Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/599529
20 | /INSIGHT ON MANUFACTURING • November 2015 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m Manufacturing First Expo & Conference draws 1,100 T he fifth annual Manufacturing First Expo & Conference — held for the first time over two days — hosted more than 1,100 visitors, up from about 850 last year. The event, hosted by First Business Bank and partners the NEW Manufacturing Alliance and Insight Publications, included 182 exhibitor booths from around the state. The event featured enhanced programming over two days in the expanded KI Center in Green Bay. The expo kicked off Oct. 21 with industry-specific programs, including exporting and international trade, trends in the food and beverage industry, advancing your company's lean enterprise and a program on women in manufacturing featured CEOs Jan Allman of Marinette Marine, Kim Bassett of Bassett Mechanical and Rita Cox of Coating Excellence International speaking about leadership. The New Manufacturing Alliance held an education summit Oct. 21 to feature examples of how area educators are successfully partnering with manufacturers to solve the skills gap. The summit also asked educators and company leaders to discuss ways to enhance partnerships during a roundtable brainstorming session. The evening concluded with the Excellence in Manufacturing/K12 Education Partnership Awards dinner. F E AT U R E