EECO Asks Why Podcast

The world of STEM makes a huge impact on industry and there are many women out there leading the way!  In this action packed panel discussion Allie Donnelly and Mary Burgoon unpack the roads that led them to STEM and how it impacted them forever.

The great part of this panel discussion is the different perspectives that come to life from work experiences, to backgrounds and even countries!  You heard that right - prepare to get a behind the scenes look at how STEM is supported in neighboring Canada and listen to these heroes explore ideas such as:

✅ Biggest opportunities to showcase the world of STEM to the next generation!
✅ Best moves forward that has helped STEM in recent years!
✅  Specific approaches to being proactive to spread awareness!
✅ Programs, projects, advocates and much more!

Whether you took a path down the STEM journey or not this conversation will bring value.  It can help prepare you directly for a STEM career or give you ideas on how to support the next generation (maybe under your own roof) if the pursuit of their next steps.

Grab a pen, paper and get ready for powerful ideas on how women in STEM have made and will continue to make a huge impact on the future of industry for years to come! 

Guests:
Allie Donnelly - Apprentice Electrician @ Silva Electric
Mary Burgoon - Global Portfolio Manger @ Rockwell Automation

Guest Mentions:
Stem Forward – Rockwell STEM Programs
Lego Leagues
First Robotics Competition 

Host - Chris Grainger
Executive Producer - Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor - Andi Thrower

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Whoever said "It's a Man's World" needs to pull up a chair and listen to these heroes of industry!

Libbie Harrison and Stephanie Brantley tackle the topic of "It's a Man's World" head on and their candidness, insight and wisdom is something we all can learn from. They unpack many items including:

☑ Their general perception of how women are viewed in industry.
☑ The biggest headwinds women face.
☑ Some of the biggest moves forward in the recent years for women in industry.
☑ Tips and advice for ladies considering this path in their future.

Libbie and Stephanie both are leaders in their crafts and we hope their message provides encouragement and assurance for others to kick the old mindsets and perceptions to the curb and come join an industry where your talents are needed and where you will have the ability to make an impact on the world🌎 around you.

Guests:
Stephanie Brantley - Regional Customer Service Manager at Electrical Equipment Company (EECO)
Libbie Harrison - Associate Director of Client Services at Merck

Host - Chris Grainger
Executive Producer - Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor - Andi Thrower

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Get ready for one of the most impactful conversations ever on EECO Asks Why!  In 2020 we had a series that focused on Women in Engineering and those stories resonated with so many people.  In 2022 we wanted to serve you by bringing panels of women together to share their insight on topics that are critical to industry.  The panel featured in this episode focused on the topic of leadership and their insight was nothing short of spectacular. 

Joining the panel we had returning guest Natalie Birdwell, Megan Samford, and Lee Chapman. These ladies covered it all and gave a true behind the scenes look at what leadership looks like for women in industry.

They unpack items such as:

• What is different for women in leadership positions?
• Is it a level playing field?
• What are some of the biggest moves forward industry has made?
• What does work/life balance look like?

This conversation covers it all and we hope it provides hope and inspiration for the next generation of women leaders that industry desperately needs.  Share this message with your daughters, nieces, aunts, and mothers as there is a great opportunity in front of us to support women as industry continues to grow and thrive in this country.

Guests:
Natalie Birdwell - VP of Strategic and Corporate Development at ndustrial.io
Megan Samford - VP and Chief Product Security Officer - Energy Management at Schneider Electric
Lee Chapman - President at TREW Marketing

Resources:
Dare to Lead by Brene' Brown
Influence by Dr. Robert Cialdini
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
The Hard Thing about Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

Tweetable quotes:

• "Define success on your own terms. Achieve it by your own rules. And build a life that you're proud to live."
•  "The first rule of any game is to know that you're in one."
•  "There's a lot of things that sometimes happen that are out of our control and it's how we choose to respond to that."

Host - Chris Grainger
Executive Producer - Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor - Andi Thrower

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The world of business is constantly changing and as technology has evolved the importance of video to serve others has risen.  Jeff Long is a leader in industry by helping manufacturers create valuable content that engages potential buyers as they evaluate available solutions.  With nearly 70% of the buyer journey being completed before sales is contacted it is becoming more and more critical to have valuable content ready to serve when the questions arise.

This can be a daunting statistic and often leaves people feeling overwhelmed and not knowing where to start.  Jeff unpacks the wonderful idea of "Video Value Bombs" and shares how they can make a significant impact for any company.  He explains this process and how many of the subject matter experts you already have on your team are the prime candidates to share ideas and topics that clients need support in.  

Jeff lays out a process that is sure to set you on a path to success:

• Develop a content roadmap
• Multiply the content
• Supercharge the content distribution

He shares tips, hardware considerations, key performance indicators to measure success by, the power of the different forms of media and who can lead the charge for great content that serves the clients you want in the future.  This is an intense conversation full of action items that will change the way you view content.  Grab a pen and paper for notes and get your camera ready as when this is over you will be equipped and ready to start dropping your very own Video Value Bombs!  

Guest: Jeff Long - Owner of True Focus Media

True Focus Media:
Website
LinkedIn

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

The best way to learn about the next generation of heroes is by talking to them directly.  Michael Wilborne is well on his path to a future leader of industry and already has some incredible experiences that he unpacks.  Growing up around automation and controls provided him a unique opportunity to see first hand the amazing paths that exist for his future journey.

He is an Industrial Sorcerer in training and his dad Tim hold the title now.  Michael explains how his high school offers technical courses and the perception around them.  There are items that many schools could consider to enhance these programs such as marketing, funding and awareness.  As he points out too many high schoolers simply are not aware of the great potential that exists when you learn these skills.

Michael shared about an incredible experience he had at the "You Make It Challenge" hosted by Rockwell Automation.  He finished third in the country with his project and grew leaps and bounds throughout that process.  Job fairs and internships are explored on ways that they could be enhanced to give a better experience for the student. 

With the connected world of Social Media he explains where his generation consumes content and what they are looking for.  He shares some great tips on how any business could engage and create value and inquisitiveness to learn more. 

Michael Wilborne is a stellar young man with a future that has no limits.  We highly encourage everyone to share this with teenagers, parents and industry leaders as there is much to learn from this future hero of industry! 

Guest: Michael Wilborne - The Industrial Sorcerer in Training at TW Controls

Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

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Video technology is right at the center of many Industry 4.0 initiatives.  However, many industrial owners struggle with implementation in a way that makes a meaningful impact to the business.  Tanuj Thapliyal unpacks how any manufacturer could start this process and it is as easy as utilizing existing equipment.  He explains that the key to getting these initiatives moving is by lowering the barrier of entry and finding wins early to build advocates. 

Video can be the ultimate ground truth to what's happening on the plant floor and it provides context like no other.  From evaluating items that affects the overall process such as down conveyors to enhancing safety programs through robust training programs, the human side of technology is something that should be embraced as businesses grow in the future. 

Tanuj leaves no stone unturned as he reviews potential headwinds with technology such as identifying proper work flows and user cases that will make an impact.  He speaks to the importance of engineering simplicity into these systems and how to tie everything back to measurable results of improvement.  As the industrial world evolves technologies such as video will become more and more integral to the success of manufacturing.  Sit back and learn from the expert himself and increase your awareness and confidence in starting down your own path of integrating these technologies in the future. 

Guest: Tanuj Thapliyal - CEO at Spot AI

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

Talk about passion for your career!!!  Allie Donnelly is our hero and we are convinced that she will quickly become yours as well.  Allie's passion for her trade pours out of her in this conversation.  As a young apprentice electrician she recognizes the amazing future that lies ahead and walks us through some of the steps she's taken along the way to pave the path.  Allie always had a high level of curiosity and she shares how her mother always had her around trades which exposed her to a multitude of career opportunities.  Ultimately she landed on the electrical trade and hasn't looked back for a minute. 

Allie lays out advice for those coming up behind her on how to learn about certain trades and tricks she used along  the way to make meaningful connections.  She is an avid LinkedIn user and often shares her masterpieces (yes we do mean masterpieces) as she is pushing to bring awareness to this trade and we think she is doing a phenomenal job.  Outside of her network she shares how mentors have helped her grow and the importance of being able to seek wise counsel from others.

For those that want to know her favorite tool in her arsenal you'll have to check out her feedback!  She is a lover of the great outdoors and is always looking for an adventure.  Anyone making a visit to Canada will not want to miss her suggestions on the best waterfalls she's visited.  Allie lights up any room that she enters (no pun intended - or maybe so...) and you will quickly hear why she is our HERO!

Guest: Allie Donnelly - Apprentice Electrician and Panel Builder

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

Allie Mentions:
Canadian Electric Code
Industrial Control Panels
James and the Giant Peach

So many industrial companies are struggling with their industrial network especially with the increased demand on data for process improvement. Ron Thompson shares the experience he had at Lampe & Malphrus Lumber Company as he led a massive overhaul of the complete network.  Their needs started to include areas such as video and the infrastructure that existed simply could not support the demands.

We've all seen the "network closet" and Ron shares how that too was a reality when they started the journey.  He found value in focusing on a comprehensive assessment to get started and that laid the base for critical decisions they needed to make in the future.  He unpacks how hardware was evaluated and the overall network design considerations that made an impact.

The beauty of Ron's story is how it clearly demonstrates what can be accomplished with the right mindset and process.  From small/midsize industrials to large corporations the outline that Ron adhered to will set you up for success.  We suggest that you grab a notepad and get ready for the wisdom and insight that Ron lays out as he details how they went from a network that wasn't reliable to one that is poised to support their business for years into the future.  

Ron Thompson -  Controls and HMI development manager at Lampe & Malphrus Lumber Company

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

Our hero Michael Manzi loves a challenge.  From serving our country in the Navy working in nuclear submarines to designing world class MIS systems his journey will have you on the edge of your seat.  He shares story after story of how he had challenges land at his feet and the methodical way he approached them all to reach the ultimate solution. 

He offers advice for those wanting to pursue a career in industry and he leads with you should always be an advocate for yourself.  Those are powerful words and he explains why that is important as you need to stay focused on integrity and accept blame when items happen.  There's nothing quite as upbuilding as owning a problem and leaning into it to find a solution.

Michael loves seeing people that he enables do great things.  He is a teacher at heart and loves to pass knowledge to others.  He's also a big gamer and loves to do pretty fun projects around the house to destress.  There are lots of twists and turns in Michael's story and all of them make him our hero! 

Guest: Michael Manzi - Manufacturing Information Systems Practice Lead at Feyen Zylstra

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower

Michael Mentions:
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig 
Irrational Man by William Barrett

Augmented reality is no longer chasing around Pokémon!  It has made it to the plant floor and we unpack how you can start utilizing this technology in your facility immediately.

Bob Meads shares a ton of insight on the evolution of augmented reality technology and how he is helping industrial users leverage it in their everyday operations. Bob reviews the impact technologies such as this can have on the culture of a company and the best approach for desired results.

He explores practical applications that all industrial facilities have and how implementing augmented reality could improve the efficiency and safety across the board.  The technology is changing fast and the ones that lean in and begin building solutions will be leading the way.

So stop chasing those Pokémon for now and see what possibilities exist for augmented reality at your facility in the future!   

Guest: Bob Meads - President at iQagent

Augmented Reality Demo

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Host: Chris Grainger
Executive Producer: Adam Sheets
Podcast Editor: Andi Thrower