EMC announces keynote speakers for manufacturing conference

The Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC)’s manufacturing conference, Advantage through Excellence – Future of Manufacturing, takes place in two weeks, with a number of high-profile speakers on the schedule.The conference will be held in the Greater Toronto Area in Vaughan, Ontario from October 8-10, 2019.

Keynote speakers include Michelle Chretien, director, Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies of Sheridan College, Jayson Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, Ron Kelusky, chief prevention officer for the Government of Ontario, and Douglas Porter, chief economist of BMO Financial Group.

“Through these discussions, our speakers will shed light on the how the advancement of technology and manufacturing techniques can support higher levels of productivity and efficiency for Canadian manufacturers,” says Shawn Casemore, president of EMC.

Read more about the speakers:

Dr. Michelle Chretien
Michelle Chrétien is the director of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Design Technologies at Sheridan College. Prior to joining Sheridan in 2018, she spent 12 years at the Xerox Research Centre of Canada in various roles including global program manager (electronic materials), senior R&D manager (materials science), and program manager (strategic partnerships). Chrétien focuses on leading and enabling applied research in advanced manufacturing which includes 3D printing, automation, robotics, computer aided design, printed and flexible electronics and more.

She received her BSc in Chemistry from Dalhousie University and PhD from the University of Ottawa for work in photochemistry and photophysics. Her PhD thesis was nominated for the Governor General’s Medal and was awarded the IUPAC Prize for Young Chemists. Chrétien was an NSERC Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Centre for Biological Applications of Mass Spectrometry in Montreal, has published 21 scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds 81 US patents on novel materials and manufacturing technologies.

Dr. Jayson Myers
Jayson Myers is an award-winning business economist, specializing in industrial and technological change, and has been widely recognized as one of the most influential policy advocates in Canada. He is an advisor to both private and public sector leaders, and has counselled Canadian prime ministers and premiers, as well as senior corporate executives and policymakers around the world.

Between 2007 and 2016, he served as president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Canada’s largest industry and trade association. He was also the founding chair of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition, vice-chair of Canada’s National Roundtable on Skills, and vice-chair of the Ontario and Great Lakes Manufacturing Councils.

Myers currently chairs the Global Gateways Federation and is an advisor to legal and consulting firms in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. As principal of Jayson Myers Public Affairs Inc., he helps organizations identify and manage opportunities arising from the changes that are reshaping industry and international business.

Ron Kelusky
Ron Kelusky is Ontario’s new chief prevention officer (CPO). The CPO oversees the Prevention Office within the Ministry of Labour and has a wide range of responsibilities. Prior to his appointment as CPO, Ron was president and CEO of Public Services Health and Safety Association (PSHSA), a health and safety association of the Ministry of Labour. Before joining PSHSA, Ron held senior positions within the private and not for profit sectors and in municipal government.

Ron holds a Master of Business Administration, is a Certified Municipal Manager (CMM III) and is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and Canadian Society of Safety Engineers.

Douglas Porter, CFA
Douglas Porter has over 30 years of experience analyzing global economies and financial markets. As chief economist at BMO Financial Group, he oversees the macroeconomic and financial market forecasts and co-authors the firm’s weekly flagship publication, Focus. His team has won numerous awards including Best Forecaster for Canada by Focus Economics, top Canadian forecaster by Bloomberg and the prestigious Lawrence Klein award for forecast accuracy of the U.S. economy.

Before joining BMO, Porter held the positions of economist and country risk analyst with other Canadian financial institutions and began his career at the Bank of Canada. He has been a member of C.D. Howe’s Monetary Policy Council since 2008 and serves on the Investment Management Committees of the Bank of Montreal’s Canada Pension Plan and Western’s Endowment Fund. He also sits on the board of directors of Toronto Finance International and on the American Bankers Association’s Economic Advisory Committee.

Porter earned a Masters degree in economics from the University of Western Ontario.

“We are very much looking forward to having each of these speakers join us to share their insights on the current and future economic climate,” says EMC president Shawn Casemore. “They join an expert line up of members and subject matter experts, and will ensure attendees leave armed with the facts, information and best practices they need to move their companies forward.”

The conference will provide an environment to expand depth of knowledge in operational excellence, sharpen lean skills, intensify understanding of advanced manufacturing and how to integrate industry practices into your organization. To learn more, visit www.futureofmfg.ca.