile Bank before joining Steelcase as a finance business partner. After nearly a decade in finance, she made a deliberate pivot into operations, stepping into a rotational role in 2020 to gain hands-on experience across the production floor, including roles as Materials Manager and Plant Manager. She is currently the Director of Manufacturing at Marketlab, leading the organization through transformation, operational discipline, and continuous improvement. Her career reflects a nontraditional path into manufacturing leadership, blending financial rigor with operational execution and a strong commitment to developing people.

 

 

 

Moderator

Sara McMurray is a results-driven sales and marketing executive with over 25 years of experience in manufacturing and engineering. As Director of Sales and Marketing at DornerWorks, she leads initiatives to increase revenue, expand into new markets, and strengthen customer relationships across a variety of industries.

She has extensive leadership experience in sales and marketing, driving growth and aligning strategy with organizational goals. At Autocam Medical, she modernized the sales and marketing team to enhance performance and align commercial strategy with company objectives. Prior to that, she built the sales and marketing team at Premier Thermal from the ground up, supporting key merger and acquisition activities that led to the company’s successful acquisition by Aalberts. Her experience also includes leading global sales and customer service teams at Flow-Rite Controls to drive international growth and launching a new medical device business at Custom Profile.

 

 

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

 

 

 

Student Event Sponsor