MPMA Strategic Networking and Leadership Forum
June 2-4, 2026
Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown
Indianapolis, IN
This event was previously known as the Strategic Resources Network (SRN) Meeting. Following a strategic review in 2021, the name of the event has been changed to coincide with its restructuring. Click here to read more about it.
The MPMA SNL Forum is a group that brings together MPMA members from across the gear industry. The goal of the SNL Forum is to provide a dynamic, educational, and collaborative event to help participants grow, both within the industry and the association. The SNL Forum offers robust, peer-focused networking opportunities to mid-level managers and next-generation executives in the gear industry, giving attendees new tools to utilize in a rapidly changing industry and economy. The event features educational opportunities in business training, thorough exposure to both leadership and technology resources, and hands-on learning with workshops and industry tours.
Hotel Information
Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown
110 W Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Discounted room rates at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Indianapolis Downtown are available for $189 per night. The special rate is available until May 4, 2026.
By booking in the MPMA room block, you receive a variety of benefits, including guaranteed accommodations, better networking opportunities with your peers, special guest status at the host hotel, and flexible cancellation terms if your plans change. MPMA advises against booking hotel rooms through third party booking sites such as Hotels.com, as there may be hidden fees, limited flexibility, and fewer rewards. MPMA does not work with a housing company and only MPMA Staff will reach out to you with details regarding the room block; any other companies that reach out to you regarding room reservations may be fraudulent and are not endorsed by MPMA . If you need assistance with your accommodations or have issues with the booking link provided by MPMA, please contact events@mpma.org.
Registration Rates
Early Bird Pricing (1/20 – 4/30)
Member
$795
Non-Member
$995
Regular Pricing (5/1 – onsite)
Member
$895
Non-Member
$1,095
Event Schedule
More details coming soon!
- Tuesday, June 2
- Wednesday, June 3
- Thursday, June 4
2:00pm – 5:00pm
Registration Open
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Welcome Remarks, Introductions, Icebreaker
Each attendees get a few minutes to introduce themselves, their company, and what services they provide.
3:30pm – 5:15pm
Hiring with Intention: Workforce Recruitment Session and Workshop
Speaker: Beau Hallavant, Growing Groves
Hiring great people is one of the most important responsibilities of any leader, yet most managers are never formally trained on how to do it well. In this interactive workshop, Growing Groves founder Beau Hallavant will share practical recruiting and interviewing strategies designed specifically for manufacturing environments. Participants will learn how to write job postings that attract the right candidates, evaluate resumes with a clearer lens, and conduct interviews that uncover both technical capability and team fit.
The session begins with a short presentation from Beau introducing a structured hiring framework, followed by a hands-on workshop where participants will apply these techniques to realistic manufacturing hiring scenarios. By the end of the session, attendees will walk away with practical tools they can immediately apply when hiring technicians, engineers, supervisors, and future leaders within their organizations.
4:15pm – 4:45pm
Networking Break
5:30pm – 6:30pm
Welcome Happy Hour
7:00pm
Dinner on your own
8:30am – 3:00pm
Registration Open
7:00am – 9:30am
Breakfast on your own
9:30am – 10:00am
MPMA Update
10:00am – 11:30am
Boss vs. Leader
Speaker: Jeremiah Sinks
Many organizations promote from within, which can lead to the creation of “bosses” who are the primary point of contact for new hires once they hit the floor. Many times, poor leadership (bosses) chase these new hires right out the door, never to return. This session explores:
- Why and how a boss is developed instead of a leader
- How to shift out of being a boss and start becoming a leader
- How a boss mentality directly relates to your organizational reputation in the community and affects how attractive you are to potential employees
- The top four things all new and tenured employees want from leadership
11:30am – 12:00pm
Meet the Sponsors
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Networking Lunch
1:00pm – 2:00pm
The Convergence of Advanced Manufacturing and Data Provenance
Speaker: Joel Neidig
Advanced manufacturing is rapidly converging with data provenance, enabling physical parts to securely carry and communicate their own digital history. This talk explores how embedding trusted data directly into manufactured components unlocks traceability, compliance, and long-term value across the lifecycle.
- Demonstration of embedding encrypted data within an additive manufactured part
- Role of MTConnect in standardizing and capturing manufacturing data streams
- Integration with LOTAR International for secure long-term archiving and retrieval
2:00pm – 2:30pm
Networking Break
2:30pm – 3:30pm
Speaker: Kristian Hulgard
3:30pm – 4:30pm
Speaker
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Networking Reception/Dinner
The Hangar
Get ready for a night of networking, fun, and great vibes at the #1 Hub for Indy fun! Come mingle with your peers, sip on your favorite beer or wine, and try out the golf simulator after dinner. This is a great opportunity to strengthen industry bonds while relaxing and enjoying delicious drinks and food after a day of learning.
Breakfast on your own
8:30am
Depart Hotel for Tour
10:00am – 11:30am
Friday Tour
Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Museum Allison Branch, Inc.
Dedicated to preserving the history of Rolls-Royce and Allison Engine Company, visitors will view historic engines, design records and media from Defense and Civil aircraft, NASA and military space, and Marine and Energy products and applications.
12:00pm
Event concludes
Return transportation to hotel or airport
Speakers
- Joel Neidig
- Jeremiah Sinks
- Beau Hallavant
- Kristian Hulgard
- Stephen Sikorski
Joel Neidig
Co-CEO at Itamco
Joel is a serial entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of several startups raising over $30 Million in venture capital. He is currently the Co-CEO at ITAMCO, a world class precision gear manufacturer. He has 21 years of experience integrating manufacturing technology and software development.
In 2016, Neidig spoke at the White House by invitation of the National Economic Council in recognition of the progress that has been made by him and his companies in the Manufacturing USA program. Neidig sits on the Board of Trustees for MTConnect, an open-source royalty-free standard that is intended to foster greater interoperability between devices and software applications. He has been an active member of MTConnect since 2009. Neidig has also previously served on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Digital Manufacturing and Cyber Security Institute. Neidig is an awardee of the AGMA Next-Generation award and also the SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer award.
Since the founding of Manufacturing USA, Neidig and his company have been involved in over 25 research projects with National Labs and Institutes, including SBIR Phase 1, 2, and 3. Two of these projects transitioned to local tech startups, to which he is a founder of both, called Atlas 3D which was acquired by Siemens in 2019 and SIMBA Chain a blockchain startup raising one of the largest Series A in Indiana history.
Jeremiah Sinks
Senior Services Manager, Leadership Development at Purdue University MEP
Jeremiah provides leadership training and consulting services including Employee Attraction & Retention focused services. He is directly involved in the development and implementation of the Leadership Development offerings. In addition, he provides Lean, Quality and OSHA training in public workshops as well as onsite at manufacturing locations across Indiana and is utilized as a keynote speaker for multiple conferences.
Jeremiah has experience in the automotive, mining, and construction industries. His background includes Continuous Improvement training and implementation, Quality System Development, Project & Contractor Management, and Senior Management Development for daily operations and culture building; including the managerial functions of Human Resources, Operations Plant Management, Purchasing, Maintenance & Reliability, Training, and EHS. He has written two books – “The Field Does Not Come to the Farmer: Leading Gen Y & Z” and “The Field Does Not Come to the Farmer: Great Management Leadership”.
Beau Hallavant
Founder and Principal Technical Recruiter, Growing Groves
Beau Hallavant is the Founder and Principal Technical Recruiter of Growing Groves, a specialized firm differentiating by using recruiters with career-developed engineering and technical sales experience.
Beau’s understanding of industrial and technical nuances comes from years as a Manufacturing, Applications, and Sales Engineer before closing the chapter as an International Director of Sales for North America and Central Europe.
Industry exposure included machine tools, pumps, motors, compressors, gearboxes, material handling, and robotics.
He leverages a hands-on background to help companies attract the right talent and help candidates translate their skills into new opportunities.
Kristian Hulgard
General Manager, Americas at OnRobot
Kristian Hulgard is the General Manager at Americas at OnRobot, where he leads regional growth and strategic expansion in robotics and automation.
With extensive experience in industrial technology, he focuses on scaling operations, building partnerships, and delivering practical automation solutions across the Americas.
He is particularly focused on making automation easy to deploy, enabling operators and manufacturers of all sizes.
Stephen Sikorski
Owner
Stephen Sikorski has more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing. He most recently served as the Factory Manager, where he was brought in to take a robotic company from start-up to 8-figure production. After that experience, he recently launched his own consulting service to help other start-ups in this space. He has a unique perspective on bridging the gap from initial prototyping to full production. He has worked with both gear and bearing manufacturers at Standard Bots.
SPONSORS
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Become an SNL Forum Sponsor!
Sponsorship opportunities have been split into four packages:
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
Sponsorship opportunities are available here. If you have any questions regarding sponsoring the SNL Forum, email brinkley@mpma.org.
Policies
Please view our cancellation policy.
Please view our code of conduct.