Overseen by Mummy Mountain’s purple peaks—and surrounded by the splendor of the Sonoran Desert—the sprawling Scottsdale Plaza Resort & Villas is the laid-back Arizona resort to gather, commune, relax, and get happy. 

Registration

We look forward to seeing you in Arizona! Registration is now open.

Register Now

Schedule (subject to change)

Monday, March 24
8:00am - 1:00pm Golf (pre-registration required)
3:00pm - 5:00pm Board of Directors Meeting
5:00pm - 6:00pm Welcome Reception

Tuesday, March 25
7:30am - 8:30am Breakfast
8:30am - 3:00pm General Sessions
3:30pm - 5:00pm Pickleball Round Robin 
6:00pm - 8:30pm Group Dinner 

Wednesday, March 26
7:30am - 8:30am Breakfast
8:30am - 12:00pm General Sessions
12:30pm - 3:30pm Sonoran Desert Jeep Tour (pre-registration required)

Educational Sessions

OEM-Driven Sustainability: Adapting to Regulations and Circularity
Kenneth Carter, John Deere

OEMs will play a critical role in driving sustainability down the value stream as new regulations and requirements take shape over the next decade. This session will outline those expectations while providing a look at John Deere’s sustainability roadmap for the next five years and beyond, with a focus on recycling, circularity, and CO2 emissions to meet industry standards.

We’ll also examine key considerations for molders as they prepare for the transition to a circular economy—covering production, use, and recycling.

Finally, this presentation will explore the broader landscape of sustainability efforts, highlighting what manufacturers and governments are planning and how the industry is moving toward circularity. Perspectives from an OEM, a molder, and a material supplier will provide insight into the challenges and opportunities ahead, as well as the potential impact of future regulations.

Economic and Labor Market Update – What to Expect in 2025 and Beyond
Alex Chausovsky, Bundy Group

The US macro economy is traversing the back side of the business cycle while several industrial sectors are going through a mild recession. Aggressive interest rate policy decisions by the Fed mostly stamped out inflation, but they also stifled capital investment and borrowing costs. Now the Fed is looking to rate cuts to prevent the economy from tipping into contraction. A clearly slowing labor market is just one of the visible cracks in the armor of consumers, with delinquency rates for credit cards and auto loans also flashing warning signs. Leading indicators continue to support the narrative of a soft landing for the US economy, but President Trump’s policy agenda is bound to have a substantial impact. What does all this mean for your business? This presentation will deliver practical and actionable advice designed to help business leaders plan for future economic conditions and continuously improve their organization’s strategic planning initiatives.
Attendees will walk away from the session with the following insights:

• Time-sensitive economic events of concern such as inflation, interest rates, labor market conditions, consumer spending, business investment, industrial activity, tariffs and immigration
• Concrete advice on how to navigate the current macroeconomic climate and plan for the future
• Tools that company leadership can use to become better data-driven decision makers in running their businesses

Rotomolding Safety Systems
Adam Covington, Ferry Industries

Rotational molding, like many other industrial production processes, includes team members working alongside machinery, that together are critical to produce rotomolded parts. The machinery and work cells must have various types of safety systems and consideration involved, helping make the production process stay efficient, while mitigating risk to people and property. Machine guarding and enclosures, electromechanical safety circuits, oven safety systems, temperature monitoring, Employee PPE, emergency stop systems and procedures, lifting systems, ergonomics, work zone protection systems, signage and fire safety systems exist in various forms to support this need. While all risk cannot likely be eliminated, molders and suppliers can integrate systems and process to help mitigate risks to their business creating safer and more successful businesses.

Molding with Confidence – Discovering an Optimal Training Culture for Your Organization
Melissa Derheim and Jeremy Williams, Advanced Pedestals Inc.

Introducing a training culture in the Roto Molding industry can be a challenging task. “Molding with confidence” is a phrase that represents a culture where every employee can take pride in their achievements and learn from their mistakes. Join us as we provide some insight into the advantages of establishing a platform that aims to enhance the skillset of rotomolders.

Navigating the New Normal: Protecting IP and Managing Modern Contract Risks
Christina Pannos, Pannos Law

As information has become easier to obtain, share, and steal, manufacturers face a steep learning curve in protecting their IP—and avoiding infringing on others’. Join Christina Pannos for an overview of the pitfalls of inadvertent sharing and practical controls to ensure employees handle intellectual property responsibly. Additionally, contract language and negotiation have shifted dramatically in a post-COVID world. Risk management has never been more complex, from waivers to clauses addressing uncertainty in supply chains, costs, and delays. This session will outline how to recognize and leverage these changes to your advantage, ensuring you’re prepared on all fronts—from safeguarding your IP to navigating modern contract risks.

Plastics and Manufacturing in 2025
Perc Pineda, PLASTICS Industry Association

The U.S. economy demonstrated resilience in 2024 despite significant challenges. However, the manufacturing sector faced a slump driven by higher interest rates. While plastics manufacturing showed weakness by several metrics, plastics demand remained stable. This evolving economic landscape will continue to shape the broader manufacturing sector and the end markets of the plastics industry. Discover the challenges and opportunities for growth in the plastics industry and learn strategies for success.

Defending Against Data Breach
Robert Siciliano

Robert Siciliano, best-selling author, returns to share critical insights on defending your business against data breaches. A decade ago, he spoke at the Executive Forum to great acclaim—now, his expertise is more relevant than ever.

Every day, we hear about data breaches exposing millions of credit card and account numbers. But for businesses like yours, the stakes are even higher. A single breach can mean hundreds of thousands—or even millions—in financial losses, reputational damage, and the erosion of customer trust. Don’t wait until it’s too late—learn how to protect your business from becoming the next cautionary tale.

Embracing Circular Design for Sustainable Futures
John Skabardonis

We are living in an environment of increasing negativity towards plastics, where folks express a strong desire to move away from single-use plastics and embrace sustainability and circularity methodologies. Reality is a bit more nuanced and complicated of course, however, with proper planning and clear communication, a change is already under way.

Major OEMs are asking their suppliers to deliver new materials, which can allow them to create marketing claims about how the OEMs are listening to consumer demands and providing their customers with more circular applications.

Circular design is key in this regard, and an analysis of the different facets of circular design, can identify strategies which will result in applications that consumers will feel good about using.

More to come!

Optional Events

Golf-TPC Scottsdale (Champions Course)
As Arizona’s only PGA TOUR property, you’ll experience the standards of quality and service normally reserved for the TOUR professionals. Rivaling its famous sister course in both beauty and playability, the Randy Heckenkemper-designed Champions Course offers an ideal desert golf experience. Built on the former site of TPC Scottsdale’s Desert Course, the layout was completely revamped in 2007 to flow seamlessly within the naturally rugged terrain, meandering between natural ravines and through picturesque foothills. 
TPC Scottsdale
Monday, March 24
Tee Time 8 AM
$380 (fee includes transportation, breakfast, greens fees)
* Please note that there is an additional $95 golf club rental fee that is not included in your registration.

Private Group Sonoran Desert Jeep
On our guide-led Sonoran Desert Jeep tours, you will see and learn about the stunning scenery that you saw in the popular old Western movies stretched out around you in full-color panoramic views
Read more here
Wednesday, March 26
12 PM - 4 PM
$265