Emily Wilkins
Founder & CEO, Marketing Metal
Emily is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience helping small manufacturers reach their business goals through strategic branding, positioning, and marketing. Her philosophy is that Radical job shops need grit and courage because being adored by some often means being disliked by others; they stand against something just as much as they stand for something; they are rebellious and unafraid to show it which generates the type of fanatical following that can’t be bought.

Through her own Radical agency, Marketing Metal, Emily helps job shops make big profits and even bigger impact by building them a Radical brand and marketing machine in just a few days–and empowering them to use it. She believes that in order for manufacturers to be effective with their marketing, it needs to be stupid simple and laser focused.

Emily has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Kettering University (formerly GMI) in Business Administration & Marketing, graduating with honors, along with a full term of study in LEAN manufacturing and management in Germany, plus 2.5 years of full-time work experience as a co-op student on a variety of marketing and R&D teams.

Living in the woods of Saugatuck, MI, Emily and her husband spend most of their free time outdoors–racing sailboats and swimming in the summer, and skiing and hiking in the winter. The rest of the time, they’re usually found cooking up something delicious in the kitchen while jamming to a wide variety of great music or spending time with their gigantic families.

Eddie Saunders Jr.
Founder @ Speak Friend

Eddie Saunders Jr. is a passionate thought leader in the world of Content Strategy & Demand Generation. With 14+ years of experience in the field, he has proven himself to be an innovative and strategic thinker, consistently pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the industry. Throughout his career, Eddie has built a reputation for his ability to create compelling and effective marketing campaigns that drive results. His expertise spans a wide range of areas, including branding, digital marketing, social media, and more.

What sets Eddie apart is his deep understanding of the customer journey and his ability to create experiences that resonate with audiences on a personal level. He is a firm believer in the power of empathy and uses this approach to connect with customers and build long-lasting relationships. Eddie's accomplishments speak for themselves. He has led successful marketing initiatives for some of the industry's largest and most well-known brands, and his work has been recognized across the industry. He is also a sought-after speaker and thought leader, regularly sharing his insights and expertise with audiences around the world.

Whether he's crafting a new campaign or sharing his knowledge with others, Eddie is driven by his passion for marketing and his commitment to delivering results. He is a true innovator in the industry and proud to help take Industrial Marketing to the next level.

Hallie Haupt
Social Media Manager, IQ Manufacturing

Hallie is the Director of Marketing at IQ Manufacturing. Her role encompasses key responsibilities such as marketing, purchasing, and overseeing certain operational tasks. Hallie leads the development of IQ's marketing strategies with a deep understanding of the manufacturing industry. These strategies not only highlight IQ's exceptional capabilities to potential and existing customers across diverse industries, but they also strive to bolster overall brand awareness within the sector. Through her efforts, Hallie aims to capture the interest of the next generation and encourage them to learn more within the manufacturing industry.

Beyond her duties at IQ Manufacturing, Hallie also serves as the Events Committee Chair for the Women of Aerospace Association of Michigan. In this role, she passionately advocates for the manufacturing and aerospace sectors, inspiring young girls to explore the opportunities within these fields.

Shae Eichele
Host of Manufacturing Muscle Podcast

Shae Eichele is the marketing coordinator and business development specialist at The HEH Group. Since joining The HEH Group in 2020, Eichele has been a part of planning and executing various events, tradeshows, digital marketing, and social media campaigns. The company's social media following has grown to over 8,000 followers as it continues to adapt with an aggressive marketing strategy across multiple channels. Recently, her role expanded to include prospecting and inside sales. She is also pursuing her MBA at Bowling Green State University.

In July of 2023, Eichele began the Manufacturing Muscle podcast to encourage educators and students to consider manufacturing as a career choice. Through this platform, she wants to connect more schools directly to the manufacturing industry and expose the next generation to opportunities in STEM and manufacturing fields.

Chris Luecke
Host of Manufacturing Happy Hour

Chris Luecke is a Podcaster, Marketer, and Content Creator in the manufacturing industry and the host of the top-ranked podcast Manufacturing Happy Hour. Described as "TEDx meets 'How It's Made," Manufacturing Happy Hour goes beyond the buzzwords and dissects real-life applications and success stories through candid interviews with executives, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders. To date, Chris has interviewed over 200 leaders in the industrial sector in an effort to simplify and explore the latest trends and technologies impacting modern manufacturers.

Ed Dernulc
Director of the Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs Foundation at Fabricators and Manufacturing Association

Ed Dernulc joined Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs in March 2018 as director of the foundation. Prior to joining NBT, Ed had a 22-year career in banking and wealth management for Chicagoland banks such as Northern Trust, LaSalle Bank, Harris Bank, and Amcore. In 2007, he went into the fund-raising arena, joining Alexian Brothers Hospital Foundation where he served for six years. He also served as the executive director of the Norwegian American Hospital Foundation before joining NBT.

Ed has an M.B.A in Business Administration from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois where he was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society. He has a B.S. in Finance from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. He currently serves on the operating board for Lutheran General Hospital, the advisory council for Dominican University’s Brennan School of Business, and is a board member for the Backyard Experience in Schaumburg, Illinois. He and his wife Donna have lived in Park Ridge, Illinois for over 25 years along with their son Andrew.

Danielle Schneider
Applications Engineer at Pridgeon & Clay
National Board Director and Western Michigan Chapter Chair of Women in Manufacturing

Danielle is an Applications Engineer at Pridgeon & Clay, Inc. P&C. In this position, she has worked to drive sales by creating working relationships with customer engineering teams to productionize concepts into products that can be successfully launched in a production atmosphere. Danielle received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2008, with a minor in product design. She continued her passion for learning and in 2010 she received an additional bachelor’s degree in business administration.

Throughout Danielle’s years of experience in the Automotive industry, she has gained a passion for being an ally to women in manufacturing and promoting young women joining the industry. This passion fueled her to organize a group of women who launched an up-and-coming Chapter of Women in Manufacturing (WiM). WiM promotes, inspires, and supports women and their male allies, who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. As a result of her dedication to WiM’s mission, Danielle was named as a Director on the National Board of Women in Manufacturing.

Dynamic Machine will be showing two machines:

• SVM4100: 30x16 travels, 12,000rpm spindle, data server, high speed look ahead, coolant thru spindle, & air thru tool.

• Lynx2600sy: 10" chuck, 8" sub. large workzone, 3.19" bar capacity, y axis BMT55 turret, full contouring c axis on main & sub.

Dynamic Machines offers over 200 years of combined machine tool and manufacturing experience. They are uniquely qualified to sell and service CNC machine tools from single, stand-alone units to complex, multimachine turnkey systems.Check them out at Booth #900!

Braun Machinery will be showing the Trumpf TruArc Weld 1000 -- A fully equipped welding cell with an exhaust system, housing with antiglare protection, and safety equipment.

Users can launch, program, and operate the welding cell with very little training. The welding cell can be used in one- or two-station to process parts up to 80" x 24" x 24".

Braun Machinery has been partnering with Michigan manufacturers since 1946. Whether it's a new machine tool, service, training, or applications, our goal is to exceed your expectations.

Get Started with Automated Welding at Booth #614!

Vander Ziel Machinery will be showing several machines:

• Clausing 8" x 18" Hand Surface Grinder

• -Scotchman 50 ton Expo

• Siegmund 28 Welding Table Expo

• And More!

Vander Ziel Machinery Sales Inc. buys and sells a variety new and used machinery, from ironworkers to welding equipment. As a member of the MDNA, they ensure the reliability and integrity of their products. Check them out at booth #614!

DeVos Place® is a premier convention center located in beautiful downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s within perfect walking distance to staple bars and restaurants with a variety of cuisines. Plus, being alongside the Grand River, it features a killer view.

 There are several free public parking options within the surrounding area for AME attendees and there’s easy access to the local major highway systems.