Head of Digital Factory

Braskem America

Marcos Abech is Head of Digital Change Management at Braskem, and has over 10 years of project and business management experience, most recently leading the Performance Management area for Braskem Europe’s business. Marcos began his career as a project manager working in many major projects and Greenfields, including as an adviser. Marcos holds an MBA from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, is a Certified Project Management Professional by PMI, and has a degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/The Ohio State University. Throughout his career, he has worked and lived in Brazil, Germany and US.

Independent Consultant

Jane Arnold is the Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing Technology at Stanley Black and Decker. Her focus is to improve Digitalization in Manufacturing with a special emphasis on emerging technologies including additive manufacturing. Arnold is a graduate of Oxford University’s Business Economic Program and has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Houston. Arnold has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing technology, control engineering and operations. She joined Stanley Black and Decker in February of 2021.

Asset Management Specialist

Black & Veatch (Power Division)

Kelly Borgen is the Environmental and Performance Engineer at Westar Energy’s Jeffrey Energy Center. Kelly graduated from Kansas State University in 2012 with concurrent Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Biological Systems Engineering. Following graduation, she accepted the position of Environmental Engineer at Jeffrey Energy Center, and then in 2013 subsumed the role of Performance Engineer for the plant.

Director, North America

OPC Foundation

Director, Digital Manufacturing Transformation

Celanese Corporation

Piya Dey is currently managing Digital Products (Fluid Genius™) at Eastman Chemical Company, a $9+ billion annual sales revenue company. In this capacity she is instrumental in discovering, building, and introducing Eastman digital products into various markets to drive new revenue streams and create market differentiation for Eastman. Prior to this role, Piya led high performing business teams through strategy and choices needed for growth and profitability. She has also led Business Enablement Digital Transformation initiatives where she set up intelligent automation organization at Eastman which utilized deep customer insight to drive process and talent transformation to win with the customers. Piya joined Eastman as the Department Head for “Application Architecture” where she managed multiple global solution development teams. Before joining Eastman, Piya held leadership roles at KeyBank and Progressive Casualty Insurance, where she managed teams responsible for delivery of solutions across various customer channels. Piya holds an MBA with a major in Asset and Wealth Management from both Carnegie Mellon University, USA and The University of Lausanne, Switzerland. She also holds a Master’s in computer application from OU, India. Piya resides in Kingsport, TN along with her husband and two sons. Piya is deeply passionate and committed to mentoring and sponsoring others as well as bringing innovative ideas to her company’s diversity and inclusiveness efforts. Outside of work, Piya enjoys dance, music and volunteering for multiple organizations and local schools.

Compliance & Support Manager, Plant Barry

Southern Company

Steven Ford is currently the Compliance & Support Manager at Alabama Power's Barry Steam Plant located in Bucks, Alabama. He also serves as the chairman of the Southern Company Technology Leadership Team tasked with ensuring system-wide cost-effective, reliable, and efficient technology solutions supporting the business unit strategy. Steven has worked in leadership roles with increasing responsibility across multiple plant sites in Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Alabama Power. These roles include Operations Manager, Maintenance Manager, Engineering & Planning Manager, and Plant Manager. He has leadership experience in both coal & natural gas-powered generation, including supercritical, combined cycle, and co-generation technologies supporting some of the state's largest chemical plant customers. In the Spring of 2020, Steven supported the Generation fleet as the COVID Pandemic Coordinator engaging cross-functional support from Supply Chain, Human Resources, IBEW Leadership, Disability Management, and Corporate Compliance to meet the evolving needs of employees working at our generating facilities. Steven believes that being a part of the Alabama Power Generation leadership team allows him to foster a safer working environment, create meaningful professional developmental opportunities for his team, and find ways to improve our generating product through integrated technology. Steven graduated from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering, Georgia State University with a Master's in Business Administration, and Birmingham School of Law with a Juris Doctorate. Steven is married, has four children, and lives in Fairhope, Alabama. In his spare time, Steven enjoys working on cars, playing golf, and spending time traveling with his family.

Director of Business Development & Marketing

Siemens

Discipline Leader, Intelligent Operations

BP Oil Co

As the Connected Worker Team Leader within bp’s Intelligent Operations team, Marty Gonzalez leads Digital Twin strategic solution development in support of bp’s Production and Operations organization. In his 25-year career with Amoco and bp, Marty has held positions in R&D, refinery operations, process design, capital projects, and refinery commercial optimization. He has been developing data analytics, machine learning, and AI-based applications for bp’s downstream operations since 2016. Marty holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.

Data Analytics Baytown

Covestro

Senior Solutions Manager

CB Technologies, Inc.

Preston Johnson is the Solutions Manager for Industrial IoT at CBT, with a technical focus on Predictive Maintenance solutions and systems. Preston builds on 28 years in industrial instrumentation and machine condition monitoring systems at National Instruments, and 4 years at Allied Reliability building predictive maintenance programs with digital technologies. Preston draws from his broad functional background in people and project management, technical and domain expertise in asset monitoring applications, and business development to create and implement comprehensive business strategies for new product development, market introduction, and growth. At CBT, he works with the business development and operations teams to deploy condition monitoring systems and services, reliability solutions, training, and hardware/software systems that improve machinery uptime, reliability, and ultimately, production capacity. Prior to joining the CBT team, Preston held roles in Applications Engineering, Field Sales, Sales Management, Product Management, and Business Development.

Professor of Practice in Chomical Engineering

Columbia University

Aaron Moment researches methodologies for developing manufacturing processes for fine chemical, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products. By applying advances in sensing, imaging, visualization, modeling, simulation, and materials, Aaron devises more robust, reliable, efficient, safer, portable processes that are less sensitive to scale-up challenges and disruptions.

General Manager - Performance & Reliability

Southern Company

Randy Mullinax is responsible for the Southern Company retail M&D Center, remote operating center, equipment performance testing and maintenance strategy development for the generation fleet. He is currently leading the Performance and Reliability group’s effort focused on a digital maintenance program. Randy brings with him extensive industry experience including contractor management and productivity. He also oversees the regional maintenance program. Randy spent 10 Years in the Foundry/Cast Metals industry and held various positions including Operations Manager, Production Manager, Technical Manager, and Plant Manager. After his career in the Foundry Industry, Randy spent the last 22 years in Power Generation. He has worked in multiple plants in the Southern Company System with various generating technologies. Randy has held many plant positions including Engineering Manager, Maintenance Manager, Regional Planning Manager, and is currently the General Manager for Performance and Reliability. Randy Mullinax is a Graduate of the University of Missouri Rolla (Missouri S&T) with a bachelor’s degree in Metallurgical Engineering. He also has a master’s degree in Business Management from Troy State University.

Senior Manager, Manufacturing Process Optimization

Arxada

General Manager of Technical Programs

Duke Energy

The vision for Duke Energy’s Fossil Hydro Operations digital transformation is to identify, prioritize, plan, schedule and effectively execute the right work at the right time. As Digital Transformation Lead, Michael leads execution of the vision which includes developing and deploying a number of technology solutions that are focused on work optimization and employee engagement and enablement. Michael has bachelor and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the Queens University of Belfast, Northern Ireland. He is a registered professional engineer in the United Kingdom and Europe and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Industry Principal - Chemicals

AVEVA

Stephen Reynolds is a 25+ year chemical engineer who has worked for OSIsoft / AVEVA for the past 7 years. In his chemicals career, he has worked in a variety of operations roles, beginning as a unit engineer through to site production manager. His focus has always been on operational excellence and continuous improvement - from paper and pencil to spreadsheets and now to true digitized platforms.

Digital Portfolio and Change Management Lead

Braskem America

Otto is currently responsible to manage the Digital Transformation at Braskem as the head of Digital Portfolio, Product Management and Change Management teams. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has extensive experience +10 years in the industrial sector, in Strategy and Planning and Entrepreneurship. He is involved in Braskem’s Digital transformation from the very beginning when he joined the team to build and operate the Digital Center.

Digital Manufacturing Manager at Huntsman Polyurethanes

Huntsman Chemical

Deputy Head Function Evonik Digital

Evonik Digital

Yves Gorat Stommel is currently working as the head of the Cognitive Solutions team, with a strong focus on setting-up and implementing a comprehensive, company-wide Artificial Intelligence and data analysis strategy. In his current function, Yves’ motivation stems from bringing together people, technology and positive change. By continuously questioning, improving and re-imagining operational and business processes – amongst others by looking at the company through the new “lens” of enabling and disruptive Artificial Intelligence – value is created for both the company and its employees. This does not only require identifying, benchmarking and implementing best practices, but more importantly targeted communication, linking knowledge and an emphasis on global instead of local mindsets and approaches.

Event Marketing Manager

Cognite