mHUB Convenes for the 2024 Women in Manufacturing & Engineering Day
The 2024 mHUB Women in Manufacturing & Engineering day brought together thought leaders, students, seasoned professionals, and recent graduates to discuss industry trends with a focus on professional development for women in technical fields. It featured a keynote fireside chat followed by two panels that discussed how sustainability is driving decisions up and down the manufacturing value chain and how advances in automation, robotics, and AI are informing factory floor and workforce investments.
Opening remarks from Melissa Lederer, Chief Experience Officer at mHUB, kicked off the event. "Today is an incredible day, with remarkable leaders convening to celebrate influential women driving impact within the manufacturing and engineering sectors while helping young professionals explore career pathways."
Following opening remarks, the programming kicked off with a fireside conversation with Chris Heckle, Director of the Material Manufacturing Innovation Center at Argonne National Laboratory, one of the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories for science and engineering research, moderated by mHUB Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Kim Blomquist. Chris supports materials and chemical processing companies by connecting stakeholders and Argonne’s impressive variety of capabilities and people. She spoke about the importance of aligning research to industry needs and de-risking technology to go from lab to market.
"The Department of Energy wants us to deliver technology and innovations for the benefit. We don't invent for it to sit on a shelf. We don't invent to get intellectual property so that other people can't use it. The whole purpose is to transfer it out."
Adding insights after the first the fireside chat, were panelists (from left to right): Moderator, Sarah Hartwick, VP of Education & Workforce Policy at IMA; Anne Najjar, VP AbbVie Endocrinology Inc. (AEI) at AbbVie; Karen Freeman-Wilson, President & CEO at Chicago Urban League. The group discussed how advances in automation, robotics, and AI are informing factory floor and workforce investments.
Sarah Hartwick discussed one of the central challenges facing the manufacturing sector, as seen through her role at the Illinois Manufacturers' Association—anticipating the skills and abilities the workforce will need over the next 10 to 15 years. As technology transforms manufacturing processes, predicting future workforce needs becomes increasingly complex. Hartwick emphasized the importance of preparing workers for the digital future while introducing the #MakeItInIllinois initiative, officially launched on October 1st. This initiative aims to spotlight the innovation and opportunities within Illinois' manufacturing landscape, encouraging talent development and retention within the state.
Anne Najjar spoke about how the pharmaceutical sector is rapidly improving in terms of speed and agility, sharing how AbbVie has grown from having around 30 products to now developing over 170, with a tripled development portfolio. This growth has been accompanied by an accelerated internal digitalization strategy, all aimed at one primary goal: delivering life-saving medicines faster and more efficiently underscoring the importance of using digital tools to complement talent rather than replace it.
Karen Freeman-Wilson of Chicago Urban League reflected on her early experiences at the GM Bedford Foundry where she conducted a die cast study. After just three days, Freeman-Wilson pivoted from this path and instead headed to Harvard University. Now, she sees tremendous potential in the manufacturing sector, particularly with the rise of advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technology. Freeman-Wilson highlighted the growing opportunities for young people to build successful careers in manufacturing without the need for an expensive four-year degree. The integration of advanced technology into manufacturing plants is paving the way for a future where skilled workers can thrive in high-paying roles, often with just technical training or certifications.
The panelists left the audience with a sense of optimism about the future of manufacturing and the exciting career possibilities it offers, especially for those willing to adapt and embrace the technological advancements shaping the industry.
The stage program concluded with a conversation between (from left to right): Moderator, Karina Toy, Principal at Kearney; Emilie Runac, Sr. Director of Manufacturing at Nature's Fynd; Kelly Reinke, President, Molecular Products at Filtration Group; Jela Trask, VP of Membership and External Relations at MxD. The panelists' discussed how sustainability is driving decisions up and down the manufacturing value chain
Emilie Runac of Nature's Fynd emphasized that sustainability is not just an ethical choice but a strategic business approach. "Everything you're doing to reduce waste is contributing to a more sustainable solution," she said, highlighting the direct link between waste reduction and business success.
Kelly Reinke echoed this sentiment by offering a powerful example from her Madison Scientific's Filtration Group. They have implemented changes that allow them to reclaim 75% of the water used in their manufacturing processes, resulting in both environmental benefits and significant returns on investment.
Jela Trask of MxD explained that the manufacturing industry has now moved past the question of "why" sustainability is important and is focusing on the "how." She challenged organizations to define the data that matters, make a business case for sustainability, and harness the power of digitalization to solve real-world challenges. Jela also underscored the critical role of public-private partnerships, highlighting the decade of impactful work MxD has been doing to drive innovation in manufacturing.
These leaders' insights reinforced a central theme: sustainability is not just about doing the right thing—it's about building smarter, more resilient, and more profitable businesses for the future.
mHUB’s Women in Manufacturing & Engineering event ended on a high note with an interactive activity where participants were challenged to design and engineer a structurally sound bridge out of office supply materials. The team who constructed the most stable bridge spanning 16 inches from one table to another and successfully drove a Milwaukee Tool branded remote control car across found themselves the winner.
See all the photos from the 2024 mHUB Women in Manufacturing & Engineering annual event
Thank you to mHUB Women in Manufacturing and Engineering 2024 Presenting Event Partners, AbbVie and Milwaukee Tools, and event sponsor Insperity for supporting this event for the mHUB Community and larger ecosystem.
