THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Join us, along with our friends from CPA (The Association for Contract Packagers and Manufacturers) and Frain Industries, for an informative evening filled with speaker sessions and networking opportunities. This event is designed to bring together brands, contract manufacturers, and contract packagers to delve into discussions about the future of technology in manufacturing and its trajectory within the industry.
AGENDA:
1:00 PM Welcome
1:15 PM State of the Contract Packaging industry – CPA State of the Industry report 2023
1:30 PM AI Panel Discussion
2:30 PM Break
2:45 PM Automation Panel Discussion
4:00 PM Networking session
4:15 PM Tour
5:00 PM Networking social event
5:30 PM Event Ends
AUTOMATION PANEL
AHMAD DOUZALI (Moderator)
Account Executive
Formic
Ahmad joined Formic in 2021 as their first sales hire and is the Account Executive for the Midwestern U.S. region where he works with more than 100 manufacturers and co-packers in the Chicagoland area. He is passionate about helping small-to-medium sized businesses to automate their production with Formic’s unique Robots-as-a-Service model. Ahmad is based out of Chicago and he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
ROB BRODECKI
Business Development Manager
KUKA
Rob has experience in automating the food & beverage world for the last 7 years, from robotics to PLC, processing to palletizing and more. Currently, he is the business development manager for KUKA robotics focused on the consumer-packaged goods industry, especially food & beverage, helping manufacturers of all sizes improve their operations with traditional robotics, AI-driven solutions, and mobile robotics. Previously he’s held product manager roles for KUKA and Mitsubishi Electric Automation, covering various industries and products lines. He started out at Fuji Robotics in business development, doing palletizing robots for the food & beverage world.
Operations Manager/Part Owner
MATTPAK
Started at MattPak in the maintenance department. Now in a different role as Operations Manager, looks at ways to improve/upgrade daily operations including Sustainability. Big part of his days is to make sure company efficiencies are being met. First automation brought in was 2 new robotic palletizers through Formic and still discovering other automations to bring in.
KEN OLSON
Vice President of Operations
MSI Express
Ken Olson has been a pivotal member of MSI Express since 2014. After receiving a bachelors degree in Industrial Engineering from Northern Illinois University, Ken initially joined the company as an engineering intern. He soon transitioned to full-time roles in engineering where he designed production lines and implemented continuous improvement projects. He then moved into production, where he excelled as both production manager and plant manager across various facilities. Ken's journey at MSI Express continued as he took on the role of Regional Director of Operations in 2022, overseeing operations in 6 different facilities.
ELY GUIMARAES
Project Director
Innovafeed
Ely joined Innovafeed in 2023 as Project Director where he led the deployment of the North American Insect Innovation Center site in Decatur, US, and since March 2024 the took the role of North American Site and Engineering Director, where he oversees Operations and Engineering activities in the US. Before Innovafeed, Ely accumulated extensive experience in global food, cosmetic, and glass manufacturing, including a 14-year tenure at Danone culminating his role as Regional Engineering Manager for the factories in Brazil and Argentina, a role at Beiersdorf in Germany as Global Automation Project Manager, and work at Cornelio Brennand Group as Lead Engineer and Maintenance Supervisor.
AI PANEL
PAUL STATCHUK (Moderator)
Vice President of Sales
Nulogy
Paul serves as the Vice President of Sales for Nulogy and he has been with the organization since 2013. Nulogy provides operational control and collaboration solutions for brand manufacturers and their extended supply chains, leveraging AI to drive efficiencies across external supply chains. Paul attended the University of Victoria and competed in the NAIA while competing on the Varsity Golf Team. Paul got his start in Supply Chain with Solarsoft (sold to Epicor) in 2010 and has been involved in Contract Packaging since he began Nulogy more than a decade ago.
DAVID ADAMS
Vice President Information Technology
MSI Express
Besides running the IT departments since 1996, David has worked with vendors and other suppliers to cut costs across the board. The vast amount of knowledge David has gained through his years in the corporate world has helped him implement programs that has been purchased and used throughout the steel industry. He believes on a hands-on approach, he gets involved with all employees to find out what their concerns and objectives are so he can provide them with the best solution possible.
SHAWN GILRONAN
Principal, Digital Advisory Practice Leader
CohnReznick
Shawn is a growth-focused leader with success in implementing strategic roadmaps and designing innovative technology solutions to help clients achieve their goals. He has extensive knowledge of digital transformation; business intelligence and data analytics; risk assessment and mitigation; data migration and integration; and more. He will focus on developing strategic business relationships with clients that create sustainable, leading technological operating models and bottom-line improvements.
ADAM GRIFFEN
Product Manager
ei3
Adam is a forward-thinking Product Manager at ei3, driven by a passion for Automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI). With a career trajectory marked by continuous growth and innovation, Adam spent eight impactful years at Mettler-Toledo, where he honed his expertise in Product Management. Specializing in software engineering and SAP Variant Configuration, he played a pivotal role in driving technological advancements within the company. Additionally, Adam led Compliance efforts for Automation & Digital Security, demonstrating his commitment to ensuring the highest standards of quality and safety. His deep understanding of industry standards and emerging technologies has made him a valuable asset to the organization, shaping the future of machine automation and control.
MISHAAL KHAN
Mindsight
Mishaal Khan is a subject matter expert in cybersecurity, pentesting, privacy, Open-Source Intelligence, and social engineering. He is a frequent speaker on these topics at universities and popular cybersecurity conferences like DEFCON, Wild West Hacking Fest, and multiple BSides events. Mishaal has worked with multinational companies for over 20 years, securing their networks and providing executive-level consultancy to manage risk and avoid breaches. He’s an author, holds a CCIE and CEH, and runs the cybersecurity practice at Mindsight as a vCISO.
This event is in partnership with
and our sponsors
