2024 Speakers

Bryan Bauw
Chief Operating Officer
PICO

Bryan is the COO at PICO, a software startup that helps manufacturers improve productivity. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of North Alabama and a strategic advisor to venture-backed manufacturing start-ups. Bryan has nearly two decades of experience leading advanced manufacturing teams and product development in high-growth businesses, start-ups and venture capital firms. Prior to joining PICO, Bryan was head of manufacturing and partner at Prime Movers Lab, director of advanced manufacturing engineering and technology and general manager at Collins Aerospace, and held various manufacturing and business roles at GKN Aerospace. Bryan has a master's and bachelor’s degree in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan.

Dan Colvin
Vice President of North America Robotics & Digital Solutions
ESAB

Colvin started with ESAB in 1996 as an equipment specialist. He worked in various roles: sales director, director of automation, and now VP of robotics and digital solutions and HIP. He briefly managed the international business for Sigmatek, an industrial software company. Having worked in the welding industry he whole life, Colvin brings expertise to welding and cutting, as well as a solid understanding of ESAB's customers and their applications.

Adam Crandall
Chief Revenue Officer
Addtronics

Adam Crandall is an engaging executive possessing a winning blend of strategy, business development, operations, leadership, client relationship management, negotiation and communications acumen. Crandall has a successful track record building high-performing teams and leading new commercial initiatives. Previously, Crandall served in various senior leadership positions at VWR International (now Avantor), Refractron Technologies Corp., Micro Instrument Corp., and Dynamic Design Solutions. In his current role, he continues to build and lead sales, marketing and applications teams, while also driving revenue growth.

Kevin den Toom
Product Manager
TOX Pressotechnik

Kevin den Toom is an accomplished engineer with a master's degree and over a decade of hands-on experience in the industry. Throughout his career, Kevin has been at the forefront of technological advancements, specializing in factory automation and process optimization. With a keen eye for innovation and a passion for problem-solving, Kevin has held various roles within the engineering domain, gaining invaluable expertise along the way. His journey has seen him tackle challenges across diverse sectors, from automotive manufacturing to consumer electronics.

Suyash Joshi
Senior Developer Advocate
InfluxData

Suyash Joshi is an experienced software engineer and developer advocate at InfluxData. With a career spanning over a decade of pivotal projects, he holds both a B.S. in Computer Science and an M.A. in Game Design, blending technical expertise with creativity. Passionate about fostering the developer community, he organizes meetups in London, delivers engaging keynote speeches, and participates in hackathons worldwide.

Bill LeAnna
Sales Product Manager – Transfer Systems
Bosch Rexroth North America

Bill LeAnna has been an industry veteran in the automation space for more than 30 years. While working with customers in a variety of industries including general distribution, medical, aerospace and automotive, Bill brings a solution-oriented approach to each opportunity he has presented with in his 14+ years at Bosch Rexroth, where he has held roles in sales, engineering and is currently the Sales Product Manager – Transfer Systems. Having worked on many projects across industries and countries in his three decades of experience, Bill has a strong understanding of the automation market - both where it has been and where it is headed.

Jon Ness, PE
Principal Engineer
Matrix Engineering Consultants

Jon is a well-known consultant and instructor in the field of bolted joint design, validation, and assembly. He has conducted multiple investigations into joint failures and has led re-design efforts to reduce risks to stakeholders. He often works as a consultant to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to enhance the reliability of threaded fasteners and joints. Ness worked as an engineer for RFA Engineering, a product development and engineering design firm, for 35 years. He is a registered professional engineer and a Certified Fastener Specialist through the Fastener Training Institute. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota State University.

Becca Resnik
President
Translations by Becca

Becca is an award-winning former engineer who logged 10 years as a technician and engineer before transitioning to the translation industry. In addition to her primary responsibilities in power generation and production, her shop floor days included ISO 9001 internal auditing as well as writing, translating, and editing procedures. She holds an MA in translation, a BS in nuclear engineering technology, and an AAS in nursing. She now runs Translations by Becca, translating user documentation, websites, and more from German and Japanese to English. For manufacturers based in the US, Translations by Becca also edits and writes these same types of texts in English.

Brian Romano
Director of Technology Development
Arthur G. Russell Co. Inc.

Brian has been working on automation of one form or another for more than 40 years. He began his career in 1980 as a control systems engineer for a manufacturer of industrial furnaces. In 1998, he founded his own control systems integration company and ran the firm for 16 years. He has been with AGR since 2013. He’s also an adjunct professor of engineering at the University of Hartford, sharing his automation expertise with the next generation of engineers.

Vince Sassano
Founder & CEO
Strategic Performance Company, Inc.

Vince is the CEO of Strategic Performance Co. Inc. With more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing operations, Vince combines technology and consulting to help manufacturers achieve sustainable throughput increases and profit growth without additional labor or equipment. Plant culture becomes more productive and positive, fostering continuous improvement. Vince has a computer engineering degree from Iowa State University and is also certified in Microsoft .NET/SQL, Ignition and many other technologies that enable fast and easy systems integration in virtually any environment to aggregate critical data, develop insights, and prioritize actions to deliver maximum impact.

Marshall Sasse
President and CEO
Red River LLC

Marshall's mission is to advance American manufacturing and bring back the blue collar single-family income. He is currently the owner, president and CEO of Red River LLC, a manufacturer of pressure vessels based in Gillette, WY. Prior to that he was a welder, then project manager, then COO of the company.

John Sprovieri
Editor-in-Chief
ASSEMBLY Magazine

John has been with ASSEMBLY magazine since February 1997. John was formerly with a national medical news magazine, and has written for Pathology Today and the Green Bay Press-Gazette. John holds a B.A. in journalism from Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism.

Frederick Viaut
Sales and Marketing Manager
Desoutter

Frederick Viaut embarked on his journey with Desoutter in 2018, assuming the role of global business manager for aerospace. His expertise in strategy, business development and customer service extends across 20 years, encompassing multiple industries and regions worldwide. Recently, Frederick transitioned to the North American team, where he now serves as marketing and sales manager. Frederick’s passion lies in driving growth and fostering strong client relationships within the industrial manufacturing sector. His strategic vision and commitment to excellence have consistently propelled Desoutter forward.