Factory Doctor

About Factory Doctor

You're an executive in a mission-critical industry. You know your organization is capable of more. So why settle for mediocrity when your team can be great? The Factory Doctor brings you the non-obvious insights and hard-won lessons that help you uncover hidden weaknesses, amplify your strengths, and lead your business toward something greater. Join your host Alex Krutz - the Factory Doctor and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department - as he sits down with growth-oriented leaders across manufacturing and heavy industries across the transportation, machinery defense, energy and technology. Every episode goes deep in three areas: Leadership, Strategy, and Industrial Policy. You'll walk away with fresh perspectives and actionable ideas you can bring back to your organization. Greatness doesn't happen by accident. It happens because leaders like you decided to pursue it.

Publisher

Alex Krutz

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

19 Mar 2026

Latest episode

24 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   24 Sept 2026

   Packaging for Critical Military Machinery: The Custom Manufacturing No One Sees

   Custom manufacturing has unique challenges, especially when you're manufacturing custom cases and transit containers for military drones and data centers. It's easy to take America's superior military hardware as a given. But superior hardware isn't an advantage if it arrives damaged. Sterling Becklin, President and Chairman of ECS Composites, shares his perspective from leading the business his grandfather founded, to building server rackmounts and semi-trailer sized crates for Predator drones. What You'll Discover In This Episode Where scope creep hides in custom manufacturing How ECS gains market share by standing still Why tenure is so critical for ECS Challenges of leading a high-tenure workforce How weight became mission-critical for war fighters About the Guest Sterling Becklin is President & Chairman of the Board at ECS Composites, an internationally respected designer/manufacturer of transit cases, rackmount cases and reusable shipping containers for military, aviation and commercial applications. Serving all branches of the military and NASA, ECS has provided thousands of enclosure solutions for precision tactical, aerospace and communications equipment. The company is a 3rd generation family owned business in operation since 1954 and is small business designated and Hub Zone Certified. All ECS Cases are proudly made in the USA. Learn more at https://www.ecscomposites.com/ or connect with Sterling on LinkedIn. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

2. 

   9 Sept 2026

   The Vulnerable Layer of Aerospace & Defense

   While the industry is focused on missiles, hypersonic satellite swarms, and AI drone fleets, underneath the hardware is a layer that isn't getting enough attention. Kathleen Boyle, Chair and CEO of Verify Global, joins me to share some unsettling trends that are coming together. If they continue unchecked, America's lead in A&D hardware may not be a sustainable advantage. What You'll Discover In This Episode The role of OEMs in creating new vulnerabilities The late-stage process that can wipe out supplier margins CMMC status and the Pentagon's Phase II suspension How legacy defense systems can be exploited The consequences of slow AI adoption among suppliers Kathleen's rise to chair and CEO of a 50-year old service company How Verify reaches 8,000 suppliers in 45 nations yearly About the Guest Kathleen Boyle is the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Verify Global, with over 25 years of management experience with the Verify group of companies. Prior positions include Vice President of Quality & Compliance, Director of Operations, Director of Customer Satisfaction and Director of Business Development. Kathleen is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors for Aerospace Industries Association as well as Founding President and current Board Member of Women In Defense – Greater Los Angeles Chapter. She currently serves as the FBI's Defense Industry Sector Chief for the Bureau's West Coast InfraGard association. Learn more about Verify at https://www.verifyglobal.com/ or connect with Kathleen on LinkedIn. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

3. 

   27 Aug 2026

   The Automated Factory: The Real Gap Between Workers & Robotics w/Devin Bhushan of Squint

   I get asked a lot about, "Well, can't we just put a robot into this operation?" The answer is, maybe at some point…but not right now. That's why I wanted to talk to Devin Bhushan, founder and CEO of Squint, a mobile app that uses AI and AR to automate data entry and generate custom procedures. Squint aims to make every operator an expert, and in the process, remove the bottleneck of 'tribal knowledge.' Devin combines an inside perspective on AI with a command of classic manufacturing concepts, and shared some powerful insights on how AI is reshaping modern manufacturing. What You'll Discover In This Episode How the automation bottleneck has shifted The real risks of giving operators a cutting-edge AI model How AI is creating explosive growth in mid-market American manufacturers Dunk the 3 - the core value keeping Squint focused on what matters The difference between 'closed weight' and 'open weight' AI Why Devin doesn't trust sub-dashboards About the Guest Devin Bhushan is the founder and CEO of Squint, aiming to be the world's leading Manufacturing Intelligence Platform. Devin leads a team of 70+ that has built Squint into a mobile app that uses AI and AR to automate data entry, generate custom procedures, and make every operator an expert. Devin combines Silicon Valley engineering (Splunk, Yahoo) with a deep understanding of modern manufacturing. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

4. 

   30 Jul 2026

   Chips Don't Float: Rebuilding the PCB Base Behind Secure Electronics w/ Shane Whiteside | Summit Interconnect CEO

   The U.S. has put enormous attention on chips, but chips do not operate on their own. They have to be mounted to printed circuit boards, and that makes PCB manufacturing a critical part of the secure electronics supply chain. For Shane Whiteside, this is where the reshoring conversation has to get more specific: the U.S. invented printed circuit boards and once held a much larger share of global production, but today domestic capacity is a fraction of the market. That matters because PCBs sit inside defense platforms, AI infrastructure, banking systems, cloud storage, the electrical grid, and many of the electronic systems tied to national security. Shane brings 30 years of PCB industry experience as the Founder and CEO of Summit Interconnect, the former Chief Operating Officer of TTM, and the Chairman of the PCBAA. In this conversation, he explains why rebuilding domestic PCB capability is not just a manufacturing issue but a secure electronics, industrial policy, and national security priority. What You'll Discover In This Episode Why PCBs matter to secure electronics, How chips depend on PCB manufacturing, Why domestic PCB capacity has declined, What reshoring means for the PCB industry, How AI and defense are changing PCB demand, Why PCBs are now an industrial policy issue. About the Guest Shane Whiteside is the President and CEO of Summit Interconnect, the largest privately held printed circuit board manufacturer in North America. Summit Interconnect was founded through acquisitions in 2016 and has grown to seven North American manufacturing locations, serving customers across defense, infrastructure, consumer electronics, and electronic OEM markets. Shane brings 30 years of experience in the printed circuit board industry and previously served as Chief Operating Officer of TTM, one of the most recognized names in the PCB sector. He is also Chairman of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America, where he has helped advocate for domestic PCB manufacturing capability and greater recognition of printed circuit boards as a critical national security asset. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

5. 

   16 Jul 2026

   The Firm Power Problem Behind AI, Manufacturing, and Reshoring w/ Jake Jurewicz

   Nuclear power is often discussed as a technology problem. The deeper constraint is execution: cost, schedule, construction risk, financing, supply chain readiness, and whether new power capacity can actually be delivered on a timeline that matters. Jake Jurewicz argues that the future of nuclear power depends on changing the way plants are built. As the co-founder and CEO of Blue Energy, he is working on a deployment model that applies shipyard manufacturing, LNG construction methods, large-format prefabrication, and gas-to-nuclear sequencing to small modular reactors. In this conversation, we look at why nuclear's biggest bottleneck is not only reactor design, how Blue Energy is trying to reduce first-build risk, and why firm power capacity has become a critical constraint for AI, data centers, reshoring, industrial hubs, water needs, and long-term energy security. What You'll Discover In This Episode Why nuclear's biggest bottleneck is cost, schedule, and execution How small modular reactors create a different path for deployment Why Blue Energy is applying shipyard and LNG construction methods to nuclear How gas-to-nuclear sequencing can reduce first-build risk Why firm power is becoming a constraint for AI, data centers, and industrial growth About the Guest Jake Jurewicz is the CEO and co-founder of Blue Energy. Jake has over 10 years of experience building, investing in, and advising companies in the energy, climate, security, and construction sectors. He previously co-founded Entropy Power, a developer of behind-the-meter co-located industrial loads at wholesale generators, and served as Head of Transition Risk and Strategic Projects at Cervest, a UK startup focused delivering high-granularity climate risk analysis to real estate and infrastructure. Previously, Jake served on the corporate strategy team at Exelon Corporation, leading projects in R&D, strategic planning, and venture capital across the categories of nuclear, solar, hydrogen, energy storage, and distributed energy resources. Before Exelon, Jake worked in the nuclear security sector, pursued research in nuclear fusion, and apprenticed as a construction draftsman. Jake holds a Master's in Nuclear Science & Engineering as well as a dual bachelor's in physics and nuclear science & engineering from MIT. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call. What energy capacity means for manufacturing, national security, and economic sovereignty

6. 

   2 Jul 2026

   You Can't Reindustrialize America Without the Foundries w/ Cameron Schiller, Rangeview CEO

   America can't rebuild manufacturing by focusing only on the final assembly line. The deeper problem is the industrial layer underneath it: castings, forgings, tooling, materials, equipment, process control, and the skilled workforce that knows how to make hard parts. Those capabilities are easy to overlook until aircraft are grounded, production programs stall, or critical components can only be sourced from overseas. Cameron Schiller argues that reindustrialization has to start at that foundational layer. As the CEO and founder of Rangeview, he is building a Southern California foundry focused on highly specialized investment castings, including nickel-based superalloys and structural components. In this conversation, we look at why castings and forgings have become a national capacity problem, how digital tooling can remove months of delay from complex casting programs, and why rebuilding American manufacturing means rebuilding the systems, skills, and factory infrastructure that make everything else possible. What You'll Discover In This Episode Why final assembly is only one part of reindustrialization How castings and forgings became a hidden capacity constraint Why foundry knowledge has become a generational handoff problem How digital tooling changes the casting timeline Where supply chain risk hides inside the equipment layer What it takes to rebuild hard industrial capability in America ----- About the Guest Cameron Schiller is the CEO and founder of Rangeview, a Southern California company focused on rebuilding American foundry capacity through highly specialized investment castings. Rangeview works on high-value castings, including nickel-based superalloys, VIM melt, and structural components, with a focus on difficult parts, fast iteration, commercialization, and scaling production timelines. Cameron founded the company out of the same family garage where he grew up building robots, and his background as a roboticist and manufacturing operator has shaped Rangeview's approach to automation, digital tooling, materials science, and factory systems. His work is focused on bringing advanced manufacturing capacity back to the United States and building the next generation of American foundries. ----- About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

7. 

   18 Jun 2026

   Organized Around Outcomes: How to Scale Complex Hardware Without Silos

   When companies are trying to scale complex hardware, the work can easily be split into separate lanes: engineering, production, supply chain, quality, sales, and operations. Each team has its own tasks, its own constraints, and its own way of measuring progress. Keith Flynn's point is that speed comes from organizing those teams around the outcome they are trying to deliver, not just the work sitting in front of them. They are the ones who organize teams around outcomes, give people clarity on the result they are trying to achieve, and build the systems that help them get there. Keith currently serves as Senior Vice President of Production at Anduril, where he helps scale advanced defense manufacturing for a new generation of hardware systems. He brings more than 20 years of experience across manufacturing, engineering, robotics, automotive, and new product launches, including leadership roles at Tesla, Starsky Robotics, and Toyota. What You'll Discover In This Episode The relationship between speed, risk, and execution in modern manufacturing Why outcome-driven teams move faster than task-based organizations How Anduril thinks about production as part of the product from day one Why software-defined capability changes how defense hardware can be built The role digital tools play in connecting engineering, supply chain, production, and quality When stable demand becomes one of the most powerful tools for rebuilding industrial capacity About the Guest Keith Flynn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-flynn/) is the Senior Vice President of Production at Anduril. He brings more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing and engineering, with deep expertise in developing and scaling innovative hardware systems across the automotive, robotics, and defense sectors. Before Anduril, he held leadership roles at Tesla across engineering, operations, research and development, new products, automation, and technologies. He also led the hardware engineering organization at autonomous trucking startup Starsky Robotics, and earlier in his career, supported new vehicle launches and manufacturing at Toyota. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

8. 

   3 Jun 2026

   Strategic Clarity: From Conglomerate to "100-Year-Old Startup" | Carrier CEO, Dave Gitlin

   What happens when a 100-year-old industrial company suddenly has to operate like a startup? Dave Gitlin explains what it looked like to spin Carrier out of a major conglomerate in April 2020, exactly as COVID was turning into a global crisis. Almost immediately, the company had to navigate survival mode, rethink its operating model, reshape its portfolio, and define what Carrier would become as an independent business. What followed was a broader transformation around strategic focus, capital allocation, connected systems, AI infrastructure, and the future of thermal management. Dave shares how Carrier evolved from a traditional HVAC manufacturer into a thermal solutions company operating at the center of some of the largest infrastructure shifts of the modern era. Dave is the Chairman and CEO of Carrier and also serves on the board of Boeing following decades of leadership experience across Collins Aerospace and the former United Technologies businesses. What You'll Discover In This Episode Spinning Carrier out of United Technologies during the start of COVID Building a "100-year-old startup" with a new culture, operating system, and leadership rhythm Using strategic clarity to reshape the portfolio and capital allocation The growth of AI infrastructure and the cooling demands behind data centers Moving from HVAC products to intelligent thermal solutions Rethinking global manufacturing through lifecycle cost, cash flow, and customer proximity Guest Bio Dave Gitlin is the Chairman and CEO of Carrier (https://www.carrier.com/). He previously served as President & Chief Operating Officer of Collins Aerospace (https://www.rtx.com/collinsaerospace), and was President of UTC Aerospace Systems after leading the integration of Goodrich Corporation with UTC. In addition to his leadership roles, he has extensive experience in business development, strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. Gitlin holds a bachelor's degree from Cornell University, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

9. 

   14 May 2026

   Scaling the Defense Industrial Base in a Demand-Driven Era w/ George Whittier

   Defense manufacturing is shifting from competing for programs to building the capacity to deliver them. Budgets are rising, demand is increasing, and timelines are compressing.  As George Whittier explains, the challenge is no longer winning work; it's delivering at the scale and speed this moment requires. George is the CEO of Fairbanks Morse Defense and brings over 30 years of experience in commercial and defense manufacturing. He has led the company's transformation from an engine manufacturer into a supplier of critical equipment and lifecycle services to the U.S. Navy. What You'll Discover In This Episode From fighting over programs to scaling industrial capacity Moving beyond engines into full lifecycle equipment and services The compression of shipbuilding timelines from years to near-term delivery pressure Constraints across labor, supply chain, and materials Leadership decisions under speed, pressure, and imperfect information Guest Bio George Whittier is the Chief Executive Officer of Fairbanks Morse Defense, where he leads the company's expansion as a provider of mission-critical equipment, services, and technologies supporting the U.S. Navy and broader maritime defense ecosystem. A seasoned manufacturing and defense leader with over 30 years of experience, Whittier has played a central role in transforming the business from a traditional engine manufacturer into a diversified supplier delivering full lifecycle naval solutions. You can connect with him on LinkedIn. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

10. 

    16 Apr 2026

    The Gap Between Mission Statement and Real Performance w/ Hexcel CEO Tom Gentile

    When leaders look to improve performance in complex industrial businesses, the focus often turns to individual areas, operations, supply chain, quality, or workforce.  Each part has its own targets, its own pressures, and its own way of measuring success.  My guest on the show, Tom Gentile explains, performance is not driven by any one area on its own. It's driven by how well these parts operate together. Tom currently is the President and CEO of Hexcel and held executive leadership roles at Spirit Aerosystems, GE Aviation, GE Capital, and GE Healthcare, where he developed deep expertise in operations, productivity, and industrial systems. What You'll Discover In This Episode The role safety and quality play in setting the standard for performance Why performance breaks without alignment How to translate a mission statement into execution Why material science is shaping the future of performance and capability When manufacturing capability becomes a national security issue Guest Bio Thomas Gentile is the President and CEO of Hexcel Corporation, a global leader in advanced composite materials. Over his career, he has led major turnarounds, improved operating performance, and driven growth across global organizations, including serving as a Senior Vice President at GE and a member of the Corporate Executive Council under former CEO Jeff Immelt. He began his career at McKinsey & Company and holds a degree in Economics (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He currently serves on the boards of Spirit AeroSystems and Synchrony Financial, and has also held leadership roles, including Chairman of Care Innovations (a GE and Intel joint venture) and Chairman and Director of InSightec. Connect with Tom on LinkedIn. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

11. 

    2 Apr 2026

    You're Chasing Strategic Breakthroughs in the Wrong Place w/ex-Boeing VP Pat Shanahan

    When companies are not hitting their business objectives or have poor customer satisfaction, a common comment to this is, "We need a new strategy." So after the Corporate Strategy Leader or Management Consultant completes the strategic assessment, many times what comes back is, "The Process." As my first guest, Pat Shanahan, pointed out, strategy is not a process. Pat brings decades of experience: Former President/CEO of Spirit AeroSystems; Former Senior VP at Boeing; Deputy Sec of Defense and Acting Sec of Defense (2019). So how do you make your strategy come to life, create engagement in large, multi-functional organizations, and hit your strategic objectives? What You'll Discover In This Episode The leadership secret to get the highest levels of engagement from your key people How to turn naysayers into champions The overlooked advantage of the American worker and how to leverage it One thing you MUST know before you set goals One tactic to get your people to take immediate problem-solving action The first steps Pat recommends leaders take to put a strategic change into action The one question Pat asked in meetings that drives deeper thinking and better performance The biggest pitfall leaders fall into when looking for a 'strategy' breakthrough How to build new strategic initiatives into your 'management system' to ensure that everyone owns their piece How the tipping point of 1000 employees affects your change management and your chances of hitting new strategic objectives How to make your strategy come to life The key to reshoring that works How the old model of 'blue collar vs white collar work' no longer applies Guest Bio Pat Shanahan is an experienced global business and government leader, most recently serving as President and CEO of Spirit AeroSystems. Pat spent three decades with Boeing, with VP roles in Commercial Airplane Programs, Missile Defense Systems, and Rotorcraft Systems. In government, Pat served as the 33rd Deputy Secretary of Defense, as well as Acting Secretary of Defense (2019). About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions. Resources Have a project that can benefit from Alex's expertise? Alex and his team at Patriot Industrial Partners work with growth-oriented organizations to raise their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and due diligence. Visit TheFactoryDoctor.com to learn more about private consulting and to request a Discovery Call.

12. 

    2 Apr 2026

    From Factory Floors to the U.S. Commerce Dept: How It Changed My View of Industrial Policy

    We're at a critical moment in American reindustrialization. We need more than good intentions or mission statements. That's why we're launching The Factory Doctor. In this first episode, Alex shares how he earned the nickname 'The Factory Doctor,' how his family and military background shaped his perspective, and how being inside the U.S. Commerce Department changed the way he thinks about industrial policy. What You'll Discover In This Episode How leading soldiers twice his age in Kosovo turned out to be the best training ground for optimizing factories How 20+ years inside Fortune 50 operations, supply chains, and factory floors shaped Alex into a different kind of industrial advisor The quiet, decades-long erosion of American industrial capability…and the key to reindustrializing and reshoring the right way Why Alex took one year away from his thriving consulting firm…and what building Patriot Industrial Partners from scratch revealed about the state of American industry What Alex saw from inside the U.S. Commerce Department that most manufacturing executives never get to see What Alex is focused on that he couldn't do from Washington Why this moment in American reindustrialization demands more than good intentions…and how this show can be a part of the solution About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.

13. 

    19 Mar 2026

    The Factory Doctor - Trailer

    You're an executive in a mission-critical industry. You know your organization is capable of more. So why settle for mediocrity when your team can be great? The Factory Doctor brings you the non-obvious insights and hard-won lessons that help you uncover hidden weaknesses, amplify your strengths, and lead your business toward something greater. Join your host Alex Krutz - the Factory Doctor and former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department - as he sits down with growth-oriented leaders across manufacturing and heavy industries across the transportation, machinery defense, energy and technology. Every episode goes deep in three areas: Leadership, Strategy, and Industrial Policy. You'll walk away with fresh perspectives and actionable ideas you can bring back to your organization. Greatness doesn't happen by accident. It happens because leaders like you decided to pursue it. About Your Host Alex Krutz is the Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Manufacturing at the U.S. Commerce Department and the Managing Director at Patriot Industrial Partners, an Industrial Advisory firm. Alex and his team partner with growth-oriented companies to improve their operational, quality and financial performance, drawing on decades of experience in complex problem solving, factory optimization, and supply chain optimization initiatives. Alex has earned the nickname "The Factory Doctor" from industry executives, analysts and media due to spearheading many manufacturing and supply chain turnarounds. Alex has completed over 250+ industrial performance improvement projects and manufacturing turnarounds around the globe in USA, Mexico, Canada, UK, Italy, France, South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan and India. You can find Alex's Op-Ed articles that are featured in industry-leading publications, including Washington Times, Forbes, Aviation Week and Flight Global. He has also been cited in major media outlets, such as Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNBC, among others. He has contributed to prominent conferences and webinars organized by Bank of America, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, and other institutions.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.