The Maryland MEP’s Manufacturing Workforce Summit 2025 is designed to equip manufacturing leaders and HR professionals with valuable insights, best practices, and emerging trends in addressing workforce challenges. The focus is on preparing businesses for both present and future labor needs in the manufacturing industry.
This half-day, in-person summit will include:
- Interactive mini-sessions: These will cover various strategies and solutions tailored to workforce issues.
- Networking opportunities: A chance for participants to connect, exchange ideas, and learn from one another.
- Topics of discussion: Emphasis will be placed on talent attraction and retention, company culture, leadership development, and the tools and technologies necessary for meeting workforce demands.
DATE & TIME:
March 26, 2025
7:30 AM – 1:30 PM
LOCATION:
Merriweather Lakehouse Hotel
10209 Wincopin Cir, Columbia, MD 21044
CAPACITY:
Registration is limited to 250 attendees.
For sponsorship opportunities, please click here.
COST:
$150 / ticket: Manufacturers
$250 / ticket: Non-Manufacturers
CONTACT:
For more information, please contact:
Kerry Wells
This is an opportunity for professionals to come together and collaborate on the pressing workforce issues within the manufacturing sector.
7:30 - 8:30 AM | Registration & Networking
8:30 - 9:00 AM | Welcome & Opening Remarks
What are the legal changes for 2025 that impact the manufacturing industry and HR professionals? During this session, Parker Thoeni, Partner at Shawe & Rosenthal LLP, shares the latest information on 2025 changes, updates and areas to watch for the HR professional. This session includes changes to HR law including FMLA, OSHA, and EEOC, as well as what to look for as an HR professional.
Presented By:
Parker Thoeni
Office Managing Shareholder
Ogletree Deakins
Join the Itaberco Team to learn more about their implementation of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). The Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) is a set of simple concepts and practical tools to clarify, simplify, and achieve a company’s vision. It looks at a business through the lens of the Six Key Components: Vision, Data, Process, Traction, Issues, and People. During this session, Itaberco will discuss how it has dramatically helped with company focus, growth and how it has impacted the company culture in a positive way.
Presented By:
Boris Ghazarian
CEO
Itaberco
Bill Hueter
Certified EOS Implementer
EOS Worldwide
10:00 - 10:30 AM | Break & Networking
Christie Woodard, Director of Human Resources at PRS Guitars, and Laurie Maddalena, CEO and Chief Leadership Consultant at Envision Excellence, will share about their partnership in successfully implementing targeted training for PRS. Christie will discuss why they invested in training to support their growth, and how they strategically approached their training needs. Learn the process for how they partnered to conduct a needs analysis, and designed tailored training programs that addressed skill gaps, enhanced leadership capabilities, and empowered employees.
Discover the strategies they implemented, the collaborative process they followed, and the measurable results they achieved—ranging from improved productivity to higher employee engagement. This session will provide practical insights and actionable steps for any organization looking to invest in effective training for their workforce.
- Learn a Proven Framework: Gain insights into how to assess organizational training needs and design programs that address both leadership and employee development. Learn the most important aspect of implementing high-quality, effective training sessions.
- Achieve Tangible Results: Hear real-world examples of how strategic training initiatives led to measurable improvements in productivity, employee engagement, and overall performance. Discover the most important elements of ensuring training and development isn’t a one-time event, but an investment that yields lasting results.
- Discover Partnership Strategies: Understand how to collaborate effectively with consultants to create impactful and customized training solutions tailored to your organization’s unique challenges.
Presented By:
Christie Woodard
Director of Human Resources
PRS Guitars
Laurie Maddalena
CEO & Chief Leadership Consultant
Envision Excellence
Finding, training and retaining talent remains the number one challenge identified by manufacturers across all areas of the State. The workforce challenges manufacturers are facing are not only affecting today’s operations, but they also impact the future of the industry. In today’s competitive labor market, manufacturers and staffing agencies must work together to navigate the challenges of recruiting and hiring skilled workers for the manufacturing sector. This panel discussion will bring together manufacturing leaders and staffing experts to explore innovative strategies for attracting, hiring, and retaining talent in a rapidly evolving industry. Panelists will discuss the shifting landscape of the workforce, the evolving skill sets needed in modern manufacturing, and how manufacturers and staffing agencies can align their efforts to fill open roles efficiently.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM | Manufacturing Roundtable: Workforce best practices and unique projects
12:00 - 1:30 PM | Lunch & Conclusion
Sponsorship Opportunities
are available!
For all sponsorship requests or inquiries, please contact Kerry Wells at kwells@mdmep.org.
