Women in Manufacturing Heads to Hartford for Seventh Annual SUMMIT

Women in Manufacturing® (WiM) announced today that it will hold its seventh annual SUMMIT in at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT on September 13-15, 2017. More than 300 women are expected to attend the annual three-day conference that is specifically designed to support, promote and inspire women in the manufacturing industry. WiM is the only national association specifically dedicated to supporting women in the manufacturing sector with year-round programming and a national directory for women in the industry.

The SUMMIT program theme for 2017 is “Unified in MFG” and events, speakers and discussions are planned to emphasize the diverse nature of manufacturing and the women who make up its workforce. Attendees will attend plenary sessions with high-profile speakers, participate in educational breakout sessions and network with industry peers.

“The ‘Unified in MFG’ theme was inspired by our members––remarkable women from every part of the manufacturing industry and every rung on the leadership ladder,” said WiM President Allison Grealis. “Our SUMMITs bring these women together to support and learn from one another, united under one common denominator: a passion for manufacturing. At this year’s SUMMIT, we will simultaneously celebrate the diverse nature of our industry and the unity of women in manufacturing.”

The conference kicks off with plant tours at some of Hartford’s most advanced manufacturing facilities, including TRUMPF Inc., CNC Software, Inc., Pratt & Whitney, and Kaman Corporation. The full SUMMIT agenda can be found on the WiM website.

Presentations by high-profile women from top-tier companies include:

  • Jonna Gerken, Manager, PCME Group, Pratt & Whitney & President Elect, Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
  • Lorinda Lewis, Senior Director, Continuous Improvement, Oshkosh Defense, LLC
  • Mary Burke, Founder & CEO, Building Brave
  • Siobhan Pandya, Director Lean/Continuous Improvement, Mary Kay Inc.
  • Irene Petrick, Director, Business Strategy for the Industrial & Energy Solutions Division, INTEL

SUMMIT sponsors include (partial list) Precision Metalforming Association, Zurich Insurance, TD Bank, Autodesk, Inc., Dassault Systèmes, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, APPI Energy, RTH Group, Plante Moran, PLLC., Ingersoll Rand and AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology. A full list of sponsors can be found here. A limited number of sponsor slots are still available.

Stay connected with WiM for updates regarding this year’s program by visiting the WiM website and following WiM on Twitter - @WomeninMfg, #WiMSUMMIT, #UnifiedinMFG.

Women in Manufacturing™ is a nearly 800-member-strong national association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. It encourages the engagement of women who want to share perspectives, gain cutting-edge manufacturing information, improve leadership and communication skills, participate in sponsoring programs and network with industry peers. WiM is the only national association specifically dedicated to supporting women in the manufacturing sector with year-round programming and a national directory for women in the industry. For more information about WiM, visit www.womeninmanufacturing.org.