Accelerate April 2021 Magazine

APRIL 2021 MAGAZINE 17 Founder of Raised Grain Brewing Nick Reistad echoed the importance of communication. Reistad said communication was the first of three fundamentals his team utilized to overcome the challenge of adapting to sudden change during the pandemic. An understanding that adaptation is necessary and learning from experiences have been additional focus areas of Raised Grain over the past year. Ryan Healy, chief outside operations officer for Superior Crane Corp, showcased a program the organization has introduced to tackle workforce challenges. Superior Crane University introduces high school students to job opportunities within the manufacturing industry. While the focus of the program is manufacturing, there are opportunities to gain additional life skills like finance and accounting as well. Leonardo DRS has a similar model of targeting high school students. Senior Director of Human Resources Kathy Ward discussed the company’s partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools to identify juniors and seniors interested in the trades. With a new location in Menomonee Falls, Leonardo DRS hopes to develop the same platform with Waukesha schools to target talent. Similarly, Glenroy President & CEO Tom Danneker discussed his organization’s strategy for creating a long-term career path for employees. With a history of career development, Glenroy invests in employee training early on in order to provide employees with a long-term vision for career growth and success within the company. With the program being hosted at the onset of the anniversary of our state’s shutdown, the Alliance applauded manufacturers for stepping up in a big way to support the business community. Many of these organizations were at the forefront of developing COVID-19 protocols and continue to lead the way as we move into recovery. • LATRICIA BOONE Vice President, Equality of Opportunity Initiative, U.S. Chamber of Commerce TOM DANNEKER President & CEO, Glenroy PAUL DIECK Chief Operating Officer, The Angelus Corporation MICHAEL R. ESSER JR. Vice President, Finance & Accounting, Dielectric Manufacturing KEYNOTE & PANELISTS RYAN HEALY Chief Outside Operations Officer, Superior Crane Corp NICK REISTAD Owner, Raised Grain Brewing KATHLEEN WARD Senior Director, Human Resources, Leonardo DRS PRESENTING SPONSORS: