Executive Summit Agenda
We are pleased to announce our Executive Summit agenda below. Note that all scheduled sessions are subject to change. Upon arrival at the Executive Summit, you will receive an agenda with the most up to date sessions and times. You do not need to register for each session.
Registering for the Executive Summit will give you access to all the educational sessions seen on the agenda.
Please check back often for updates!
Registering for the Executive Summit will give you access to all the educational sessions seen on the agenda.
Please check back often for updates!
Tuesday, October 20th
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm Top Shops Awards & Reception
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Join the 2020 Top Shops winners at our Awards Reception! Cocktails, appetizers and a chance to network with our winners and our Sponsors & Exhibitors. There is no additional fee to attend this event for our registered guests, or our Top Shops Award winners. If you are unsure if you are registered to attend, please contact our registrar, Anne VonMoll. |
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Sponsored by our friends at :
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Blue diamonds next to a session represent a current or former PF Top Shop Award Winner.
Wednesday, October 21st
8:00 - 8:45 am registration & Breakfast
WELCOME!
The very first Top Shops Executive Summit will begin in the Ballroom, with a light breakfast buffet made available in our Tabletop area. Make sure to grab your badge as you walk the tabletop area!
The very first Top Shops Executive Summit will begin in the Ballroom, with a light breakfast buffet made available in our Tabletop area. Make sure to grab your badge as you walk the tabletop area!
8:45 - 9:00 am Opening Statement
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WELCOME TO THE TOP SHOPS EXECUTIVE SUMMIT!
Join your fellow attendees in the conference room as Products Finishing Publisher Todd Luciano gives a brief overview of the event. You can read more about Todd and all the Summit speakers here. |
Todd Luciano
Products Finishing 
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9:00 - 10:00 am PROFIT DRIVERS OF THE TOP SHOPS
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A DEEP DIVE INTO TRENDS OF THE 2020 FINISHING BENCHMARKING SURVEY: Steve Kline Jr. and Jan Schafer from Gardner Intelligence dive into the statistics from the Products Finishing Top Shop Benchmarking Survey to let owners and manager know what drive improved profits. You can learn more about Steve and Jan by following this link to the Speaker Page. |
Steve Kline Jr.
Gardner Intelligence 
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Jan Schafer
Gardner Intelligence 
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10:00 -10:30 am workforce development 🔹
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A STORY OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: An amazing story of how social redemption helped a finishing operation grow from 50 employees to over 180 in a short period of time to expand their operations and increase profits, with Charles Zinke and Toni Gauna, of Perfection Industrial Finishing. You can learn more about Charles and Toni by checking out the 2020 Speakers page. |
Charles Zinke
Perfection Industrial Finishing 
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Toni Gauna
Perfection Industrial Finishing 
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10:30 - 10:45 am refreshment break
Join your fellow attendees for a refreshment break! You'll have a chance to re-energize with a hot cup of coffee or
re-hydrate with a cold bottle of water while you grab a quick bite to eat. This also give all of our attendees a chance to visit with our wonderful Exhibitors and Sponsors! Don't forget to recharge your devices as well!
re-hydrate with a cold bottle of water while you grab a quick bite to eat. This also give all of our attendees a chance to visit with our wonderful Exhibitors and Sponsors! Don't forget to recharge your devices as well!
10:45 - 11:30 am FINISHING INFINITY.0
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Finishing Infinity.0: 5 years ago the average automobile included about 30 smart sensors and smart devices. By 2020 that number exceed 1,000. Smart technology is becoming ubiquitous, in our cars, our homes, retail, distribution, hospitality, agriculture, education, municipalities, financial services, everywhere. In the next decade, the command and implementation of this technology will separate winners from losers in the finishing industry. This includes how finishers identify opportunities to leverage smart tech, how they prepare their workforces and engage with regional educators, how well they understand their markets and whether they are equipped to analyze the hoards of data that will be thrust upon them. Those that rise to these occasions with action will come out on top. In this thought-provoking presentation Matt Kirchner will challenge participants to stretch their imaginations into the world of manufacturing technology that is to come, exploring smart sensors, smart devices, Informactionable© Data, digital twins, artificial intelligence and more. |
Matt Kirchner
Profit 360 LLC 
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11:30 - 12:00 pm GAINING “TRACTION” TO CLIMB TO THE TOP 🔹
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GAINING TRACTION TO CLIMB TO THE TOP: Jay Burkard, former president of Products Finishing’s #1 Top Shop in 2018, will describe a structured business operating system that he utilized to manage Burkard Industries. Burkard Industries, was an e-coat, powder coat, and liquid job shop with a focus on the automotive and military markets. The business operating system that will be described promotes management development and overall team building, with a focus on developing strategic plans, quarterly objectives, and problem solving methods, while improving accountability and productivity at all levels of the organization. This structured management system, and the ensuing results, made Burkard Industries an attractive acquisition target for a large tier-one automotive part manufacturer. |
JAY BURKARD
Burkard Industries 
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12:00 - 1:30 pm networking lUNCH: ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR FINISHING OPERATIONS
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ECONOMIC FORECAST FOR FINISHING OPERATIONS:
What does the next twelve to twenty four months hold for the automotive, aerospace, medical and general industrial manufacturing sectors, and how will that affect finishers? Michael Guckes explains it all and provides a roadmap for profitability. Once this high-energy session is over, attendees will have time to network and explore the tabletops with colleagues. There is no additional cost to attend this Lunch Presentation. |
Michael Guckes
Gardner Intelligence 
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1:30 - 2:00 PM TOP LOGISTICS PRACTICES OF A NO. 1 SHOP 🔹
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TOP LOGISTICS PRACTICES OF A NO. 1 SHOP: William Howard will share a research paper he wrote with several college professors called, “Supply Chain Reengineering: Vendor-Managed Services” that explores how finishers can improve profits through better logistics. |
William Howard
Houston Plating and Coating 
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2:00 - 2:45 PM CONTINUITY PLANNING FOR FINISHING OPERATIONS 🔹
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Continuity Planning for Finishing Operations: What would happen if your facility suffered a major catastrophe such as fire, tornado or more? Proper planning will help you keep the doors open and may help you land more business. Rick Gehman of Keystone Koatings will help you determine what type of planning is right for your business. |
Rick Gehman
Keystone Koating LLC 
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2:45 - 3:00 PM REFRESHMENT BREAK
Join your fellow attendees for a refreshment break! You'll have a chance to re-energize with a hot cup of coffee or
re-hydrate with a cold bottle of water while you grab a quick bite to eat. This also give all of our attendees a chance to visit with our wonderful Exhibitors and Sponsors. Don't forget to recharge your devices as well!
re-hydrate with a cold bottle of water while you grab a quick bite to eat. This also give all of our attendees a chance to visit with our wonderful Exhibitors and Sponsors. Don't forget to recharge your devices as well!
3:00 - 3:45 pm session tba
The topic and title of this session will be announced very soon. Please continue to check back!
3:45 - 4:30 pm THE VALUE OF PEER GROUPs: BUILDING YOUR OWN "A TEAM" PANEL DISCUSSION
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BUILDING YOUR OWN "A TEAM": Join us for a panel discussion led by Todd Luciano about building successful peer groups. Peer groups can serve as not only a source of information, but creating or being a part of a craftily curated group can also provide incredibly valuable perspective outside of your standard viewpoint! Members of the Products Finishing "A Team" will be on hand to explain the benefits of these groups. |
Todd Luciano
Products Finishing 
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The 'A' Team
Peer Group 
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4:30 - 4:45 pm Wrap Up
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END OF DAY WRAP UP: Join us at the end of our first day, as we discuss everything presented. Products Finishing Editor in Chief, Scott Francis will guide us through the rest of what the Executive Summit has to offer, while we ask any remaining questions, collect a few more business cards, and add to the days notes. |
Scott Francis
Products Finishing 
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4:45 - 6:30 pm networking reception
Join your fellow attendees after a full and thought provoking day of education while enjoying some conversation and cocktails! This reception will give us another opportunity to walk the tabletop area and network with the Top Shops Executive Summit Sponsors and Attendees. It's a do not miss event.
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Sponsored by our friends at:
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Blue diamonds next to a session represent a current or former PF Top Shop Award Winner.
Thursday, October 22nd
8:00 - 9:00 am Welcome and breakfast
WELCOME AND BREAKFAST:
Please join us in the Ballroom with a light breakfast buffet served in our Exhibit area. Make sure to walk the exhibit floor before our presentations begin!
Please join us in the Ballroom with a light breakfast buffet served in our Exhibit area. Make sure to walk the exhibit floor before our presentations begin!
9:00 - 9:30 am Building the Best Culture for Your Finishing Operation 🔹
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BUILDING THE BEST CULTURE FOR YOUR FINISHING OPERATION:
A close-knit atmosphere, hard-working mentality, innovative spirit and performance-driven culture is what made Lincoln Industries named one of the '25 Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work For in America’ seven times. You'll want to hear everything Marc LeBaron has to say in this session! |
Marc LeBaron
Lincoln Industries 
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9:30 - 10:00 am Growing Your Finishing Shop and its Employee Culture 🔹
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GROWING YOUR FINISHING SHOP AND ITS EMPLOYEE CULTURE: Taking on capital improvement projects is costly and daunting, but the folks from Professional Plating will show you how to effectively manage the projects and improve bottom line performance. Join Larry Dietz, Kerry Behnke, and Jessica Moskow for this informative session. |
Larry Dietz
Professional Plating 
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10:00 - 10:15 am Refreshment Break
Join your fellow attendees for a refreshment break! Youll have a chance to reenergize with a hot cup of coffee or rehydrate with a cold bottle of water while you grab a quick bite to eat. This also give all of our attendees a chance to visit with our wonderful Exhibitors and Sponsors. Don't forget to recharge your devices as well!
10:15 - 11:00 am Next Gen: Planning Ahead for Your Finishing Operation
11:00 - 11:30 am When “WHAT IF” Becomes A Reality! 🔹
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WHEN “WHAT IF” BECOMES A REALITY!: Over the last decade Microfinish has experienced a tornado and two floods. Bill will share his insights and experiences on how to navigate through these difficult times. He will discuss communications, the differences between private and federal insurance (FEMA) claims, all while holding on to customers and employees and getting your business up and going as quickly as possible. |
Bill Stock
MICROFINISH 
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11:30 - 11:45 am Event Wrap Up
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Join us at the end of our event, as we discuss the last two days worth of thought provoking education. Products Finishing Editor-In-Chief, Scott Francis will guide us through we what we have learned at the Executive Summit, while we ask our final questions, gather our final business cards, and take our final notes. *You will be instructed on where to find all of the conference presentations that we have been given permission to distribute. They will be accessible within two weeks of the conclusion of our event. |
Scott Francis
Products Finishing 
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Blue diamonds next to a session represent a current or former PF Top Shop Award Winner.
Thank you to our Sponsors!
To see a full list of sponsors and tabletops, please click here.
Platinum
Platinum Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Gold
Gold Sponsor
Silver
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
