2018 - Unleashing Potential: Mastering the Humanity/Technology Interface

Manufacturers are facing a transformation in the types of tools that are available for business of all sizes.  This presentation will explore how to unlock the potential of people and technology to stay ahead of your competition and thrive in a digital world. Many technology investments fail to deliver on expectations. One reason is that we often install and train our teams on how to use new technology, but spend little to no time creating a culture that invites an enthusiastic relationship between our people and that technology. In this workshop we will explore the essentialness of maintaining a strong humanity/technology relationship.

Noah Ullman, Futurist from BlumShapiro, will share the technologies with the biggest potential to enhance the manufacturing industry, and Brent Robertson, Future Designer at Fathom, will discuss how best to prepare your people and your organization for a future where technology will be playing a bigger and bigger role.

Over 25 years in business, Noah has been involved in the consumer introduction of Tablet PCs, smartwatches and internet of things (IoT) devices long before that was a term. Noah has worked in various general management, sales, marketing and business development roles in family business, entrepreneurial startups and an 11+ year career at Microsoft, which included a 2.5 year overseas assignment in Central and Eastern Europe.  In the 1990?s he and his brother invented a virtual reality style glove controller for the video game market.  Noah has been awarded several U.S. and international patents.

In his role at BlumShapiro he enjoys helping organizations of all sizes envision and realize their future with the application of modern technologies - from basic cloud computing to artificial intelligence.

Brent works with leaders to design futures worth fighting for. A partner at Fathom, he champions an approach to strategic planning, employee engagement, leadership succession and market differentiation that prioritizes people and relationships. As a result, his clients don?t simply plan their futures, they bring them to life through the energy of organization-wide involvement in, and commitment to, generating valuable businesses that matter. 

In addition to his client work, Brent is an advocate for the maker culture and is engaged with the Advanced Manufacturing, Architecture, Engineering and Construction industries and the organizations that support them. He serves as a board member and strategic advisor to organizations such as the Construction Institute, SMPS. With a bias toward provoking new ways of seeing the world, Brent speaks at events around the country and is regularly published in regional and national publications.