This podcast is all about celebrating the incredible people behind world-class operations. In each episode, I sit down with inspiring leaders in manufacturing to hear their stories—how they’ve tackled big challenges, led change on the factory floor, and built cultures that make great work possible. If you care about operations, about making things better every day, and about learning from people who’ve truly been there—this show is for you. We’ve got a lineup of amazing guests coming up.
https://guidewheel.com/podcast-spotify
Publisher
Hosted by Guidewheel and the US Center for Advanced Manufacturing
Today’s episode features Scott Burkey, Technology Fellow at Smurfit Westrock. With a career spanning CNN, Coca-Cola, the NBA, and now manufacturing, Scott brings a fresh perspective to scaling innovation across hundreds of plants. He shares how one frontline worker transformed his understanding of technology’s human impact and what it takes to build genuine adoption through trusted plant-level champions. It’s a thoughtful look at change management, frontline innovation, and the importance of keeping people at the center of digital transformation.
26 Nov 2025
Episode 10: Max Perilstein
Today’s episode features Max Perilstein, founder of Sole Source Consultants and a leading voice in the glass and glazing industry. With more than 30 years of experience across family-run operations and national manufacturers, and as the creator of the From the Fabricator blog and podcast, Max brings a clear view of what it takes to run and modernize complex operations. He shares lessons from an early surge in demand that reshaped his approach to systems and leadership, the cultural differences he sees between family ownership and private equity, and why diversification and smart automation are becoming essential in an industry that doesn’t ship well. It’s a grounded look at how to strengthen operations while keeping people at the center.
22 Oct 2025
Episode 9: Jeff McNabb
Today’s episode features Jeff McNabb, Associate Director of Supply Chain at Myers Industries and a leader whose career spans the U.S. Navy to Fortune 100 manufacturers. Jeff shares lessons from pacing change, aligning teams with the X-Matrix framework, and using AI and automation in ways that actually stick. He also talks about how leading with empathy, clarity, and persistence has helped his teams navigate everything from plant startups to shutdowns while driving measurable improvement. This conversation is full of practical insights on how to modernize operations, strengthen supply chains, and keep people at the center of transformation.
15 Oct 2025
Episode 8: David Ariens
Today’s episode features David Ariens, founder of The IT/OT Insider and a leading voice helping manufacturers bridge the gap between information technology and operations. David shares how to cut through buzzwords to build real data foundations, what a unified namespace actually means in practice, and why the key to AI-enabled manufacturing isn’t more tools—it’s clarity, connection, and starting where you are.
8 Oct 2025
Episode 7: Don Wiseman
Today’s episode features Don Wiseman, CEO of Teknor Apex and a 38-year veteran of plastics and specialty chemicals. Don shares how to build followership, why people are the only durable advantage, and how his team is using digitization to raise standards, reduce variation, and recognize great work — all while leading with consistency, care, and the speed today’s factories demand.
1 Oct 2025
Episode 6: Juan Carlos Alonso
Today’s episode features Juan Carlos Alonso, Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Committee member at Bekaert. Over the course of this conversation, he shares how he unlocked 15–20 % energy savings across Bekaert’s 80 global plants by rethinking orthodox assumptions, breaking down silos, and empowering cross-functional teams – and how that experience crystallized his philosophy for how strategy must meet implementation.
You’ll also hear his lessons on driving change in legacy organizations, prioritizing focus in crowded portfolios, and pushing for AI adoption in traditionally conservative manufacturing environments.
24 Sept 2025
Episode 5: Norman Goco
Today’s episode features Norman Goco, Senior Manager – Operations at ATI Materials, where he helps lead complex manufacturing environments serving critical industries. Drawing on his experience driving change on the factory floor, Norman shares what truly sets great manufacturing operations leaders apart, how to bring new technology into plants in a way that sticks, and how to win over even the toughest skeptics.
Whether you’re leading operations, implementing new systems, or working to inspire your team, this episode is a masterclass in leadership from someone who has lived it day to day.
17 Sept 2025
Episode 4: Haley White
Today’s episode features Haley White, Managing Director at Madison Industries and formerly in senior leadership positions at several other companies. Drawing on her experience leading plants and scaling teams, Haley shares how clarity and connection can transform culture on the factory floor. She explains why making goals unmistakably clear unlocks ownership, how simple frameworks drive consistency at scale, and why technology must adapt to people - not the other way around.
Whether you’re leading operations, introducing new systems, or building resilient teams, this episode is full of practical lessons from a leader who has driven transformation across industries.
3 Sept 2025
Episode 3: Gunter Beitinger
Today’s episode features Gunter Beitinger, Senior Vice President at Siemens and author of Crisp Manufacturing. With 25 years of experience leading on the shop floor and driving global digital transformation, Gunter shares guiding principles for leadership in uncertain times. He explains how slowing down and observing deeply can turn challenges into opportunities, why explainable AI is essential to trust on the shop floor, and how initiatives like Sea Green are reshaping supply chains to be both carbon-efficient and resilient.
Whether you’re leading digital transformation, introducing AI in manufacturing, or looking to build stronger, people-centered teams, this episode is full of actionable lessons from one of Siemens’ top executives.
19 Aug 2025
Episode 2: Bob Buttermore
Today's episode features Bob Buttermore, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Rockwell Automation. Bob shared lessons from leading through five years of unprecedented disruption, rethinking what resilience really means in supply chains today, and offering concrete examples of how to build the “factory of the future.” He also discussed how to introduce AI and automation in ways that deliver results while strengthening teams.
Whether you’re navigating global supply chain challenges or exploring the next wave of smart manufacturing, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss!
1 Aug 2025
Episode 1: Christopher Sass
Today's episode features Christopher Sass, a quality manager for a Pennsylvania based manufacturer. Chris shared his unconventional path into manufacturing, how he learned to tackle improvement one chunk at a time, and how he shifted his mindset to become the kind of leader others want to follow.
Whether you're deep in factory operations or just beginning your journey, this episode is full of great takeaways!
31 Jul 2025
Trailer: FactoryOps Exchange
This podcast is all about celebrating the incredible people behind world-class operations.
If you care about operations, about making things better every day, and about learning from people who’ve truly been there—this show is for you.
We’ve got a lineup of amazing guests coming up. So follow FactoryOps Exchange —and join us as we learn from the people moving manufacturing forward.
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