Andy Henderson
Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Andy Henderson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hendtech LLC
Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Andy Henderson, President & Chief Executive Officer, Hendtech LLC
SOUTHEAST Session: Sponsored by: UiPath Moderated by: Paul Boris
Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Ronald Graves, President, Poiema Corporation
SOUTHEAST Session: Every manufacturing leader wants better results—higher productivity, stronger margins, improved retention. But results don’t just happen. They are outcomes, driven by a chain of causes. If you want to change what your organization is producing, you must first understand—and influence—what’s producing it. In manufacturing, we obsess over KPIs, processes, and performance data. But what if the real leverage point lies deeper? Behind every action is a decision. Behind every decision is a belief. And behind every belief is a mindset. This session takes you beneath the surface of your organization’s performance to uncover the unseen drivers of success: the thinking patterns and belief systems shaping behavior on your shop floor, in your offices, and across your leadership team. Because here's the truth: your organization will never rise above the mindset of its people. If you’re ready to stop reacting to problems and start redesigning outcomes, this session is your roadmap. Learn how to shift beliefs, align behaviors, and build a culture that fuels measurable, sustainable transformation—starting with the end in mind.
Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Chris Pickett, Chris Pickett, MASS Group, Inc.
SOUTHEAST Session: Manufacturing faces an unprecedented workforce transition as the “silver tsunami” of retiring Baby Boomers and Gen X workers accelerates. Decades of institutional knowledge are leaving with them, forcing companies to scramble for ways to preserve expertise while managing increasingly complex operations. Many facilities now schedule critical work around the availability of a single seasoned technician, while others bring retirees back at premium wages just to keep production running. At the same time, new hires arrive with expectations shaped by consumer technology—anticipating smartphone-level intuitiveness—yet encounter manufacturing systems that feel stuck in the 1990s. This presentation will share field-tested insights on how modern manufacturing systems must be transparent, modular, and designed to evolve with their users. It will also explore how manufacturers can fundamentally rethink “experience” for a new era—moving from legacy tools to adaptive, intelligent platforms that empower rather than frustrate. Attendees will see a detailed case study of 3D Glass Solutions, Inc., where strategic MES implementation boosted yield, reduced downtime, and created systems that engaged the workforce instead of alienating it. The conversation will break down the real-world challenges, adoption strategies, and critical success factors that make the difference between results and setbacks. The session concludes with a first look at Project Phoenix, MASS Group’s next-generation platform built for the realities of today’s manufacturing floor—without the complexity of yesterday’s enterprise software.
SOUTHEAST Session: Manufacturers performing visual inspections on their products have historically had two options: perform the inspection manually, or program a rule-based vision system. Both of these options are slow, inflexible, and costly to maintain. However, as Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) have become more powerful, a third approach has become available: deep learning. Deep learning-based vision systems learn directly from annotated images to perform inference on images. They offer numerous advantages including rapid deployment, greater detection flexibility, and lower development and acquisition costs. They are also easily retrained and reconfigured with minimal to no programming. As such, they represent a massive opportunity to automate quality inspection for small to medium sized manufacturers. In this presentation, we will discuss the technology that enables AI-based computer vision, the advantages they provide, use cases, and how to best implement them. Attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of where deep learning fits into their operation and how to get started with the right tools and strategy.
SOUTHEAST Session: Manufacturers face a dual challenge: reducing unplanned downtime while also addressing rising energy costs and sustainability targets. Traditional Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) has focused on asset reliability and uptime, but it often overlooks the significant energy wasted when machines operate in a fault state, up to 20% more electricity. This presentation introduces Energy-Centered Maintenance (ECM) , a next-generation approach that combines predictive maintenance with energy efficiency. By monitoring key parameters of rotating equipment, ECM helps manufacturers detect early signs of inefficiency, prevent failures, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Attendees will see real-world case studies, including how a pharmaceutical manufacturer deployed over 140 sensors across global facilities to save 136 hours of downtime and $42,000 in excess energy usage. The session will demonstrate how ECM strategies deliver measurable ROI, improve operational excellence, and align maintenance practices with corporate sustainability goals
SOUTHEAST Session: Understand the essential steps for achieving CMMC compliance in this essential session. Colin Gilchrist will provide a comprehensive guide for organizations looking to bridge the gap between cybersecurity requirements and business growth, ensuring a strong compliance foundation.
Speaker at SOUTHEAST: Susan Carlock, Co-Owner & Executive Vice President, Mursix Corporation & Murray Mentor, Inc.