Ticket sales outpacing last year; more than 250 expected in Lexington

LOUISVILLE, KY (September 6, 201) – The Kentucky Automotive Industry Association’s second annual AutoVision conference is nearly sold out, less than a week before manufacturing leaders gather in Lexington to share insights into one of Kentucky’s signature industries.

AutoVision, a forward-looking conference of automotive manufacturers, suppliers and other business leaders, will be held Sept. 12-13 at the Lexington Center downtown. The event is presented by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

“We’ve built a conference that reaches even more deeply and more creatively into the issues and challenges that make auto manufacturing the beating heart of Kentucky’s economy,” said Dave Tatman, executive director of KAIA. “We enjoyed tremendous positive response from our first conference last year, and we are determined to deliver an even more engaging and energizing AutoVision this time.”

Wil James, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK) is AutoVision’s keynote speaker.

KAIA moved its signature conference to Lexington to increase capacity and expand its robust exhibit hall.  The move also allowed the conference to offer a free, limited-ticket tour of Toyota’s Georgetown manufacturing facility on Monday morning.

Monday evening’s “DinnerView”, a limited-ticket opportunity for conference attendees to enjoy dinner and cocktails with the conference’s speakers and panelists, is already sold out.

AutoVision’s agenda pushes attendees to reckon with the emerging trends and technologies that will reshape the automotive industry – everything from 3D printing to Internet-connected factory floors to rethinking machine downtime.

Major national automotive leaders Mustafa Mohatarem, chief economist of GM, and Gary Silberg, national sector lead partner of KMPG, return to AutoVision after widely praised presentations at the inaugural conference.  They will be joined by emerging entrepreneurs, engineers, and scholars and other manufacturing thought leaders who will offer provocative, challenging topics for the AutoVision crowd.

Tatman encouraged local manufacturing facilities to snap up remaining tickets quickly.  “We expanded our conference capacity and yet still are outpacing ticket sales compared to last year.  That tells me that our state’s automotive manufacturers and suppliers see the value of this conference to forge the new paths of Kentucky manufacturing.”

This year’s keynote speaker is Wil James, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK).

Other presentations and panels include:

Greg Haye (above), general manager of Local Motors, and Drura Parrish, CEO of MakeTime, will lead discussions on disruptive technologies in auto manufacturing.

• “Global Perspective: an economic outlook on the worldwide auto industry,” Mustafa Mohatarem, GM chief economist.
• “New Kid on the (Engine) Block: Industry innovators designing, building autos,” Greg Haye, Local Motors general manager.
• “What’s next for 3D printing?” Moderated by David Guilford, Automotive News; panelists include Rick Neff of Cincinnati Inc.; Isaac Mathew, UPS; and Sundar Atre, University of Louisville.
• “The Clockspeed Dilemma: Responding to the melding of consumer and automotive technologies and the rise of mobile services,” Gary Silberg, KMPG
• “Wearables on the Factory Floor: JIT in the information economy,” Ankur Gopal, Interapt
• “The Internet of Cars: Connected technologies are changing drivers’ experiences and expectations.” Moderated by David Guilford of Automotive News; panelists include Alan Ewing of Connected Care Consortium; Chan Lieu of Venable; and Andrew Stess of dashradio.
• “Factories of the Future: how connected technologies can drive personnel, process and profits in manufacturing”. Tony Fink, iGear.
• “Changing Faces, Changing Places: how the automotive workforce drives improvements and advances in the production process.” Moderated by Dana Cosby, HRD Strategies; panelists include Jean Marie Thrower, Supplier Development Systems; Tierra Kavanaugh Wayne, TKT Associates; and Lamar Rucker, GM.
• “Disruptive Drivers: dramatic changes in the supply chain create new opportunities,” Drura Parrish, MakeTime
• “Understanding international cultures and workforce best practices in a global industry.” Moderated by Bill May, High Value Consulting; panelists include John Nunneley, Hitachi; Torsten Langguth, Dr. Schneider Automotive; and Woody Iddhibhakdibongse, Thai Summit.
• “Election 2016: the impact of the fall presidential election on the auto industry.” Moderated by Mark Green, The Lane Report; panelists include Curt Magelby, Ford; Ann Wilson, Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association; and Paul Ryan, Global Automakers.

The full conference agenda is available at http://kyautoindustry.com/AutoVision/agenda.php.

*Media note:  Reporters may register free for the conference.  Contact Kerri Richardson ([email protected] or 502.386.2421) to confirm attendance.

Publication chronicles crucial and thriving state industry that employs 90,000 Kentuckians

FRANKFORT, KY (July 25, 2016) – No matter what kind of vehicle you drive, chances are good that it has Kentucky fingerprints – everything from wheel axles to sunroofs, and engines to exhaust systems are made right here in Kentucky.  Kentuckians have built vehicles and parts here in the Bluegrass State for more than a hundred years.

Because Kentucky’s automotive industry is such a crucial part of our state’s economy and the fabric of our communities, the Kentucky Automotive Industry Association has launched its first ever magazine, AutoVision. This quarterly magazine focuses on Kentucky’s surging automotive manufacturing industry, the third largest in the nation. It profiles innovative suppliers, interviews national experts and offers tips to Kentucky managers on how to keep the best employees

“AutoVision highlights Kentucky’s leadership in a key national industry and explores the successes and challenges facing Kentucky’s auto manufacturers and suppliers,” said KAIA executive director Dave Tatman. “Whether you’re a plant manager worried about recruiting skilled employees, or an economic development official wondering how national automotive trends will affect local manufacturing, AutoVision has the answers you need.”

The free magazine will be distributed to KAIA members, leaders of automotive manufacturing facilities and their partner firms, elected officials and economic development leaders.

Kentucky’s automotive industry is consistently among the strongest in the nation, and is a vital leader of the state’s economy. In 2015, the state’s auto manufacturing sector:

• increased production of passenger vehicles by 2.4 percent, to 1.3 million cars and trucks;
• employed nearly 90,000 people statewide – an increase of nearly 5,000 jobs over 2014; and
• announced 79 new projects totaling $2.8 billion in investments.

AutoVision shares its name with KAIA’s annual conference, which will be held this year on Sept. 12-13 in Lexington, Ky.  This year’s conference will feature a keynote presentation by Gary Silberg of KPMG on emerging automotive trends such as self-driving cars.  Silberg, the author of “Me, My Car, My Life”, is KPMG’s national sector lead partner for the automotive industry.   AutoVision magazine’s first cover story is an interview with Silberg about how changing demographics and changing technology will affect the future of driving.

Other articles include a recap of KAIA’s spring event, Spark, which connected suppliers with OEM and Tier 1 procurement representatives, reports on the latest new and expanding manufacturing facilities in Kentucky, and a profile of a KAIA member facility.

The magazine is committed to a fall and winter edition for 2016, with quarterly editions beginning in 2017.

If you’d like a copy of the magazine, or information about advertising opportunities, visit http://kyautoindustry.com/autovision-magazine/.

Registration information for the 2016 AutoVision Conference can be found at http://kyautoindustry.com/AutoVision/.