Christopher Barlow
Christopher Barlow is the Head of Strategic Partnerships for the School of Business, University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). As a department lead, he works to create value-added partnerships between the university, corporations and other community-based partners such as governments, associations,... Read More
Michel Conklin
Michel leads the development and expansion of BotsIQ in southwestern Pennsylvania. She collaborates with partner organizations to provide hands-on projects and learning opportunities for youth and works to raise awareness and interest in manufacturing career pathways. During her time... Read More
Scott Dietz
Scott leads the program development and delivery of Catalyst Connection’s workforce initiatives. Over the past 19 years, Scott has consulted with manufacturing companies and schools on talent pipeline and career pathways across 12-counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Scott leads grant... Read More
Bryan J Fischer
Bryan has been in consulting his entire career, ranging from Big 4 to now operating his own practice for more than 15 years. He specializes in helping small-to-mid-sized businesses improve performance through strategic planning and execution and building high... Read More
Bradley J. Franc
Brad Franc is a seasoned entrepreneur, business advisor, and author of “The Succession Solution: The Strategic Guide to Business Transition”. He created The Succession Solution, a comprehensive 6-stage succession planning process that addresses tax, legal, financial, and familial aspects... Read More
Chris Gassman
Chris Gassman is an innovator with decades of experience growing companies sustainably. His 5yr BHAG: Help generate $1T in Revenue by making the world a thriving place for all. Chris’s endeavors have added both bottom-line and top-line value to UN... Read More
Jess Grainger
Jess Grainger is the Regional Director for Disability Lead’s new chapter in Southwestern Pennsylvania, where he’s building a strong, visible presence for disability leadership in the region. With a background in education and workforce development, Jess has led initiatives... Read More
Doug Gudenburr
As President of DMI Companies, Douglas Gudenburr oversees the organization, sets strategic goals, and ensures the company’s long-term success by working closely with the DMI Board of Directors and his senior executive team to make key decisions that impact... Read More
Tim Hindes
Tim is a visionary leader at the intersection of creativity, community, and social impact. As the CEO of TrailBlaze Creative, he leads a dedicated team in delivering marketing and creative capacity solutions to mission-driven organizations across North America who... Read More
Michael Hruska
Mike Hruska is a seasoned technologist and AI specialist leading Problem Solutions, an innovative technology agency with a 20-year history. With a background as a researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), he excels in turning... Read More
Mark Joseph
Mark Joseph began leading organizations at age 27, purchasing a $600K business in the pollution control industry and growing it to $20M over 16 years. He has since led three additional organizations, including in ministry, each achieving significant growth... Read More
Tyler Kimmel
I’ve been in higher education for almost a decade, with the majority of that time here at Pitt. I’m passionate about student career success and love seeing a student’s hard work payoff with a co-op/internship offer. I’m an avid... Read More
Hannah Kusenko
Hannah joined Catalyst Connection in 2017 and has since done work in a variety of different departments including reporting, marketing, organizational development, and workforce development. In her current position as Workforce Specialist, Hannah manages a variety of middle and high... Read More
Stephanie Law
Stephanie Law is a disability advocate based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and serves as the Community Liaison Specialist for Bender Leadership Academy, and the Coordinator for the Bender Mentoring Initiative. Transitioning from a strong history in the medical and disability... Read More
Petra Mitchell
Petra Mitchell is the President and CEO of Catalyst Connection, a private, nonprofit economic development organization dedicated to helping manufacturers with management consulting and technical assistance leading to business growth and job creation. Catalyst Connection is part of the... Read More
Victor Mroczkowski
Victor Mroczkowski is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Re:Build Manufacturing, Total Production Solutions, where he leads a group of industrial businesses focused on operational excellence, advanced technologies, and strategic growth. He brings over a decade of executive... Read More
Craig Pritts
Craig Pritts started his career helping businesses with their benefit plans in 2007 with JRG Advisors and was a part of the team that merged with Emerson Reid, LLC, to become My Benefit Advisor. Today Craig serves as an... Read More
Donald Racey
Don is the CEO of Engage Global Advisors. Engage serves the manufacturing, diversified energy, and private equity industries. Engage works with companies to reduce costs, improve performance and mitigate risk. Connect with Donald. ... Read More
Ben Renwick
Ben Renwick is the STEM Education Lead at Covestro LLC, where he oversees STEM community outreach in the Pittsburgh area and regional manufacturing sites. With a focus on creating lasting impact through Covestro’s workforce, he collaborates with over 40... Read More
Livia Rice
Livia Rice is the Director of Outreach & Engagement for the ARM Institute. In this role, she leads all ARM Institute marketing, communications, events activities, and supporting key strategic initiatives, including RoboticsCareer.org and the Robotics Manufacturing Hub program. Having... Read More
Linda Trevenen
Linda Trevenen is a senior business executive with over 35 years’ experience driving business growth with prominent global healthcare organizations: Allergan, Johnson & Johnson, Dentsply, and Philips Healthcare. Now semi-retired, she provides services as an executive coach and business... Read More
Wayne Vanderhoof
Wayne Vanderhoof is a Certified Safety Professional with more than 30 years of experience in public safety, mechanical engineering design, and worker safety. For the past 17 years, Wayne has been the Senior Consultant and President of RJR Safety... Read More
Melissa Vecchi
Melissa Vecchi is a dedicated leader, mother, and community advocate with a lifelong passion for education. Her experienced in manufacturing brings collaboration, conflict resolution, innovation, and a strong commitment for workforce development to the industry. Throughout her career, she... Read More
Rebecca Walker
Rebecca Walker grew up in a manufacturing community in northwest Pennsylvania and currently serves as President of Student Run Manufacturing Enterprise. Rebecca has been involved in education for most of her career, in just about every role from teacher... Read More
Craig Waller
Craig Waller is a seasoned entrepreneur and the driving force behind Rewyndr, where he serves as Founder and CEO. With a career marked by a deep commitment to innovation and operational excellence, Craig has built a reputation for transforming... Read More
Reserve Your Spot!
Don’t miss the 2025 MFG Works Conference on May 13 at University of Pittsburgh Alumni Hall. Register now.
Download our “Attendance Approval Doc” for a template to request approval from your manager!
