{"id":93,"date":"2026-06-24T13:07:27","date_gmt":"2026-06-24T13:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/?page_id=93"},"modified":"2026-07-28T15:45:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T15:45:41","slug":"conference-speakers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/?page_id=93","title":{"rendered":"CONFERENCE SPEAKERS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:40px\"><strong>Day  1&nbsp; \u2014&nbsp; Monday, October 5<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong>David Altig<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Executive Vice President &amp; Chief Economic Advisor<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-712ec9e9cb60139f59099b5881e9a2d1 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reading the Economy: What Business Leaders Need to Know Right Now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"330\" height=\"411\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/David-Altig.jpg\" alt=\"Smirking man with dark eyebrows and balding head with gray hear. He is heavyset and wearing a good jacket with a red tie\" class=\"wp-image-140\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8029609183865504;object-fit:cover;width:145px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/David-Altig.jpg 330w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/David-Altig-241x300.jpg 241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. economy is sending mixed signals \u2014 and how you read those signals will shape the decisions you make in the next 12 to 24 months. David Altig brings a perspective few business leaders ever get direct access to: the view from inside the Federal Reserve. As Chief Economic Advisor to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Altig translates the complex machinery of monetary policy into what it actually means for inflation, interest rates, labor markets, and business conditions on the ground. This session cuts through the noise to give owners and executives a clearer picture of where the economy is headed \u2014 and what they should be watching.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong>Jeff Jirak<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Global Business Unit Director, Powder Coatings &amp; President, North America<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; AkzoNobel<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-3229cb53e70d136854c9387cb1b4fe22 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>The View From the Top: What Global Market Forces Mean for Your Business Right Now<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"146\" height=\"168\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Jeff-Jirak.jpg\" alt=\"Balding man with dark hair and glasses smiles. He has a gray suit on.\" class=\"wp-image-139\" style=\"width:145px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">Few people in the powder coating industry see the global market from the vantage point that Jeff Jirak does. As Global Business Unit Director for Powder Coatings and President of North America at AkzoNobel, he operates where macro forces hit the supply chain first \u2014 before they show up in your input costs, your customer\u2019s order patterns, or your competitive landscape. In this session, Jirak shares what he\u2019s watching: the cascade effect of geopolitical disruption through the supply chain, consolidation pressure on both suppliers and custom coaters, and the discipline required to make good business decisions when the signals are uncertain. For owners and operators navigating a market that feels increasingly unpredictable, this is the kind of perspective money can\u2019t buy elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong><strong>John Schuepbach<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Managing Director<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Phoenix Solutions Group International<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d890479d13218882bd49531a2c6eca6a wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong>Consolidation is Coming: M&amp;A Trends in Metal Fabrication and What They Mean for Custom Coaters<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach.jpg\" alt=\"Middle aged man with thinning blonde hair. He smiles at the camera, wearing black square rimmed glasses and a blue suit with a ligh blue checkered shirt\" class=\"wp-image-146\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">John Schuepbach has spent more than a decade at the center of the mergers and acquisitions market in steel and metal fabrication \u2014 a sector that runs closely parallel to custom coating and job shop operations. What he\u2019s watching in fabrication today tends to show up in powder coating tomorrow. In this session, Schuepbach maps the consolidation trends reshaping fabrication and draws the direct lines to what custom coaters and job shops should be thinking about: who\u2019s buying, who\u2019s selling, what multiples look like, and what business characteristics attract or repel acquirers. Whether you\u2019re building to sell, building to buy, or just trying to stay independent \u2014 this session gives you a sharper read on the market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong>Eric Schultz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>7 Stages of Growth<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-99ebf9b11302954575fcd8707d80d1ea wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Skip the Trial-and-Error: Focus on the Right Things, At the Right Time<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/erics.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-215\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/erics.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/erics-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/erics-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Growing pains aren&#8217;t random. They&#8217;re predictable. Based on research across 650+ companies, Eric Schultz breaks down the 7 Stages of Growth \u2014 a framework that shows exactly what problems hit as you add people, and what you need to fix before they blindside you. Stop throwing time and money at the wrong solution. Walk out knowing exactly what stage your business is in, what&#8217;s coming next, and what to do about it right now.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong>A.J. Baime<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>New York Times Bestselling Author<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; The Arsenal of Democracy&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; The Accidental President<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b29436df653d8a0e5f0da8b078cdc248 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>WAR ON THE HOMEFRONT: AMERICAN MANUFACTURING IN WWII<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1763\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-151\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime-300x258.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime-1024x882.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime-768x661.jpg 768w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Amit-Baime-1536x1322.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When the United States entered World War II, the military needed weapons \u2014 specifically, airplanes \u2014 and it needed them fast. President Roosevelt turned to American manufacturers, including the Ford Motor Company, which made an audacious promise: a bomber an hour. What followed was one of the most remarkable feats of industrial mobilization in history. New York Times bestselling author A.J. Baime brings this story to life in vivid, cinematic detail \u2014 a fitting reminder, as we gather steps from the National World War II Museum, of what American manufacturers are capable of when the stakes are highest. More than history, this session is a reflection on resilience, ingenuity, and the enduring power of people who build things.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-text-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-31d3422f370722390e9d7f1b35e3a0c5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><em><strong>Panel Session<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The View From Here: A Conversation With Day 1 Speakers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The formal presentations are done \u2014 now the real conversation begins. This moderated panel brings Day 1 speakers back to the stage for an open exchange with the audience. What did you hear that challenged your assumptions? What questions didn\u2019t get answered? What does all of it mean for the decisions you\u2019re actually facing? The panel format is designed to connect the morning\u2019s big-picture themes \u2014 economic outlook, industrial mobilization, M&amp;A pressure \u2014 to the specific conditions of running a powder coating business right now. Bring your questions. This is the session that makes the rest of the day actionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Featuring Day 1 speakers \u2014 moderated Q&amp;A format<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:40px\"><strong>Day 2&nbsp; \u2014&nbsp; Tuesday, October <\/strong>6<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Chris Daigle<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Founder &amp; CEO<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; ChiefAIOfficer.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f7cca15702a792259effa4045fc2d59b wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>AI Is Already Changing Your Business. The Question Is Whether You\u2019re Driving It.<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chris-Daigle.jpg\" alt=\"Bald man on stage holding a microphone. He is mid speech to an audience while a large video screen is behind him,\" class=\"wp-image-145\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chris-Daigle.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chris-Daigle-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Chris-Daigle-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Artificial intelligence is not a future problem to prepare for \u2014 it is a present reality reshaping how businesses quote, communicate, market, and operate right now. The companies moving deliberately are gaining advantages that are genuinely difficult to close. The ones waiting are falling behind in ways they may not yet see. Chris Daigle, Founder of ChiefAIOfficer.com, has spent years helping non-technical business leaders cut through the hype and implement AI in ways that produce measurable results. This session maps the current AI landscape in plain language: where we are, where it\u2019s heading, and the specific moves that small and mid-sized manufacturing businesses should be making today. No code required. No technical background needed. Just a clear-eyed look at what\u2019s changing and what to do about it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><em>90-MINUTE HANDS-ON WORKSHOP<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-d7d1dcaee0e9cae7f76b899cf117463a wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>AI in Action: A Working Session for Your Business<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is not a demonstration \u2014 it\u2019s a working session. Chris Daigle moves from the stage to the room for a 90-minute hands-on workshop designed to give attendees a practical AI implementation they can take back to their business immediately. Bring a laptop and access to an AI tool (ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) \u2014 you\u2019ll leave with something real, not just notes. The workshop is structured around a single idea: pick one specific problem, process, or task in your business and use AI to address it on the spot. Whether that\u2019s drafting customer communications, building a quoting template, analyzing a cost structure, or automating a recurring task \u2014 Chris guides participants through the process step by step. For owners and managers who have been curious about AI but haven\u2019t known where to start, this is where it clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Daniel Otamendi &amp; Amit Jassal<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Partner &amp; Managing Director<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Mensana<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-12b952fc01447718140844896a070c74 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Why Sales Gets a Free Pass \u2014 and Why That Has to Change<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Daniel-Otamendi.jpg\" alt=\"A young man with dark hair smiles at the camera. He has large dark eyebrows and a large smile.\" class=\"wp-image-156\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Daniel-Otamendi.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Daniel-Otamendi-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Daniel-Otamendi-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most businesses run operations with clear metrics, structured processes, and real accountability. Sales? Not so much. Sales teams are often managed differently \u2014 tolerated for volatility, shielded from scrutiny, and evaluated on outcomes no one can predict rather than behaviors anyone can influence. Daniel Otamendi and Amit Jassal of Mensana make the case that this has to change \u2014 and show what it looks like when it does. Drawing on their work with businesses that have introduced real structure, visibility, and coaching discipline into their sales functions, this session lays out a practical framework for treating sales like the operational discipline it should be. Attendees will leave with specific steps to improve accountability, sharpen pipeline visibility, and drive more predictable revenue growth \u2014 regardless of company size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong>Scott Bishop<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Researcher<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-820426344acee00351221673f681daa9 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Demand on the Rise: What the Energy Build-Out Means for Powder Coating<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Scott-Bishop.jpg\" alt=\"Man with gray hair and short trimmed beard smiles at the camera. He wears a dark blue jacket and lighter blue shirt.\" class=\"wp-image-147\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Scott-Bishop.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Scott-Bishop-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Scott-Bishop-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The American energy grid is being rebuilt at a scale not seen in generations. Utilities are adding capacity. Data centers are multiplying. Electrification is pushing into sectors that ran on gas for decades. All of that construction \u2014 transformers, substations, enclosures, structural components \u2014 needs to be finished. Scott Bishop of EPRI breaks down what the energy build-out actually looks like, where the demand is coming from, and how the surge in utility and data center infrastructure is creating real, durable opportunity for powder coating operations positioned to serve it. This is the kind of market intelligence that turns up in your quoting pipeline before most of your competitors see it coming.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong>John Schuepbach<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Managing Director<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Phoenix Solutions Group International<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-2dc12b7f6d23699d561470b3d1a5b0d4 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Where the Money Goes: Driving Profitability Through Smarter Cost Control<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach.jpg\" alt=\"Middle aged man with thinning blonde hair. He smiles at the camera, wearing black square rimmed glasses and a blue suit with a ligh blue checkered shirt\" class=\"wp-image-146\" style=\"width:140px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/John-Schuepbach-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Revenue is vanity. Profit is reality. John Schuepbach returns for a second session that shifts focus from the M&amp;A landscape to what happens inside the business \u2014 specifically, the cost structures that quietly erode margins while owners are busy running the operation. Drawing on his deep experience across steel fabrication and job shop environments, Schuepbach walks through the cost control disciplines that separate high-margin operators from the rest: where money leaks, what most owners don\u2019t measure, and the practical moves that go straight to the bottom line. For custom coaters and job shop owners ready to stop leaving money on the table, this is the session that pays for the trip.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><strong><strong>Brian Place<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:16px\"><em>Senior Vice President, Director of Sales \u2014 Business Insurance Practice<\/em>&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Marsh McLennan Agency<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-vivid-red-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7be466dc8128330b4084f27982d60b1b wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Your Insurance Program Is Probably Overdue for a Hard Look<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Place.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-195\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Place.jpg 400w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Place-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Brian-Place-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The manufacturing and finishing services landscape has changed significantly in recent years \u2014 and most business insurance programs haven\u2019t kept up. Coverage that made sense three years ago may have gaps today. Premiums may be climbing without a corresponding improvement in protection. And as businesses grow, acquire, or restructure, the policies on the shelf often don\u2019t reflect the actual risk profile of the company anymore. Brian Place, Senior Vice President at Marsh McLennan Agency, specializes in business insurance for manufacturers and has seen the same pattern repeat across the industry: programs that renew on autopilot while the business beneath them evolves. This session is not about employee benefits. It\u2019s a direct look at what\u2019s changing in business insurance \u2014 liability, property, equipment, and operational risk \u2014 and what owners and executives should be doing now to make sure they\u2019re actually protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-body-text-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-31d3422f370722390e9d7f1b35e3a0c5 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><em><strong>Panel Session<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><strong>The Future of the Powder Coating Business<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The industry is changing \u2014 in ways that are visible right now and in ways that will only become clear in the next few years. This closing panel brings together OEM operators, custom coaters, and supply chain partners for a candid conversation about where the powder coating business is headed: automation, workforce, customer expectations, competitive pressure, and the strategic moves that will separate the businesses still here in a decade from those that aren\u2019t. No prepared remarks, no polished talking points \u2014 just a direct exchange between operators who are navigating the same conditions your business is. This is the session that sends you home with something to think about on the plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><em>Panelists drawn from OEM operators, custom coaters, and industry suppliers \u2014 moderated discussion<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Day 1&nbsp; \u2014&nbsp; Monday, October 5 David Altig Executive Vice President &amp; Chief Economic Advisor&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Reading the Economy: What Business Leaders Need to Know Right Now The U.S. economy is sending mixed signals \u2014 and how you read those signals will shape the decisions you make in the next [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>CONFERENCE SPEAKERS - PCI Business Growth Summit<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/?page_id=93\" \/>\n<link rel=\"next\" href=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/?page_id=93&page=2\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"CONFERENCE SPEAKERS - PCI Business Growth Summit\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Day 1&nbsp; \u2014&nbsp; Monday, October 5 David Altig Executive Vice President &amp; Chief Economic Advisor&nbsp; \u2022&nbsp; Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Reading the Economy: What Business Leaders Need to Know Right Now The U.S. economy is sending mixed signals \u2014 and how you read those signals will shape the decisions you make in the next [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/?page_id=93\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PCI Business Growth Summit\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-28T15:45:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/David-Altig.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93\",\"name\":\"CONFERENCE SPEAKERS - PCI Business Growth Summit\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"http:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/David-Altig.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-24T13:07:27+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-28T15:45:41+00:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/?page_id=93#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/David-Altig.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/businessgrowthsummit.powdercoating.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/David-Altig.jpg\",\"width\":330,\"height\":411,\"caption\":\"Smirking man with dark eyebrows and balding head with gray hear. 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