Third Annual Workforce Summit: Employer-Driven Solutions held at John A. Logan College on October 2, 2024.

Man-Tra-Con Corporation and the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board would like thank everyone who attended the 2024 Workforce Summit: Employer-Driven Solutions. The all-day summit was held at John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois, on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Our third annual workforce summit featured national speakers, local employer panel discussions, plus representatives from education, healthcare, employment law, and manufacturing. Over 120 people attended the event. Photos shown at right highlight the event. Presentations included the following:

Master of Ceremonies
Steven Mitchell, Economic Development Director, City of Carbondale
Welcome Address
Dr. Kirk Overstreet, President, John A. Logan College
Embracing Artificial Intelligence
Presented by Becky Gandillon, Data & Analytics Lead, Centric Consulting
Panel Discussions
Moderator: Randy Prince, Senior Business Development Manager, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association;
Panel Members:
Robbie Musoiu, HR Manager, Deaconess Illinois;
Mani Daggula, Plant Manager, Penn Aluminum;
Cheryl Endres, Executive Vice President, Silkworm;
Cale Mifflin, Vice President of Human Resources and Relations, Silkworm;
Nick Wortman, Associate Vice Chancellor, HR, Southern Illinois University–Carbondale
AI: Is it Really Ready for Small Business?
Presented by Rob Craig, Professor, Electronics and Computer Technology, John A. Logan College
Workplace Culture
Presented by Paola Velasquez, Director of People, Culture & Equity, Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC)
Illinois Employment Law Updates
Presented by Scott Cruz, Partner, UB Greensfelder LLP
Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation
Co-presented by Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director, SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President, IMEC
Talent Pipeline Management
Presented by Kim Kuchenbrod, CWDP, TPM Fellow, Talent Management and Business Sector Administrator, Northern Illinois University Center for Governmental Studies

Special thanks to our sponsors who helped make this event possible!

AES Solar
Carterville Chamber of Commerce
Deaconess Illinois
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)
Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC)
John A. Logan College
Penn Aluminum
Pepsi Mid-America
Prysmian
Silkworm
SI Now
Southern Illinois Healthcare
Southern Illinois University
UB Greensfelder

Man-Tra-Con CEO Robyn Russell and Man-Tra-Con Administrative Assistant/EO Officer Tammy Kirk welcome attendees to the summit.

Attendees settle in as the summit begins.

Steven Mitchell, Economic Development Director for the City of Carbondale, performs as Master of Ceremonies at the summit, introducing speakers and presenters.

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet gives the opening welcome address.

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet gives the opening welcome address.

Keynote Speaker Becky Gandillon, Data & Analytics Lead at Centric Consulting, presents "Embracing Artificial Intelligence."

Keynote Speaker Becky Gandillon, Data & Analytics Lead at Centric Consulting, presents "Embracing Artificial Intelligence."

Randy Prince, Senior Business Development Manager at Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) performs as moderator of the panel discussion.

Robbie Musoiu, HR Manager at Deaconess Illinois, speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Robbie Musoiu, HR Manager at Deaconess Illinois, speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Mani Daggula, Plant Manager at Penn Aluminum speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Cheryl Endres, Executive Vice President and Director of Business Operations at Silkworm speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Cale Mifflin, Vice President of Human Resources and Relations and General Manager at Silkworm, speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Nick Wortman, Associate Vice Chancellor, HR at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale speaks at the summit panel discussion session.

Rob Craig, Professor, Electronics and Computer Technology at John A. Logan College, presents "AI: Is it Really Ready for Small Business?"

Rob Craig, Professor, Electronics and Computer Technology at John A. Logan College, presents "AI: Is it Really Ready for Small Business?"

Paola Velasquez, Director of People, Culture & Equity at Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) presents "Workplace Culture."

Paola Velasquez, Director of People, Culture & Equity at Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC) presents "Workplace Culture."

Scott Cruz, Partner at UB Greensfelder LLP, presents "Illinois Employment Law Updates."

Scott Cruz, Partner at UB Greensfelder LLP, presents "Illinois Employment Law Updates."

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director at SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President at IMEC co-present "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director at SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President at IMEC co-present "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director at SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President at IMEC co-present "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director at SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President at IMEC co-present "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Dr. Deb Barnett, Executive Director at SI NOW and Dr. David Boulay, President at IMEC co-present "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Attendees listen to "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Attendees listen to "Advancing Southern Illinois Manufacturing: A Supply Chain Conversation."

Kim Kuchenbrod, CWDP, TPM Fellow, Talent Management and Business Sector Administrator at Northern Illinois University, presents "Talent Pipeline Management."

Kim Kuchenbrod, CWDP, TPM Fellow, Talent Management and Business Sector Administrator at Northern Illinois University, presents "Talent Pipeline Management."

Kim Kuchenbrod, CWDP, TPM Fellow, Talent Management and Business Sector Administrator at Northern Illinois University, presents "Talent Pipeline Management."

Deb Barnett (left) and Tricia Edwards welcome attendees at the SI Now table.

Man-Tra-Con Apprenticeship & Special Grants Coordinator Erica Travelstead and Man-Tra-Con Program Manager Jordan McBride welcome attendees at the Apprenticeship Illinois table.

Deaconess Illinois was one of our top Workforce Summit sponsors.

John A. Logan College was one of our top Workforce Summit sponsors and host for the event.

Southern Illinois Healthcare was one of our top Workforce Summit sponsors.

Centerstone staff were present to talk about their mental health services.

Cassie Egert at the IMEC table. IMEC was one of several sponsors of the Workforce Summit.

Erin Kopec (left) and Zairea Doggan from Hire Level employment agency.

Kim Needham and Jason Gonzalez at the Silkworm table. Silkworm was one of several summit sponsors and also participated in the panel discussion session.

Megan Zeller holds down the fort at the Priority Staffing table.

Illinois Department of Corrections promoted employment opportunities at the summit.

Stacy (left) and Amanda talk to attendees about the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice.

TwentyTwo were one of several sponsors of the summit.

Staff from the U.S. Army were present to talk about career opportunities.

Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell (left) and Employer Services Manager Emily Perks from Man-Tra-Con.

The Man-Tra-Con Team pauses for a group photo at the end of the summit. Left to right: Employer Services Coordinator Abby Russell, Employer Services Manager Emily Perks, CEO Robyn Russell, Program Manager Jordan McBride, Apprenticeship & Special Grants Coordinator Erica Travelstead, Marketing/Communications Coordinator Theresa Smith, and Administrative Assistant/EO Officer Tammy Kirk.