2023 Summit Recap: American Automotive Summit

As we approached the mid-way point of the Fall Events Season, the team headed to the "Motor City" to host our American Automotive Summit!

The Summit was held from October 24-25 at the vibrant MGM Grand Detroit, in Detroit, Michigan. 

En Route to the Next!

We want to share our deep appreciation to everyone involved in making this year's event a successful one. From the speaking sessions, 1-2-1 meetings, and networking receptions, to the roundtable discussions and empower hours, we can truly say that it was a fantastic event!

Below, we'll share a recap of the event highlights from our 8th annual American Automotive Summit. Whether you were in attendance or plan to attend the next ones, this recap will help you get a better feel of the overall experience on-site! 

Day 1 of the 8th American Automotive Summit began with a warm welcome from our co-chair and emcee throughout the Summit, Scott Bodjack, Vehicle New Product Introduction at Tesla. Scott's opening remarks set the tone for an engaging event!

We kicked off with an energetic opening keynote led by Suheb Haq, President, Fuel Cell System Manufacturing at General Motors. Suheb took the stage and spoke on the topic of building winning cultures within innovation spaces with a focus on cultivating a culture of collaboration, creating an environment where calculated risk-taking is embraced, and utilizing advanced technology tools and platforms to streamline innovation processes and implement data-driven approaches.

Following the keynote, Edward D. Mas, President and CEO and Aron Demers, Senior Vice President at VOXX Automotive, led a plenary session on navigating manufacturing and supply chain challenges in the American automotive climate. In their session, they shed light on key challenges VOXX faces, addressing the complexities of manufacturing optimization and managing supply chain disruptions with increasing focus on sustainability and environmental regulations.

Jamie Nelson, Business Advisor and Aleksander Boskovic, Managing Director at Rockwell Automation then spoke on unlocking potential with digital thread through integration information technology and operational technology, alongside improving the design and production of vehicles in their captivating plenary.

Next, we had a break from speaking sessions for refreshments, networking and pre-arranged 1-2-1 meetings, which was the time for everyone to make new connections and for attendees to discover new business solutions available.

Day 1 continued with sessions from Mike Chaffins, VP, Supply Chain at DeLorean Motor Company, and Rafael Larrauri, VP, Operations and Quality at Faurecia. In addition, we had an incredible panel led by Axel J. Cooley, Board of Directors, Automotive at AWA Foundation, Carlene Bills, President and CEO, Ford Component Sales at Ford Motor Company, and Anne Partington, Managing Director and Head of Industry Partnerships at the University of Michigan Tauber Institute for Global Operations on the topic of women's legacy and career building in the American automotive industry.

Following this, workshop sessions were held by Brett Hopkins, Senior Manager, Sustainability Consulting at Autodesk, Venky Sundaram, Semiconductor Executive, alongside Jay Velayutham, Senior Director, Business Consulting at Kaizen, and Eric Whitley, Director, Smart Manufacturing at L2L. They each discussed strategies regarding AI and predictive analytics, quality and compliance in an ever-changing automotive landscape, and revolutionizing the automotive industry through transformation with the connected worker platform.

The Lunch & Learn Roundtable Discussions followed shortly after, which was a moderated discussion on pressing issues in the industry. The tables were led by executives from the following companies: PakFab, Cornerstone Consulting Organization LLC, Kubotek Kosmos, Covalent Networks, Turck, IFM, and Sigmetrix. 

Following the roundtables, we heard from more industry executives during their insightful sessions. Federico Morales-Zimmerman, Group VP and GM, Original Equipment at Clarios shared insights on the topic of rethinking low-voltage energy storage for future mobility. Malin Ekholm, VP, Chassis, Attributes and Safety Engineering at Rivian spoke on how vehicles are becoming safer through innovative features and remote safety tests. In addition, Dr. Donna Bell, EVP, Product Creation, Engineering, and Supply Chain at Lordstown Motor Company, and Dr. Shannon Dare Wayne, Business Office Manager, Ford Model E at Ford Motor Company delved into the intersection of innovation and quality, alongside how to navigate the transition to smart mobility. 

Moving into the afternoon, workshops were led by Damien Beil, Head of Technology and Operations, University of Michigan at Arkestro on the topic of leveraging game theory and behavioral science to drive optimal results, Ed Walsh, VP, Global Sales and Marketing at Sigmetrix on the topic of how variation impacts designs in automotive, and Taylor Young, Chief Strategy Officer at CoLab Software discussing surveying 250 engineering leaders to reveal what top NPD teams do differently. From there, we broke into our next 1-2-1 meetings and Networking Happy Hour.

To wrap up a successful Day 1, we reached our closing keynote with Pawel Zarek, President, Americas at Motherson SAS. Pawel discussed advancing machine learning capabilities in manufacturing to further assembly line processes and considering the role of data analytics and how it could improve production for error-free assembly.

To conclude, we held our Chair's Closing Remarks and ended with our Networking Drinks Reception for all our delegates, sponsors, and speakers to enjoy.

A big shout out to our incredible emcees Ramon Kuczera, VP, Engineering at GKN Automotive, and Jeff Sutter, Global Director, Innovation and Continuous Improvement Methodologies, Warranty at Nexteer Automotive for leading our breakout rooms throughout the day.

And thank you to Rockwell Automation for sponsoring the cocktail of the evening, the Harvest Mule! 

A major highlight of the day belongs to the inspiring panel of speakers leading the Women In Leadership session. 
 
The Women in Leadership Panel, featuring Kelly Muldoon, VP, Global GM & EV Business Unit at Autoliv, Malin Ekholm, VP, Chassis, Attributes and Safety Engineering at Rivian, Judy Bruson, VP, Global Quality at Cummins, Mary Culler, President, Ford Motor Company Fund at Ford Motor Company, Daniela Terenzi, VP, People and Culture at Visteon Corporation, and Andrea Klein, Founder and CEO at Rand Technology provided an insightful look into female leadership in the automotive industry. 
 
The panelists opened up about what inspired them on their leadership journeys, talked about how they've built confidence and resilience throughout their careers, and gave us a peek into their special leadership styles and how they guide their teams. They didn't shy away from talking about the real challenges for women in leadership and suggested some practical steps to create a culture that supports and empowers women in leadership roles, highlighting the need for inclusivity.

Day 2 of the American Automotive Summit kickstarted with a Networking Breakfast, followed by our emcee, Scott Bodjack, providing his opening remarks.

The morning commenced with an opening keynote led by Michael Lovati, Head of Volvo Group Purchasing North America at Volvo Group. Michael shared insights on responsible purchasing at the Volvo group, how they are working in partnerships to build a sustainable future, and discussed sustainable material sourcing best practices. 

Tsutomu Wakitani, VP and Executive Chief Engineering at American Honda Motor Company then presented a key address on Honda solution systems to various industries with AI, robotics, and advanced technologies, and touched on how to improve the work site efficiency to have more flexibility and consistency. Shortly after, Terry Gohl, Chief Commercial Officer at Cornerstone Consulting Organization LLC spoke on accelerating efficiency and leveraging Cornerstone Consulting to elevate and improve operational practices in their plenary.

Wrapping up the morning sessions, Douglas Stanguini, Executive Director, Global Manufacturing Engineering Vehicle Systems at General Motors took the stage on the topic of building plant optimization from the group up and how North American plant facilities increase efficiency through flexible, demand-driven manufacturing. 

Around noon, workshops were led by Harry Koehnemann, Methodologist and Safe Fellow, at Scaled Agile, Zameer Baber, Head of Digital Strategy and Technology Modernization alongside Stephen Kane, Digital Strategy and Technology Modernization Expert at Point B, and Tod Miller, Senior Director, Master Data Management, Fleet Pride at Amplifi & Stibo Systems. 

Our Lunch & Learn Roundtable Discussions included three incredible sessions from the following industry leaders: Jeff Sutter, Global Director, Innovation and Continuous Improvement Methodologies, Warranty at Nexteer Automotive, Doneen McDowell, Executives Director, Manufacturing, Truck/Large SUV Assembly and Component Operations alongside Paul Wolcott, Senior Technical Engineer, Additive Manufacturing from General Motors, and Sacha Porges, Global Director, Customer Quality and Programs at GKN Automotive.

Following the roundtables, Daniela Terenzi, VP, People and Culture at Visteon Corporation led an innovation spotlight panel on talent and quality, further discussing how to continue growing skilled staff to match increasingly sophisticated and technologically complex vehicles.  

To wrap up the two-day Summit, our chair Scott Bodjack provided their closing remarks and assisted in announcing our survey prize giveaway. Another huge shout out to our incredible emcees Ramon Kuczera, VP, Engineering at GKN Automotive, and Jeff Sutter, Global Director, Innovation and Continuous Improvement Methodologies, Warranty at Nexteer Automotive for leading our breakout rooms throughout the day. 

A key highlight of the day belongs to this insightful panel led by our fantastic speakers. 

Another insightful panel, the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Panel, featured Lottie Holland, VP, Diversity, Inclusion, Engagement and EEO Compliance at Stellantis, Angela Henderson, Director, Supply Chain Strategy and Business Office at Ford Motor Company, Derrick Mitchell, VP, DEI, Non-Production Purchasing, MBE Partnerships at Lear Corporation, Dennis Heathfield, Executive Director, Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Cummins, Inc, and Kim Ziomek, Co-Founder at AWA Foundation.

During the panel, our speakers delved into the ever-changing world of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the automotive industry. They got personal, sharing how their journeys shaped the way their organizations embrace diversity and inclusion. These experiences have played a big role in shaping them into the leaders they are now. As we wrapped up, they dished out some solid advice to fellow leaders, offering actionable steps to kickstart diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in their organizations, to make a real impact moving forward.

To show our appreciation for the active engagement of our attendees, we’re thrilled to announce our prize winners who have added an extra layer of excitement to our event. A warm congratulations to Gabriela Sanchez from General Motors who was selected as the survey winner, and Theron McGee from Ford, as the networking superstar! 

We are thrilled at the success of the 2023 American Automotive Summit, thanks to all the people mentioned above, as well as every delegate and sponsor company who helped make the Summit what it was. These Summits would truly not be possible without the support and enthusiasm of everyone in attendance. We hope the Summit left as much of a lasting effect on you as it did on us. And if you were not in attendance but want to come next year, feel free to express your interest. It is never too early!

SAVE THE DATE: 9th Annual American Automotive Summit  |  October 22-23, 2024 at the MGM Grand Detroit
Visit usautosummit.com to learn more and secure your spot today!

Early registration is now open if you're interested in joining the discussion next year, whether as an attendee, solution provider, or speaker! To stay up-to-date on our upcoming events, be sure to check out our 2024 events at generisgp.com/events.

“Very positive and engaging; I made some great new connections and learned a huge amount from the sessions and lunch & learn activities. Facilities and rooms were also very good, as well as the food & refreshments provided. Just want to thank the entire Generis team for a job very well done; I always enjoy the events, and I know the Generis staff work very hard to make it a seamless, professional experience.”

- Sacha Porges, Global Director - New Program & Customer Quality @ GKN Automotive

“Great organization, preparation, and care for the attendees.”

- Pawel Zarek, President, Americas @ Motherson SAS

“Great. Lots of networking and interactions. And new vendors that I had not met before!”

- Gabriela Sanchez, Manufacturing Innovation Manager @ General Motors

“This was my first time at the American Automotive Summit. It was great to collaborate with other Tier 1 and OEMs and suppliers to get insights and knowledge inside and outside of my field of engineering..”

- Steve Johnson, Engineering Director @ Motherson SAS

“First time participating. Great event and experience!”

- Kerry Patterson, Workforce of the Future Manager @ General Motors

“We had fantastic conversations with some great potential customers.”

- Grant Waller, Account Manager @ Arkestro

Learn more about our upcoming North American events and secure your spot today:

• 9th American Aerospace & Defense Summit | December 4-5, 2023
• 10th American Manufacturing Summit | March 19-20, 2024
• 10th American Biomanufacturing Summit | April 10-11, 2024
• ... and more 2024 events!

Subscribe so you never miss a blog!