20th Anniversary Conference

Keynote Speakers

Eric Mittelstadt

CEO, National Council for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM)

“America's 21st Century Learning System & STEM Education”

After 29 years at General Motors, Eric Mittelstadt in 1982 became the founding CEO of GMFanuc Robotics, the leading industrial robot company since 1984. He retired in 1999 to consult. In January 2005, he became the CEO of the National Council for Advanced Manufacturing (NACFAM), a policy research/awareness non-profit organization in Washington, DC, working with all constituencies to develop Federal and regional actions for US manufacturing competitiveness. He has a BME from General Motors Institute, an MBA from Wayne State University, completed the Tuck Executive Program at Dartmouth, and is listed in Who's Who in Manufacturing and Who's Who in Entrepreneurs.

Jim Leftwich

President and Chief Executive Officer at the Dayton Development Coalition

“Growing the Dayton Region”

Jim Leftwich (Lefty) is the President and Chief Executive Officer at the Dayton Development Coalition. The Coalition is the Dayton Region's economic development organization and principle public advocate. Jim is actively involved in the Economic Development of the Dayton Region. Along with his role as President and CEO of the Coalition, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Dayton IT Alliance, Downtown Dayton Partnership, EDvention, Workforce Policy Board of Montgomery County, the National Center for Industrial Competitiveness, and the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center for Human Capital Development (ATIC).

Lee Fisher

Lt. Governor, Ohio

“Reinventing Ohio's Innovation Base with Advanced Technology”

Lt. Governor Lee Fisher's career has spanned the private, public, and nonprofit sectors. In addition to serving as Governor Ted Strickland's Lieutenant Governor, Fisher is the Director of the Ohio Department of Development, and leads the state's efforts to retain, attract, and create jobs and grow Ohio's economy. He has more than 14 years of public service, serving as Ohio Attorney General, State Senator and State Representative. Lt. Governor Fisher also has worked as a private attorney, public company board director, and as a federal appellate law clerk.