(Optional, separate registration)
Daytime programming for CEOs and CFOs focused on company value, capital strategy and long-term options.
Golfers attending the Family Business Summit have the rare opportunity to play at the private Pelican Golf Club. Nestled along the Gulf Coast in Belleair, Florida, the course is known for its immaculate conditioning and classic layout, inspired by the original Donald Ross design from the 1920s.
Pelican has served as the stage for some of golf’s most celebrated moments, including The Match featuring legends Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy paired against Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth. Pelican Golf Club also welcomes the world’s top women golfers as host of the annual LPGA tournament The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, further cementing its reputation as a premier championship venue.
Whether you’re a seasoned player or simply appreciate the game’s traditions, this is a rare chance to walk the same fairways as the greats, in the company of other Summit attendees. Availability is limited, and advance registration is required. Transportation from the hotel will be provided. *Please note the course is Walking Only unless participant has a medical issue that prevents them from walking.
Recently named #3 CEO in the world by Inc. Magazine, Bob Chapman transformed Barry-Wehmiller from a struggling $20M company to a thriving $3.6B global manufacturing enterprise over 50 years—not through traditional management practices, but through “Truly Human Leadership.” In an era where manufacturing must fill 4.6 million jobs by 2028 and 50% of employees leave because of their managers, Chapman’s people-centric approach offers a revolutionary path forward. At Barry-Wehmiller, they measure success “by the way they touch the lives of people,” achieving extraordinary business results through extraordinary care for their team members. Learn how this St. Louis-based manufacturing leader built a culture where people flourish, retention soars, and business results follow.
Chairman & CEO, Barry-Wehmiller and Author of ESJ Bestseller "Everybody Matters" | 2024 SHRM CEO of the Year
There’s nothing more drenched in hype and buzz than artificial intelligence, but the list of wins for industrial manufacturing remains short, the list of questions entirely too long. In this live case study, the leader of one of the most industrial organizations imaginable—makers of graphite electrodes for steelmaking—takes us deep inside his 20-month odyssey to harness the AI revolution. His big bet: combine IoT, big data, analytics, AI and gut feel to better answer the most fundamental questions that thwart quality, ramp cost and destroy margins. Why is one shift more productive than another? Why is one operator more effective? What does this machine run better than its twin on another line? “It’s a different way of thinking,” he says. This isn’t hypothetical. This is happening now. You’ll hear what he’s doing, learn what he’s learning, and leave with insights to make meaningful use of AI in your own operations.
President, Tokai Carbon U.S.
Breakthrough technologies are revolutionizing the manufacturing landscape in real time. This opening keynote will explore how artificial intelligence, connected systems, and data-driven decision-making are not replacing humans but amplifying their capabilities. Learn how intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and connected manufacturing ecosystems are driving competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability across American industry. You’ll gain helpful insights into how mid-market manufacturers can harness innovation to thrive in an era of rapid change.
Chairman of the Board, Pella Windows
For today’s manufacturers, competitive advantage isn’t just built through scale or technology—it’s protected (or undermined) by how well leaders manage risk. In this fireside chat, Travelers will share new research on economic moats and what truly sustains them in manufacturing. Drawing on insights from 700 executives and risk leaders, the conversation will explore how different risks and operational discipline increasingly determine whether value compounds—or quietly erodes. We’ll also examine how the “human” side of the operation, including safety and workforce capability, can be both the greatest source of risk and the most underrated competitive advantage. You’ll leave with a clearer view of where your moat is strongest, where it’s vulnerable, and how smarter risk decisions can directly strengthen your long-term value and competitive advantage.
Manufacturing National Practice Lead, Travelers
Risk Control Assistant Vice President for Workers Compensation Strategy & Consulting Services, Travelers
Move beyond the political rhetoric and dive into the hard data shaping America’s manufacturing landscape. Drawing from their latest Federal Reserve analysis, this session reveals the surprising truth about the U.S. manufacturing “renaissance”—it’s real, but slower and more nuanced than most realize. The recovery has been driven primarily by new manufacturing establishments opening rather than dramatic productivity gains at existing facilities. As geopolitical tensions continue to reshape global supply chains and automation transforms production, understand why this “establishment-led” recovery could indicate either a healthy diversification of the industrial base—or a warning sign of productivity stagnation. Learn how forward-thinking CEOs are interpreting these patterns to make smarter decisions about facility locations, capacity investments, and competitive positioning in an increasingly fragmented manufacturing landscape.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Economic Research Specialists | Manufacturing Sector Analysts
Nearshoring emerges as a primary strategy for 2026, driven by the need for faster turnaround times, better quality control, and reduced disruption risks. Discuss practical approaches to supply chain diversification, vendor relationship management, and building flexibility without sacrificing efficiency.
Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to improve EBITDA quality and cash-flow integrity amid margin compression, supplier risk, and higher capital costs. Traditional working-capital programs focus on cash timing but lack transparency, flexibility, and visibility. This session introduces Working Capital 2.0—a modern operating model that applies market-based pricing, real-time decision intelligence, and disciplined liquidity deployment across AP and AR to help manufacturers improve cash-flow efficiency, strengthen supplier participation, and operate working capital as a competitive advantage in 2026.
Vice President, Monkey
About 50% of employees have left a job to get away from their manager, making leadership development crucial for retention. Share best practices for developing technical experts into effective leaders, creating succession planning programs, and building leadership capabilities at every level.
As factories embrace IoT, AI, and digital supply chain tools, cyber risk is no longer just an IT issue—it’s a core business threat. A single ransomware attack or vendor breach can halt production, compromise IP, and erode years of value. In this roundtable, we’ll look at practical strategies for protecting operational technology systems, safeguarding proprietary processes, and managing digital risk in an era where innovation and security must go hand in hand.
New federal tax legislation has created one of the most advantageous environments manufacturers have seen in decades. From accelerated depreciation on specialized facilities to enhanced incentives for energy-efficient upgrades and expanded R&D credits, the opportunities to strengthen cash flow and fund growth are bigger than ever. Even more significant: a brand-new category of benefits aimed directly at production facilities. In this roundtable, tax experts will break down the changes that matter most, what actions manufacturers should take now, and how to turn these incentives into meaningful, near-term financial gains.
Partner, Capstan Tax Strategies
Cambridge Air Solutions (Chesterfield HQ)
Experience a true “Gemba walk” inside one of the most admired mid-market manufacturers in America. Cambridge Air Solutions may be a 60-year-old family business, but what you’ll see on the shop floor looks more like a case study from the future of manufacturing. Their industrial HVAC systems deliver 20–70% better energy efficiency than competitors—proving you don’t need massive scale to innovate at a world-class level.
On this tour, you’ll step into a lean, highly visual operation where front-line employees drive quality, problem-solving, and continuous improvement. See how a $24M company competes—and wins—against industry giants through smart design, disciplined processes, and a culture that people genuinely want to be part of. With 40,000+ installations and a nationally recognized workplace culture, Cambridge shows what’s possible when a mid-market manufacturer builds an operating system that turns people into its greatest strategic advantage.
Watlow (Maryland Heights)
Get a rare, close-up look inside one of the most technologically advanced mid-market manufacturers in the country. Your Gemba walk through Watlow’s 185,000 sq. ft. global headquarters includes their brand-new $6M Ceramic Technology Center, semiconductor-grade clean rooms, and advanced materials labs where next-generation thermal systems are engineered.
Founded more than 100 years ago and still family-owned, Watlow demonstrates how a mid-sized manufacturer can out-innovate larger competitors through deep technical expertise, disciplined reinvestment, and a culture built for continuous reinvention. With 1,000+ patents, AS9100D and NADCAP certifications, and customers spanning aerospace, semiconductors, medical devices, and energy, you’ll see how they translate cutting-edge science into scalable, reliable production. Watch 600+ St. Louis team members blend innovation with operational rigor—and walk away with ideas you can bring directly to your own operation.
The Gund Company (St. Louis)
Step inside one of the most quietly innovative mid-market manufacturers in America. The Gund Company—now in its fourth generation—builds mission-critical composite components for power generation, aerospace, healthcare, and industrial systems. At their 70,000 sq. ft. St. Louis facility, you’ll see how the company blends the discipline of a world-class obeya room with the warmth of a people-first culture.
Watch advanced fabrication in action—CNC machining, precision routing, waterjets, lathes, mills—while seeing how operators, engineers, and leaders collaborate in real time to solve problems, improve processes, and elevate quality. Experience how Gund’s humanistic leadership model—daily GEMBA walks, kaizen facilitation, transparent visual systems, and structured team development—drives higher safety, better throughput, and a workforce that takes genuine ownership of performance.
Enjoy an exclusive evening at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery featuring a private reception in the beer garden, behind-the-scenes tours of the brewhouse and Budweiser Clydesdale stables and tastings of classic and seasonal beers.
When Amazon entered the payments business to crush Square, Jim McKelvey didn’t retreat—he innovated his way to victory. Now the St. Louis entrepreneur who built a company that went head-to-head with one of the world’s most powerful corporations reveals exactly how he did it. McKelvey’s framework—at the heart of his bestselling book The Innovation Stack—isn’t about software or apps. It’s about creating compounding advantages so intertwined competitors aren’t able to keep up.
For manufacturers facing low-cost overseas competition, private equity roll-ups, or competitors with vastly deeper pockets, this is the strategic answer. McKelvey will show you how to identify the unique problems your customers face, stack process innovations that multiply competitive advantage, and build something truly impossible to replicate at scale. This isn’t about outspending giants—it’s about out-thinking them by creating defensible positions they can’t copy. If you’ve ever wondered how mid-market manufacturers actually compete and win when the playing field isn’t level, this is your playbook.
Co-founder of Block, formerly Square, Former Chair of the St. Louis Fed, and Professional Glass Artist
Bob Chapman will challenge us to rethink leadership through a people-first lens. Steve Gund will show you what it looks like when that philosophy becomes a disciplined operating system.
At The Gund Company, operational excellence isn’t a set of tools—it’s the outcome of a people-first system built intentionally over decades. In this session, Steve will share how a 70-year-old industrial manufacturer transformed performance by embedding humanistic leadership into every layer of its operations. From GEMBA walks that strengthen trust, to visual systems that make problems visible, to career development processes that help employees become the best version of themselves, he’ll reveal how culture—when designed with rigor—drives business results. You’ll walk away with a practical framework for turning Truly Human Leadership into a continuous-improvement engine that elevates safety, engagement, quality, and profitability simultaneously.
CEO, The Gund Company
Most manufacturers dream of reshoring. Few actually pull it off. Peter Mann did it—and made it profitable. In 2021, Oransi’s CEO bought a shuttered 157,000 sq. ft. factory in Radford, Virginia, and launched their first U.S.-manufactured product in 2023—before tariffs made headlines. This wasn’t a symbolic gesture or a pilot line. It was a complete transformation: air purifier company to motor technology manufacturer, with proprietary motors now opening doors to drones, AI data center cooling, and markets that demand American-made precision. Mann will share what it really takes to compete with China—not just survive next to it. You’ll hear the hard lessons: building supply chains from scratch, designing products specifically to offset higher U.S. labor costs, navigating timelines that stretch 80% longer than overseas manufacturing, and proving out new technology at scale while keeping the business running.
If you’ve been wrestling with whether reshoring makes strategic sense, or how to actually execute it without destroying margins, this session will give you the roadmap—straight from someone who’s living it.
CEO and Founder, Oransi
John Kramer, Chairman & CEO of Cambridge Engineering in Chesterfield, MO, has transformed a 60-year-old family business into one of the best-run mid-market manufacturers in America—achieving 13% average annual revenue growth over five years while earning Missouri’s “Manufacturer of the Year” award. Discover how Kramer and his team revolutionized their culture through daily plant-floor meetings, employee-made improvement videos (7,000 and counting!), lean principles, and an obsessive focus on human dignity. This isn’t just another corporate transformation story—it’s a roadmap showing how mid-market manufacturers can compete with anyone through the power of engaged people, continuous improvement, and authentic leadership.
Chairman & CEO, Cambridge Air Solutions; Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist | Missouri Manufacturer of the Year
Barry-Wehmiller
Learn the playbook that proves companies can care for people while performing with excellence.
Recognized globally for pioneering a model of leadership that empowers leaders to perform with excellence while caring for others, Barry-Wehmiller has grown into a $3.6 billion-plus organization with more than 12,000 team members in 110+ global locations united by a shared mission of building a better world through business. In 2015, BW Chairman and former CEO Bob Chapman founded Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute to bring BW’s playbook outside the company’s walls, which, to date, has included industry-leading retailers, start-ups, industrial manufacturing giants, professional sports organizations, commercial airlines and more.
In this interactive, exclusive learning experience, you’ll learn from Barry-Wehmiller and Chapman & Co. leaders how their “Truly Human Leadership” philosophy becomes operational reality—the engine that trains thousands of leaders annually to drive the retention, engagement and performance Bob Chapman described on stage.
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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.