Keynote Speakers

Monday, October 7
Presentation: A Remarkable Experience Is Your Biggest Competitive Advantage
Speaker: Dan Gingiss, International Keynote Speaker

Competition is tougher than ever these days. Competing on price is a losing game — just ask the two gas stations across the street from each other. And competing on product is getting harder and harder as almost everything can be copied — just ask your favorite ride-share company. So, what’s left? How can we stand out in a crowded marketplace that is constantly evolving? In this session, customer experience speaker and former Fortune 500 executive Dan Gingiss will teach the audience how customer experience can be your company’s ultimate differentiator, creating a competitive advantage that cannot be copied.

Dan Gingiss is an international keynote speaker and customer experience expert who believes that a remarkable experience is your best competitive advantage. His 20-year professional career included leadership positions at McDonald’s, Discover and Humana. Dan is the author of two books, The Experience Maker and Winning at Social Customer Care, and he co-hosted the award-winning Experience This! podcast.

Monday, October 7
Presentation: Understanding the Business Impacts of Electrification to the Fluid Power Distribution Industry
Speaker: Mike Terzo, Founder & CEO, Xirro, LLC

There is a lot of noise about electrification and understanding
what is real and what is hype can help fluid power distributors and
integrators make better strategic business decisions on how to
deploy their resources. This presentation will cover the impacts
electrification has on the sales channel of the industry and other
B2B relationship changes. It will also address where electrification
market drivers are slowing, where they are growing and how to
differentiate.

Founder and CEO of Xirro, LLC. Michael Terzo, P.E. is a visionary engineer and industry disruptor with over 25 years of fluid power, engineering, manufacturing and entrepreneur experience. He is driving a new level of innovation and efficiency in the off-highway industry by completely re-writing the rulebook and taking a first principles engineering approach to the heavy-duty vehicle space. His previous company, Terzo Power Systems commercialized groundbreaking hyper-efficient electro-hydraulic technology currently being utilized in commercial vehicles worldwide. Of note was his work funded through the California Energy Commission that demonstrated real-world hydraulic energy savings of over 96%.

Tuesday, October 8
Presentation: Better Humans. Better Performance.
Speaker: Peter Rea Ph.D., Vice President of Integrity and Ethics, Parker Hannifin Corporation

All leaders are impacted by uncertainty and the accompanying stress. What is often missing is an evidence-based framework for leaders to cope with and ideally thrive in circumstances beyond our control. Without a framework, uncertainty can cause us to become fearful, disoriented, and uprooted. With an evidence-based framework, we can discover how navigating uncertainty is a skill.

Peter Rea is Vice President of Integrity and Ethics at Parker Hannifin Corporation. He is Professor of Business at Baldwin Wallace University. He teaches physician leadership for the Cleveland Clinic. He Chairs Ohio Universities Medical School Advisory Board. He serves on Baldwin Wallace’s Board of Trustees. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Akron, an M.A. from Bowling Green State University, and a B.S. from Ohio University. He has completed postdoctoral studies in international marketing and business, and marketing strategy at the University of South Carolina, Memphis University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Duke University.

Tuesday, October 8
Presentation: Hydraulic Manifolds - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Speaker: Gordon Weiler, Director of Business Development, MFCP Motion Solutions

Hydraulic integrated circuit manifolds can be the heartbeat of power unit or system assemblies when done properly. Like everything we do in fluid power, there are short cuts that can also short circuit the value proposition of a manifold solution.  

Gordon has 37 years of experience in the Fluid Power Industry.  Gordon started his career at Daman Products on the shop floor learning their recipe for excellence then advanced through the company, holding roles in Engineering, Custom Solution Quoting, Relationship Management, National Sales Manager, VP of Sales, and most recently, General Manager. He is now in a business development manager role for Motion & Flow Control Products. 

Wednesday, October 9
Presentation: Staying Ahead of the Curve in 2025–2026
Speaker: Connor Lokar, Senior Forecaster, ITR Economics

2024 has included a tapestry of conflicting economic trends, with some industries enjoying ongoing growth and others in overt recession. Manufacturing and much of the industrial portion of the economy experienced a mild recession, but that decline will soon give way to rise and additional opportunities in 2025 and 2026 for well-prepared businesses. The services sector of the economy slowed in its rate of rise in 2024 and is expected to increase its rate of rise in 2025 and into 2026. Join us for our outlook for key industries over the next two years. We will discuss consumer spending, inflation, interest rates, the labor market, and key leading indicators. Our examination will extend to global markets and their impact on the domestic landscape. This presentation will provide information on necessary tactics and strategies that will prepare you for an upswing in the business cycle post 2024. Knowledge gained from the presentation, in conjunction with ITR Economics’ time-tested analytical tools, will provide you the means to maximize profit in the years ahead.

As a millennial, Connor brings a new perspective to the world of economics, delivering ITR’s industry-leading accuracy to current C-suite executives while forging connections with the next generation of business leaders. Connor is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a Senior Forecaster at ITR Economics in Manchester, New Hampshire. He specializes in applied economic analysis and economic forecasting for both short and long-term strategic business planning, entrepreneurial strategy, and business consulting, primarily with industrial and construction-based clients. Connor hosts ITR Economics’ Business Series Webinars and has been featured in Flooring Magazine, Construction Magazine, as well as on the Builder Nuggets podcast, and much more.