Bob Nardelli is a true master of operational excellence and value creation, one of the best pure operators ever to emerge in American manufacturing. In this exclusive session, Nardelli, shares from his personal playbook developed over decades at the helm of some of the world’s most recognizable manufacturing and industrial companies to help you and your team thrive.
Learn how he quickly assesses new businesses, evaluates leadership teams and identifies the critical levers to pull for sustained growth and profitability. This is a rare opportunity for manufacturing CEOs to gain firsthand advice on driving value, navigating complexity and building organizations that win.
Former CEO, Chrysler Company, The Home Depot, and GE Power Systems Founder and CEO, XLR-8 LLC
Gain invaluable insights from one of the most seasoned dealmakers in mid-sized American manufacturing as they share candid perspectives on the road ahead. This session will explore the latest trends shaping the M&A landscape, including:
From market trends to actionable strategies, this session will equip you to make smarter decisions and stay ahead in this dynamic deal environment.
SVP, Corporate Strategy and Development, Rockwell Automation
Founder and Managing Partner, CORE Industrial Partners
Participants will also have an opportunity to participate in peer-to-peer discussions, rotating on a variety of relevant topics related to the deal process, while developing valuable relationships with buyers, sellers and deal advisers.
Discussions may include:
Concurrently, participants have the chance to purposefully network in 1:1 confidential settings with several buy-side deal-makers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal strategies.
Attendees will divide into smaller groups with subject matter experts delving deeper into buy- and sell-side considerations. Potential Topics Include:
Join your peers for casual networking at local restaurants.
Due diligence is more than a checklist—it’s the process that makes or breaks a deal. And the best practices and must-haves change all the time. This session will dive into often-overlooked elements of this key skill in 2025 for both the buy-side and the sell-side, and explore best practices for conducting a seamless, integrated process while maintaining momentum, relationships and confidentiality. Whether you’re buying or selling this year or beyond, these insights will streamline your approach, help you focus on what buyers and sellers really value today, and drive better outcomes.
Partner, Linklaters LLP
Everyone aims for a successful deal, but the key to getting to “Yes” lies in the process. Value is often created—or lost—long before the final handshake, making it critical to approach negotiations strategically. In this session, we’ll sit down with a seasoned serial acquirer to uncover how they evaluate deals and navigate the complexities of the M&A process, including:
Whether you’re preparing for your first deal or fine-tuning your approach, this session will provide actionable insights to help you execute with confidence.
Principal, Periculum Capital
Participants will also have an opportunity to participate in peer-to-peer discussions, rotating on a variety of relevant topics related to the deal process, while developing valuable relationships with buyers, sellers and deal advisers
Concurrently, participants have the chance to purposefully network in 1:1 confidential settings with several buy-side deal-makers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal strategies.
20-min meetings, Limited spots available. Purposefully network in 1:1 confidential conversations among business owners and sell side deal-makers and acquirers to discuss specifics about your business situation, value-enhancing ideas and potential deal options.
Set of 2, 25-min roundtables. Participants join peer-to-peer discussions, rotating on a variety of relevant topics related to the deal process, while developing valuable relationships with buyers, sellers and deal advisers.
Nailing an exit—or an acquisition—that exceeds expectations requires more than just a disciplined, strategic approach. It needs hard-won wisdom and experience. In this keynote, a seasoned CEO turned private equity investor will share actionable insights on how they’re seeing the best manufacturing companies are doing deals in today’s competitive environment. Learn how to identify key growth levers, optimize operations and align leadership for maximum impact. This session will also explore the importance of building a culture of accountability, managing risk with precision and positioning your company for long-term success in a rapidly evolving market.
Executive Partner, Madison Dearborn Partners;
Former Chair & CEO, Baxter International
Former President, Quicken Steel
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.