NEW Manufacturing Insights

Stoke RGA's Jen Fietz returns to NEW Manufacturing Insights this week to offer her insights on the economic challenges and opportunities facing Northeast Wisconsin manufacturers at the year's midpoint. Among the topics covered on the episode include Wisconsin's recent manufacturing job losses; economic uncertainty and inflation; tariff refunds; rising petroleum costs; hidden opportunities for manu...

This week we're re-releasing Insight's and NEWMA's conversation with Oshkosh Door leader Chris Calawerts, which recently was honored with a "Best Podcast" award by the Alliance for Area Business Publishers. Check it out if you missed it the first time! NEW Manufacturing Insights is taking a break for the upcoming holiday, but we will be back again July 9 with another episode, sponsored as always b...

Staffing expert Mark Leupold of Express Employment Professionals in the Fox Valley says he has watched the region’s hiring landscape whiplash from pandemic exodus to overcorrection. And now, on this week's episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights, Mark hits the reset button with Kate and Ann and unpacks how the latest business trend, AI, is reshaping recruiting in Northeast Wisconsin manufacturing. ...

Ryan Ruzziconi is president of Aspiro, a Green Bay-based nonprofit providing life and employment services to individuals of all ages living with disabilities in Northeast Wisconsin, operating with the motto "live your way." On this week's episode, he shares with co-hosts Ann Franz and Kate Bruns what he has learned and appreciated in his first year-and-a-half on the job, both about the reach of th...

This Saturday marks the 20-year anniversary of the creation of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance, and this week's episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast marks the occasion by having two people in the room who have been in the room from day one: co-host Ann Franz, executive director of NEWMA for 20 years, and Lindquist Machine's Mark Kaiser, who was one of 12 manufacturing l...

The episode features a discussion on cybersecurity threats in manufacturing with guest Brett Chittum of Sprinter Business Solutions. Brett shares with co-hosts Ann Franz and Kate Bruns some real-world examples of cyberattacks, such as a logistics company compromised through email and Stryker's infamous incident that wiped out 200,000 devices. He emphasizes the importance of identity as the new per...

Registration opened this week for Insight's 16th annual  Manufacturing First Expo & Conference , for which BridgeWorks CEO Phil Gwoke, a Wisconsin native, has been announced as keynote speaker. On this week's episode, Kate and Ann chat virtually with Phil about his planned visit to Green Bay Oct. 28 and about his extensive experience studying generational difference, which will be the topic of...

Following a year of federal funding uncertainty, the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) led by executive director and CEO Chris Baichoo is ready to move forward. On this week's episode, Chris joins Kate and Ann in the studio to talk more about the past, present and future of WMEP. He says the yearlong period of uncertainty was difficult, but also clarifying in that it helped WMEP...

Oliver Schmitz, associate dean for corporate engagement and entrepreneurship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, joins Kate and Ann on this episode to preview a new event: the Wisconsin Drives Manufacturing Summit he's helping organize for June 1-2 at Lambeau Field. The first day of the event will feature an innovation showcase, and the second day will be filled with programming -- all of it,...

Keith Schlegel of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Manufacturing and Trade and Tammie Clendenning, a Wisconsin-based USSBA economic development specialist, join Kate and Ann on this week's episode to help small manufacturers understand the federal resources that may be available to them as they navigate lending, supply chain and exporting challenges.  Listen as Keith and Tammie g...

Sam Thomas, president of De Pere-based Robinson, Inc., joins Insight's Kate Bruns and NEWMA's Ann Franz on this week's episode to talk more about his company's history and future, including its recent recognition as Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year in the "large" manufacturer category.  Thomas, who is also featured in this month's issue of Insight on Business with fellow Northeast Wisconsin MOTY...

Jackie Anderson, head of talent acquisition for Ornua USA in Hilbert, will be a panelist at next week's NEW Manufacturing Alliance "Future of Work" Summit focused on employee retention (April 16 at Fox Valley Technical College). This week she joins Ann and Kate on the podcast to give a preview of her insights on the critical topic, as well as share the history of her career journey, which has also...

In December Patti Habeck became the third-ever president and CEO of New North, Inc. -- the 18-county economic development organization serving Northeast Wisconsin -- after 14 years with the nonprofit Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. A few months into her new role, she sits down with Ann and Kate on this week's episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights to discuss the challenges ahead for New North, I...

Kristen Jonas, owner of Kinesiology HR, joins Ann and Kate on this week's episode to talk about her HR career and experience and the challenges and successes of owning her own business, as well as give a sneak preview of her presentation for the April 14 NEWMA "Future of Work" Summit on employee retention. A self-described "productivity addict," Kristen also works as a certified divorce coach and...

For the last two years, Kathryn Clouse has served as director of co-innovation for the Green Bay-based venture capital firm TitletownTech, helping companies -- including manufacturers -- fast-start their innovations in the realm of artificial intelligence. On this week's episode, Kathryn attempts to put into context for Kate and Ann how fast AI is exploding; how much the space has changed just sin...

Ricky Nutt, chief of shipyard operations at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and Amelia Compton Wolff, editor of Insight on Business magazine, join Ann and Kate on this week's episode to dive deeper into the March 2026 Insight on Manufacturing feature "Staying the course," written by Amelia about how the shipbuilder has modernized its operations and pivoted in the wake of U.S. Navy contract shifts an...

Dayne Rusch, CEO of Vyper Industrial -- one of the Midwest's fastest growing companies and the subject of Insight's March cover feature written by Kate -- joins Kate and Ann on this week's episode of NEW Manufacturing Insights to talk more about the short history of the company and how he, his brother Dylan, his father Chris, and director of brand partnerships Alex Ostrihonsky have worked together...

W.E. Hoban Company quality engineer Elizabeth Senn, the 2026 NEW Manufacturing Alliance All Stars honoree who graces the cover of this year's NEWMA All Stars magazine, joins Kate and Ann today on the podcast along with her All Stars nominator Shannon Young, the company's director of human resources. W.E. Hoban Company, formerly known as Green Bay Drop Forge, is a regular participant in the NEWMA A...

Leadership coach and Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductee Kathy Miller, author of the books "MORE is Better: Leading Operations with Meaning, Optimism and Relationships for Excellence" and "Steel Toes and Stilettos," joins Ann and Kate on this week's episode of the podcast, sponsored by Stoke RGA. Kathy will be the keynote speaker at the NEW Manufacturing Alliance's Future of Work Summit o...

Steve King, author of multiple leadership books including "The Manager's Dillemma" and "Brag Worry Wonder Bet," joins Ann and Kate on this week's episode of the podcast, sponsored as always by Stoke RGA. Steve, who is semi-retired after a celebrated HR career, leads the University of Wisconsin Center for Professional and Executive Development's management boot camp, which is coming to Northeast Wi...

Brandon Beard, president of DuxxBak Composite Decking in Green Bay, says he never planned on working in manufacturing. His first dream was to be like Robin Williams' character in "Good Morning, Vietnam" -- focused on military service and broadcasting. Brandon finally gets his turn behind the microphone today, but we promise he doesn't yell into the microphone on this week's episode of NEW Manufact...

Ryan Rogers, director of operations for 1000 Island Airboats in Marion, Wisconsin, joins Kate and Ann on this week's show to talk about the 2025 "Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin," as determined by an online vote this past fall: the 1000 Island 24-Foot Search and Rescue Airboat. The lifesaving product is also the subject of this month's Insight on Business magazine "Home Made" feature, which you ca...

The Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance, led by podcast co-host Ann Franz, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and makes a big change by moving to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. In that spirit, Dr. Michael Alexander, chancellor of UWGB since May 2020, joins Ann and special guest co-host Jen Fietz of Stoke RGA on this week's episode to talk about his five-plus years leading the...

Kiley Eck Hayon is president of Eck Industries in Manitowoc, which was recently announced as a finalist for the 2026 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Awards, which will be presented Feb. 19. On this week's episode she joins Ann Franz and guest co-host Jen Fietz of Stoke RGA to talk about the rewards and challenges of working in a family business, why Eck Industries is committed to its capital in...

Jen Fietz, owner and CEO of the firm Stoke RGA, joins co-host Ann Franz of the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance on this week's episode of the NEW Manufacturing Insights podcast to discuss studies and trends that paint a picture of the manufacturing industry heading into 2026. Regular co-host Kate Bruns, Insight's manufacturing editor, was under the weather for this week's recording but w...