On Thursday, July 23, 2015, Marlin Steel CEO Drew Greenblatt will be in Cleveland, Ohio for the National Association of Manufacturers’ (NAM’s) Executive Insights Discussion to be a panelist for their discussion.
This panel is a part of the NAM’s ongoing Executive Insights Series, which is designed to give manufacturers “an opportunity to participate in a unique conversation with CEOs of the top manufacturing companies in the world today.” At these events, manufacturers will have the chance to benefit from the personal experiences of some of the industry’s most innovative thinkers.
Who Else Will Be There?
At the time of this writing, 52 different NAM members have confirmed their attendance at this event, with more on the way.
The other panelists for this discussion include:
Chris Connor, Chairman and CEO of the Sherwin-Williams Company
Chris Connor first joined the Sherwin-Williams Company in 1983, and rose to become the company CEO in 1999, and the chairman of the company in April of 2000.
Aside from his obligations at Sherwin-Williams Company, Mr. Connor is also on the board of directors for several other organizations, including:
- The Greater Cleveland Partnership
- The Rock and Roll House of Fame
- The United Way Services of Greater Cleveland
- The Playhouse Square Foundation
- The Eaton Corporation
In addition to the above, Chris Connor is also on the dean’s advisory committee of the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University.
Although a sociology major in college when he graduated from Ohio State University, Mr. Connor soon found he had an aptitude for advertising, working at an advertising agency after graduation. In fact, before he was the CEO of Sherwin-Williams, Mr. Connor was the company’s advertising director.
With several decades of experience under his belt, Mr. Connor has a wealth of insights to share at the panel discussion.
Rich Kramer, Chairman, CEO, and President of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
After joining Goodyear Tire & Rubber in 2000, Rich Kramer embarked on a steady ascent through the company’s ranks by landing key leadership roles throughout the company over the course of the next decade.
Mr. Kramer’s rise through the ranks culminated in his being appointed CEO of the company in 2010. In that same year, he was also elected chairman of the company’s board of directors.
During his ascent through Goodyear’s ranks, Mr. Kramer accomplished many feats, including a restructuring of the company’s debt and the implementation of improvements to Goodyear’s capital structure.
A natural-born Cleveland native, Rich attended John Carroll University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Rich maintains ties with his university and the community, serving on JCU’s Board of Trustees and being active with the Akron Regional Chamber of Commerce and Akron Tomorrow.
Mr. Kramer’s rapid rise through the Goodyear Tire & Rubber company and his accomplishments during the harsh economic recession highlight his skill and determination. His insights into keeping a manufacturing company operational and in the black should prove valuable to any manufacturer.
David Farr, Chairman and CEO, Emerson
A longtime veteran of the Emerson company, David Farr began his career with the company in 1981 in a corporate staff position. Since then, he has worn many hats with Emerson, including:
- Manager of investor relations
- Vice President of corporate planning and development
- President of the Ridge Tool business unit
- Group VP of the industrial components and equipment business
- President of Emerson Asia-Pacific
- CEO of Emerson’s Astec joint venture
In 2000, Mr. Farr became the CEO of Emerson, and in 2004, he was named chairman for the company as well.
David currently serves on the board of directors for the NAM and the U.S.-China Business Council. Additionally, Mr. Farr has served on the executive boards of numerous civic and charitable organizations, including the Greater St. Louis Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.
As a board member of both the NAM and the U.S.-China Business Council, Mr. Farr has invaluable insights into trade relations with other nations and how to deal with foreign competitors.
The Moderator
This event will be personally moderated by none other than the NAM’s President and CEO, Jay Timmons. As the CEO of the largest manufacturing association in the United States, Mr. Timmons is dedicated to helping manufacturers become more competitive on the global market and strengthening the U.S. economy.
The Discussion
The main focus of the panel discussion will be the economic outlook for manufacturers in 2015.
Specific topics that Marlin Steel will discuss at the panel will include the impact of regulatory changes on business operations, the need for comprehensive tax reforms, as well as the skills gap in America and how it affects manufacturers.
After the discussion is over, there will be a Q&A session where the panelists will field questions from the audience. This could be your chance to pick the brains of some of the most experienced and talented thought leaders in manufacturers. See more about the event here.
We here at Marlin Steel look forward to seeing you at the Cleveland panel discussion, and many more events to come!
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