The demands on today's industry leaders are high speed, high stress and high stakes. What does it take to succeed in today's ultracompetitive, fast-changing business landscape - from managing tough customers, motivating employees and streamlining operations, to coping with recession and increased global challenges?
Four plastics industry leaders serving various market sectors will tackle those issues in a roundtable discussion Jan. 28 at Plastics News' Executive Forum 2003 in Phoenix. The 90-minute session will feature:
* Danny Ajamian, president of Key Plastics LLC, who is applying 15 years of defense-industry experience plus his financial background from Carlyle Management Group to help turn around the once-bankrupt automotive parts supplier in Novi, Mich.
* Bruce Larsen, general manager of food and beverage products for Owens-Illinois Inc.'s plastics group. Larsen oversees all manufacturing, marketing, sales and planning for North America's largest blow molder of plastic containers. The former U.S. Army captain also is an O-I vice president and 23-year veteran of the Toledo, Ohio-based firm, which has significant injection molding operations as well.
* Walter Stucky, president of Veka Inc. in Fombell, Pa., a fast-growing extruder of profiles primarily for the building and construction industry. The German-owned firm has made acquisitions, is boosting capacity and projects a 20 percent increase in 2002 sales from last year's level of $120 million.
* Michael Valz, president of Cascade Engineering Inc., which won last year's Plastics News Processor of the Year Award. The 800-employee, Grand Rapids, Mich.-based injection molder serves the automotive, furniture, waste-handling and closures markets.
The Executive Forum, set for Jan. 26-29 at Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort, also will feature speakers who will assess prospects for various end markets and materials, provide an update on electronics recycling efforts and examine best practices for lean manufacturing, supply-chain excellence, industrial design and product development.
Further details are available at www.plasticsnews.com/forum2003 or by calling (888) 368-7229.