2025 NFFS Industry Executive Conference

     
The New Congress and White House and Their 2025 Priorities

Omar Nashashibi, Inside Beltway
Saturday, February 22 • 8:30–9:30 a.m.

As the dust settles from the November 2024 elections, join Omar S. Nashashibi, a seasoned expert with over twenty-five years of experience lobbying in Washington, D.C., for a deep dive into the new political landscape and its implications for downstream manufacturing businesses. Mr. Nashashibi, founder of the nonpartisan lobbying and consulting firm Inside Beltway, will provide an insightful analysis of the newly elected Congress and the White House's priorities for 2025. Attendees will gain a comprehensive understanding of how the election results will shape policy directions on critical issues such as trade, taxes, environmental and workplace regulations, and workforce development. With his extensive background in strategic consulting and lobbying for manufacturers, Mr. Nashashibi will also highlight opportunities for businesses to engage with the new administration and Congress on important issues affecting non-ferrous foundries.

An Economic Outlook with ITR Economics

Michael Feuz, ITR Economics
Saturday, February 22 • 9:30–11:00 a.m.

Back by popular demand, ITR Economics returns once again to provide an insightful economic presentation tailored specifically for NFFS! Michael Feuz of ITR Economics will lead this comprehensive session, exploring both short-term and long-term economic forecasts, with a focus on how these projections will directly impact the non-ferrous foundry industry. Michael will also discuss ITR Economics' Management Objectives and their relevance to your business, identifying Business Cycle Phases and their implications for attendees. An examination of leading economic indicators critical to watch will be provided, along with economic insights on inflation, interest rates, and taxes. Attendees will also receive updates on current events of public concern and their potential impacts on their businesses, along with actionable steps moving forward.

Sales ≠ Marketing

Alexandria Trusov, Alpha Consulting
Saturday, February 22 • 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Marketing and sales are not the same functions. The two business fields vary enough to require different knowledge and skill sets for success. Combining them is like combining Accounting and Customer Service – it doesn’t make sense. However, in manufacturing we sometimes must embrace the resources we have. If your sales leadership is currently heading up strategy for your company’s marketing, join this session presented by Alexandria Trusov, Global Marketing Director for Alpha Resources LLC, for insights and tips into ways to make your marketing strategy an investment that pays long-term dividends for your foundry.

Comprehensive Insurance Solutions for Foundry Property and Casualty Coverage

Presenter: Ed O'Malley, USI Commercial Property & Casualty Group
Saturday, February 22 • 2:00–3:00 p.m.

In an increasingly challenging insurance market, obtaining adequate property coverage for foundries has become a significant hurdle. In this session, Ed O'Malley from USI will explore the current landscape of property insurance for foundries and the barriers businesses face in securing comprehensive coverage. Attendees will gain insight into the key factors driving market shifts and learn about the difficulties in navigating high rates, increased deductibles, and restricted capacity for foundry operations. Ed will also present a new insurance program designed to assist NFFS members by providing real solutions for property and casualty coverage in the foundry industry. This program offers more competitive rates, enhanced coverage options, and measurable cost savings, helping foundries manage risk effectively while optimizing their insurance portfolios.

The Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) Program

Presenter: TBD
Saturday, February 22 • 3:00–3:45 p.m.

Between now and 2028, the defense industrial base will need at least 122,000 additional shipbuilders, engineers, and other critical DoD support roles to meet the demands of our nation’s defense and military customers. DoD currently depends on foreign exporters to source large cast and forged products for critical warfighting elements, subjecting the supply chain to foreign ownership, control, and influence. Failure to meet the demand for metallurgical engineers and related trade professionals in the base metals industry creates a critical vulnerability in U.S. national defense. In response, the new Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL) program aims to transform the U.S. metal manufacturing workforce in the casting and forging industries by developing a national training network to sustain and bolster the base metals workforce through 2050. METAL is an industry-led initiative across multiple military branches that is supported by DoD’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program in partnership with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI).

Maximizing R&D Tax Credits for Your Foundry Operations

Rick Lazio, alliantgroup
Saturday, February 22 • 4:00–5:00 p.m.

In today's rapidly evolving foundry industry, businesses must adopt strategic approaches to maintain competitiveness, enhance ROI, and retain skilled workers. Our industry experts will lead an engaging discussion on current trends and provide practical advice that foundries can implement immediately to stay ahead of the curve. A key focus of our discussion will be the critical role of Research and Development Credits (R&D) in the foundry sector. With technological advancements and increasing demands for precision and efficiency, the R&D credit has become more crucial than ever. We'll explore how foundries can leverage R&D to innovate their processes, improve product quality, and reduce costs. Importantly, we'll address the new documentation requirements for R&D activities in foundries. Even if your foundry is already claiming R&D credits, it's essential to take a second look at your documentation practices. Recent changes in regulations mean that many foundries may be missing out on valuable tax incentives or risk non-compliance. Our experts will guide you through these new requirements, ensuring you're maximizing your benefits while staying fully compliant.

Mastering Regulatory Challenges: Advanced OSHA and EPA Compliance for Foundries

Martha and Skip Guimond, Joseph A. Guimond & Associates
Sunday, February 23 • 8:30–9:45 a.m.

Join us for a high-energy session with Skip and Martha Guimond as they delve into the latest OSHA and EPA issues impacting foundries. Gain expert insights into recent enforcement trends and receive targeted guidance on the most effective compliance strategies for foundries. Skip and Martha's straightforward approach demystifies the regulations, providing you with clear, actionable information to enhance your company’s compliance and safety programs.

The NFFS Talent Pipeline Program: Strengthening Workforce Development in Non-Ferrous Foundries

Joe Barto, TMG Inc. & Bill Padnos, Non-Ferrous Founders' Society
Sunday, February 23 • 10:00–11:00 a.m.

During this one-hour session, we will introduce the Navy Talent Pipeline Program (TPP) and explore how it addresses the critical need for workforce development strategies within the nonferrous foundry industry. Attendees will gain insights into the TPP’s mission, its focus on building sustainable talent pipelines, and how it equips foundries with practical tools for recruiting, training, and retaining a skilled workforce. We will discuss the key benefits of participating in the program, including access to in-plant consulting, hands-on coaching, and proven best practices in talent acquisition and retention. The session will also feature success stories and key outcomes from companies already engaged in the program.

Manufacturing Money: Grants to Support Your Company’s Growth

Micki Vandeloo, Lakeview Consulting Inc.
Sunday, February 23 • 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

You have never heard this session before, and you will not want to miss this presentation on how to find and leverage grants to improve your foundry operations. This session will inform participants of the why, what and how of manufacturing grants. Micki Vandeloo, President of Lakeview Consulting, Inc., the only manufacturing focused grant consultancy in the country, will discuss what manufacturing grants are, why manufacturers should pursue grant funding, and how manufacturers can access these grants. Micki will provide examples of companies who have received grants to fund their success and will highlight grant opportunities conference participants can pursue upon return to their offices to help support their growth.