2021 AFS Southeast RegionalJoin us for the 88th AFS Southeastern Regional Conference, presented by the Birmingham Chapter American Foundry Society. The 2021 Southeastern Regional is scheduled for Wednesday, September 1 - Thursday, September 2, at the stunning coastal location of The Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa in Point Clear, AL.
The 2021 SE Regional format will boost multiple accommodations for guest and vendors alike:
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Schedule
Wednesday, September 1st
8:00 am | Golf Registration, Lakewood Club
10:00 am | Golf Tournament, Lakewood Club
5:00 - 7:00 pm | Conference Registration, Sky Lounge
5:30 - 7:30 pm | Light Hor d'oeuvres & Refreshments, Sky Lounge
Thursday, September 2nd
**Unless otherwise noted, all Thursday events will be in the Grand Ballroom.**
7:00 – 7:50 AM | Women in Metalcasting Ticketed Breakfast | Towanda Long of Charlotte Pipe & Foundry presents "Work Life Integration: Hear tips and get a list of tools to help you create your personalized system" (Magnolia Room)
7:00 AM | Conference Registration (Foyer outside Grand Ballroom)
8:00 – 8:05 AM | Opening Remarks
8:05 – 8:30 AM | Touching Base with AFS | Ben Yates, CEO of American Foundry Society
8:30 – 9:40 AM | Breaking Down Silos and Barriers - Effective Communication Practices in Today's Manufacturing Matrix Organization | Celina Peerman, Ph. D.
9:40 – 10:00 AM | Transforming for Survival | Pate Huguley, West Point Foundry
100:00 - 10:20 AM | Casting Defect Case Study — Optimization & Cost Savings | Roy Stevenson, MAGMA Soft
10:20 – 10:50 AM | EHS - Challenges and Lessons Learned from 2020 | Steven Blasko, Tyler Union
10:50 – 11:00 PM | Break, Refreshments with vendors
11:00 – 11:40 PM | Continuous Improvement Planning – Everyday Tools | Erin Turrell
11:40 – 12:00 PM | Automation & Data Analytics | Jim Wenson, Robert Sinto Corp.
12:00 – 1:30 PM | Lunch, Magnolia Room
1:30 – 2:30 PM | Forming the Foundry of Tomorrow | Industry Panel
1:00 – 1:30 PM | Student Highlight & Casting Presentation | AFS Student Chapter
2:30 – 3:20 PM | Keynote Speaker | Bradford Muller, Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
3:20 – 3:25 PM | Closing Remarks
3:30 – 5:30 PM | "Meet the Vendors" refreshments, appetizers and prizes!
6:30 – 9:00 PM | Dinner at Julep Point | Hawaiian Luau theme, Casual Dress, featuring entertainment by the Light Travelers
ADJOURN
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The Grand at Point Clear
One Grand Boulevard Point Clear, Alabama 36564 Room reservations can be booked by calling (800)544–9933. Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes (currently 7%, subject to change) and applicable resort fee currently (15%) in effect at the time of check-out. |
Attendee Registration
Cancellation Policy
A full refund (less processing fees) will be issued for cancellation five (5) days prior to the SE Regional. A refund of fifty-percent of registration fees (less processing fees) will be issued for cancellation within five (5) days prior to the SE Regional. Hotel rooms are subject to the cancellation policy of The Grand.
Speakers
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Bradford MullerVice President of Marketing at Charlotte Pipe and FoundryA senior marketing and communications strategist with more than thirty years of experience in public and corporate affairs, international and government relations, manufacturing and business marketing, crisis management and training, and more. He spent nearly a decade in Washington, DC, including stints with the U.S. State Department and Edelman Worldwide, the largest public relations and public affairs agency in the world.
He currently leads marketing, corporate communications and government affairs for Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, a fifth-generation, family-owned domestic manufacturer based in North Carolina. Founded in 1901, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is the leading U.S. producer of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings for plumbing systems. |
Dr. Celina PeermanBreaking Down Silos and Barriers - Effective Communication Practices in Today's Manufacturing Matrix Organization
Continuously shifting priorities, urgency levels, shifts, and departments strain communication even more. Update your practices by mapping out communication plans, securing shift transitions, and recognizing better communication tools. Understand how we move from silos to shared responsibility. See new ways to work across teams so communication flows better from vendors/suppliers through the organization and ultimately, in the delivery to customer. Leave with an action plan that can be applied after the session is complete. |
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Towanda LongWork Life Integration | Hear tips and get a list of tools to help you create your personalized systemTowanda is a communications and branding strategist with a love of culture, creativity and writing. Her ability to understand business objectives, build strong relationships, ensure consistency in brand messaging, and implement campaigns that resonate with target audiences, has been key to her success in both b-to-b and consumer spaces.
Towanda is an active member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), where she serves as past chair of the corporate communications section and as past president of the Charlotte chapter. Outside of work you'll find her writing fiction, traveling, enjoying good food and watching old TV sitcoms. |
COVID-19 Precautions
In order to ensure the safety and well being of guests, The Grand has implemented a comprehensive list of new safety guidelines and protocols throughout the resort in all departments. These currently include, but are not limited to, the following:
- All staff wear PPE (masks, and gloves where appropriate)
- All staff have completed extensive training in Cleanliness, new Food and Beverage serving standards, and more
- Social distancing requirements exist in all areas of the resort indoors
- It is mandatory for all guests to wear masks while indoors at the resort
- All public areas/space are cleaned/sanitized every two hours
- All guest rooms are thoroughly cleaned/sanitized between guest stays extensively (this takes several hours)
- Housekeeping attendants are not allowed inside guest rooms while occupied to clean – however, towels and bathroom amenities are replenished daily upon request, and handed to the guest by the Associate
- Room Service orders are delivered to the door and handed to the guest with no contact (gloves are worn)
- Meeting room sets have been revised to allow for social distancing – 1 person at every six foot table for classroom set (or hollow square); 6 persons at every round table (we use 72 inch rounds)
- Banquet service and food and beverage presentations have been revised – Grand Associates serve buffets, individual items are pre-wrapped, plated meals are suggested vs. buffets, etc (please see hyperlink below)
- Pad, paper, pens are no longer placed on tables