Larry Smith, Chairman of Tokyo Electron US, is a respected leader in the global semiconductor industry. He has spent decades guiding Tokyo Electron US to be a top-ranked provider of semiconductor equipment and services. In this interview, he shares his thoughts and perspective on what the current moment means for the business but also for the country, as geopolitical forces are shaping investment, policy, and growth in a rapidly changing landscape. Along the way, we discuss workforce, the importance of establishing a veteran pipeline, and some personal stories that shaped his leadership style and approach to the community. 

Nate Horvath is the CEO of Staccato, a high end pistol manufacturer serving law enforcement and competition shooters as well as aficionados. Many experts consider their products to be some of the finest shooting guns in the world. In this conversation we discuss the line between manufacturing and craftsmanship, the changes in the gun industry, and what we can expect from Staccato in the future. Horvath has spent time at institutions renowned for developing leaders, including the US Marine Corp and Stanford Business School. Don't miss hearing his path to manufacturing and how his personal and professional background shape who he is today. 

Beth San Segundo is the CEO of OriGen Biomedical, a leading producer of cryopreservation, cell culture, and respiratory products that  support the treatment of respiratory distress, cancer, genetic conditions, and other life-threatening diseases. Under Beth’s leadership, the company has thrived and sustained rapid growth. In this episode we get her thoughts on what it’s like to make products that are critical to healthcare, the current operating conditions impacting her business locally and globally, as well as what the future might hold for Origen and the regional medical device ecosystem, which in conjunction with the biopharmaceutical industry currently makes over a billion dollars in products every year. 

Scott Lingren has a long legacy in technology, including the past 15 years in semiconductor. He currently serves as  the Managing Director for Schunk Xycarb, a leading supplier of quartz, graphite, and advanced ceramics.  He is at the forefront of the global semiconductor supply chain and the forces that are pushing for more regionalization. In this episode he discusses his thoughts on what we can expect globally and locally as well as his philosophy on being a growth catalyst. 

Robb Misso's opinions and perspective will influence how you see this moment in time. He is a long-time leader in Central Texas Manufacturing, including former CEO of Dynamic Manufacturing as well as a founding board member of ARMA.  He recently accepted a new role as Global Vice President of Operations for Cellink, an important new-comer building a large facility in Georgetown, Texas. In this conversation, we discuss why Cellink chose Central Texas, the incredible technology that their products enable, and the strengths of Central Texas. Don't miss this episode. 

This episode features Nathan Byman, CEO of Wolfram Manufacturing. We discuss the hurdles of starting a manufacturing operation, machining, technology, and the intersection of old and new technology.

Nathan Byman is the founder of Wolfram Manufacturing, a company based in Austin, Texas that is not your typical machine shop. While they do make an array of fabricated and machined parts for customers, through their deployment of technology and advanced techniques, they have also developed a consulting practice around automation and deep tech. Nathan shares his insights about the intersection of old school manufacturing and new innovations that are driving change in subtractive manufacturing. He holds and engineering degree from the University of Texas and an MBA from Rice. 

Rick Loofs was most recently General Manager for NOV in Cedar park but he took the opportunity to lead the development of Cangshan's new Leander based manufacturing and distribution facilities for North America.  Cangshan makes culinary knives found everywhere from CostCo to William Sonoma and now they will be made in Leander, Texas.  Our discussion focuses on the size and scope of this new plant as well as Rick's dedication to servant leadership,  helping people achieve their best life, and how this approach changes the way he builds teams and gets results for the organization.  

MFG Austin Ep 9:  CEO, Bryan Kranik took over leadership at Buildasign in 2017. He's successfully guided the company through acquisition and COVID all while maintaining the company's momentum and development. In this episode, we get his thoughts on managing  growth , trends in e-commerce, and the challenge of attracting talent. Enjoy!