Shows
Talking Industrial AutomationA Decade of Impact: Jose Rivera Reflects on Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Automation | Episode 108 of Talking Industrial Automation with Lisa RichterIn this special crossover episode of Talking Industrial Automation, host Lisa Richter shares a conversation from Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, featuring outgoing CSIA CEO Jose Rivera. As he prepares to step down after 10 transformative years, Jose looks back on the challenges and triumphs that shaped the Control System Integrators Association—from navigating the pandemic and launching remote certifications to championing emerging leaders and expanding globally. Listeners will gain insights into how CSIA evolved to meet the needs of a new generation
2025-05-1532 min
Talking Industrial AutomationBryan DeBois of RoviSysThe airwaves are blowing up with the potential of AI in industrial automation -- but is it all talk? Not at all, says Bryan DeBois, DIrector of AI at RoviSys, a system integration founded in 1989. In fact, Autonomous AI is solving unsolvable problems right now -- including the brain drain and labor shortage -- that are plaquing manufacturing throughout the US. FInd out how in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2024-07-1541 min
Talking Industrial AutomationJeromy Peterson of Ripple Industries From an entry-level job at a sewage plant (spoiler, it's as bad as you think) to writing a science fiction novel to earning four degrees+, Jeromy Peterson has accumulated an unusual mix of experiences over the course of his 25-year career. Hear all about it -- including the 17 years he's spent as CEO and president of Ripple Industries, an automation and control systems integration company -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2024-06-1550 minTalking Industrial AutomationAlex Pool of Masked Owl Technologies After 30 years of experience in industrial solution leadership -- ranging from greenfield design and engineering to custom specialized solutions -- Alex Pool launched Masked Owl Technologies. As President of this SI startup, he uses his decades of experience in a diverse technology and automation landscape -- from the destruction of WWII-era chemical weapons to sequencing paper into NYC’s local print shops – to inform this latest venture. Alex’s true passion is in problem-solving and building integrated systems that are unmatched elsewhere. Hear all about it in this epis...
2024-05-1531 minTalking Industrial AutomationAdam Gluck of Copia Automation | Episode 96Can we be solving hard problems that make the economy work better? That make the world a more efficient place? Those are the questions that inspired Adam Gluck to leave his engineering job at Uber and found Copia Automation, which brings modern DevOps tooling to industrial automation, standardizing processes to drive quality, efficency, and uptime at scale. Hear all about the past, present and future of this up and coming start up -- as well as its founder -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2024-04-0243 min
Talking Industrial AutomationSandy Gennaro Professional Speaker and DrummerIt's not often that an industrial autlomation podcast features a rockstar as a guest -- but it's happening today. Sandy Gennaro -- former drummer for bands as diverse as The Monkees to Joan Jett to Cyndi Lauper -- is here to tell you about his lessons learned from life on the road and other musings. Full disclosure: He is also a keynote speaker for the upcoming CSIA Conference, where he will parlay his experience as a drummer in rock band to leading successful teams. You also migh be surprised with how much you have in co...
2024-03-1538 min
Talking Industrial AutomationKen Hackett of General Control Systems Meet Ken Hackett, who is Director of Business Development for General Control Systems. In this role, he uses his 30 years of expertise in engineering design, sales, service, and installation of process controls, instrumentation, and electrical systems to partner with clients in the life sciences, industrial, and food beverage sectors. In addition, for the past three years, he has served as President of the ISA Eastern Chapter. Finally, full disclosure, Ken will be a speaker at the upcoming CSIA Marketing Workshop held in conjunction with the 2024 CSIA Conference in Dallas this April. Hear how he has...
2024-02-1540 min
Talking Industrial AutomationCrossover Episode with the Rivergate Marketing Podcast We are doing something a little different with this episode of Talking Industrial Automation because TIA host Lisa Richter was invited to be a guest on the Rivergate Marketing Podcast, produced by Rivergate Marketing, a full-service digital marketing company and CSIA member. This episode touches on a little bit about a lot of things – from marketing to the CSIA Conference to the upcoming CSIA Makreting workshop. Even if you don’t plan to attend the conference, this crossover episode still offers some insights you might be interested in and maybe even a spicy take or two. (RIP Koozie...
2024-01-2430 minTalking Industrial AutomationDave Bader of Eurotech | Episode 92 Over the course of three decades, Dave Bader, who is Vice President of Business Development at Eurotech, has been involved in several automation revolutions including the evangelism of artificial intelligence at the edge, industrial IoT, and autonomous mobile robotics for industrial and warehouse applications. Serving as the Head of Sales, National Business Develop Manager, National Sales Manager, and Global Channel Manager for a variety of automation and robotics companies, Dave brings a unique ability to convey very highly technical solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences. Get to know him in this episode of Talking In...
2024-01-1635 min
Talking Industrial AutomationKaren Griffin of Hargrove Controls and Automation | Episode 91 Finding a role that allowed her to advance her technical skills while also progessing her career was exactly what Karen Griffin was looking for when she landed at Hargrove Controls and Automations. She went on to serve in various automation roles over the next 10 years such as engineering leader, main automation contractor program sponsor, senior program manager and controls and automation engineer for the refining, oil and gas, chemicals and pulp and paper industry. Today, Karen is vice-president and managing member representative of Tormod, an asset life cycle company. There she leads a team of 150 p...
2023-12-1523 min
Talking Industrial AutomationIra Sharp with Phoenix Contact With more than 18 years of experience in industrial automation with a focus on Open Control, IIoT Industry 4.0, Networking and Cybersecurity, Ira Sharp, director of product marketing automation at Phoenix Contact USA, has seen a few things. Based on this experience -- and his active digital presence as a LinkedIn Content creator focused on automation -- Ira share's his thoughhts on where the industry is headed and how system integrators and others can make the most of it in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2023-11-1524 minTalking Industrial AutomationBen Durbin of Cybertrol Engineering | Episode 89Joining the company just one year after inception, Ben Durbin has climbed through the Cybertrol Engineering ranks to the top spot: CEO. Along the way he's gained on-the-job experience in every corner of the business -- from programming to sales. Hear about his career journey -- and his advice for newer folks -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2023-10-1315 min
Talking Industrial AutomationGreg Jackson of SmartSights | Epsiode 88After decades of living in the same ecosystem, WIN-911 and SyTech merged to form SmartSights, blending the best of both and triggering a fresh look, brand and approach. Hear all about it in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation from SmartSights CEO Greg Jackson. Greg also reveals what he has learned from his experience as a strategic leader with a unique blend of 30 plus years’ experience and achievements in international sales, business development, operations and product solution development.
2023-09-1531 min
Talking Industrial AutomationAndrew Thomas of SkkynetFrustrated with the lack of tools to reliably communicate among different process areas, Andrew Thomas decided to do something about it. So in 1995, he and a partner developed real-time communication software that resulted in a program called Cogent Real Time Systems. Over the following two-plus decades, he continued to reiterate eventually resulting in what is now called Skkynet -- a platform that enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required. Hear about his journey -- and his predictions -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2023-08-1537 min
Talking Industrial AutomationWhat's New in the Best Practices Manual 6.0 with Tony ValasekFor many CSIA members, the Best Practices Manual is THE reason they joined the association -- and for good reason. The BP Manual Best Practices Manual is the most comprehensive collection of best practices within a system integrators industry. This crowdsourced, comprehensive document -- written by integrators for integrators -- represented hundreds of hours of collective wisdom going back to the early 1990s. The latest version -- 6.0 -- was released just last month. The BP Committee Chair, Tony Valasek of EOSYS, reveals what's new in this release. Plus a little bit about how the sausage gets made.
2023-07-1521 minTalking Industrial AutomationGrowing Into Leadership Roles with CSIA Emerging Leaders SIG "People are like an unstable PID loop," jokes Keith Mandachit of Huffman Engineering in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Hear what else he and his fellow panelists Andrew Palmberg (Technical Systems Inc) and Becca Johnson (Gray Solutions) share about growing into a leadership role during the encore presentation. (This content originally appeared on the www.controlsys.org website as part if CSIA's Emerging Leaders SIG.)
2023-06-1540 minTalking Industrial AutomationDino Busalachi of Velta Technology | Episode 84 Dino Busalachi is CTO and Co-Founder of Velta Technology, a company that provides digital safety as a service. Dino has close to 4 decades of global experience across information technology, engineering, and industrial control systems with multiple globally-recognized brands including Rockwell Automation, Anheuser-Busch, American Standard, and General Motors.
2023-05-0544 minTalking Industrial AutomationLisa Ryan of Grategy | Episode 83 Drawing on her experience as a certified speaking professional and best selling author, Lisa Ryan offers some advice for companies that want to retain talent and build a company culture that makes employees want to stay. Along the way, she also gives some tips on public speaking, networking and navigating social awkwardness. If you want to hear more from Lisa, she will be one of the CSIA Executive Conference’s keynote speakers.
2023-04-1534 minTalking Industrial AutomationMike Bradshaw of Stratus Technologies Since April 2019, Stratus has completely revamped its partner ecosystem and the programs that support it, providing greater benefits to the partners while driving double digit growth for Stratus reports Mike Bradshaw, Senior Director - Global Channels and Partner Ecosystem. He explains why in this episode as well as revealing why his kids think he is a spy!
2023-03-1533 minTalking Industrial AutomationTheresa Benson | Part 2 | Episode 81A former colleague once called Theresa Benson “corporate spackle” because she comes in and fills in the gaps quickly, diagnosing issues and moving people forward in the face of ambiguity. As a product storyteller and strategist with over 20 years of experience in high tech, Thersa is currently helping her clients understands what makes something valuable and then helps them tell their story in the way that their market needs to hear. Hear more about her journey in this episode of the podcast. This is Part 2 of a two-parter.
2023-02-2821 minTalking Industrial AutomationTheresa Benson | Part 1 | Episode 80A former colleague once called Theresa Benson “corporate spackle” because she comes in and fills in the gaps quickly, diagnosing issues and moving people forward in the face of ambiguity. As a product storyteller and strategist with over 20 years of experience in high tech, Thersa is currently helping her clients understands what makes something valuable and then helps them tell their story in the way that their market needs to hear. Hear more about her journey in this episode of the podcast. This is Part 1 of a two-parter.
2023-02-0224 minTalking Industrial AutomationAlicia Gilpin and Nikki Gonzales of Automation Ladies Part 2 | Episode 79As hosts of Automation Ladies -- the only podcast -- that we know of -- where women (mostly) talk about Industrial Automation, Alicia Gilpin (Ali G.) and Nikki Gonzales provide a unique perspective on the industrial automation industry. For their day jobs, Ali G. is owner of Process and Controls Engineering LLC. while Nikki is is building an online marketplace and workflow automation platform for industrial automation distributors and their customers to collaborate and bring some sanity to the procurement process at Quotebeam. Hear all about it in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Note: T...
2023-01-1527 minTalking Industrial AutomationAlicia Gilpin and Nikki Gonzales of Automation Ladies Part 1 | Episode 78As hosts of Automation Ladies -- the only podcast -- that we know of -- where women (mostly) talk about Industrial Automation, Alicia Gilpin (Ali G.) and Nikki Gonzales provide a unique perspective on the industrial automation industry. For their day jobs, Ali G. is owner of Process and Controls Engineering LLC. while Nikki is is building an online marketplace and workflow automation platform for industrial automation distributors and their customers to collaborate and bring some sanity to the procurement process at Quotebeam. Hear all about it in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Note: T...
2022-12-1531 minTalking Industrial AutomationPod in a Box | Episode 77In this episode, we’re talking industrial automation as usual but instead of hearing from one or two guests, you’re going to get to hear from a lot of them – hot mike style-ish because I grabbed random 2022 Rockwell Automation Fair attendees as they stopped by the CSIA booth and hit record. So what you are about to listen to is a series of micro-interviews from people in all kinds of roles from around the world who were brave enough to step up and talk into the Yeti microphone I set up in a DIY recording studio – which wa...
2022-11-3028 minTalking Industrial AutomationDaren Dieleman of Interstates | Episode 76Daren Dieleman parlayed a background in accounting and finance into a 10-year career with a worldwide system integration firm, Interstates. He spent most of that time leading the automation delivery teams, but recently he transitioned to a senior leadership role driving company strategy and strategic partnerships. Hear more about Daren -- including his dream job -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-11-1327 minTalking Industrial AutomationDan Barrera of Bosch Rexroth | Episode 75Fresh out of college, Dan Barrera had three offers -- including his dream job. But he turned it down for one with an automation company. And he's never looked back. Today is is a product manager at Bosch Rexroth where he is product manager for one of the company's latest controls platform: ctrlX AUTOMATION. Hear about his journey and why he is so passionate about the industry in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-11-0146 min
Talking Industrial AutomationShawn Tierney of Insights in Automation | Episode 74Technology enthusiast and entrepreneur Shawn Tierney took two decades of experience as an automation specialist and turned it into content development and training business with more than 75,000 followers across his blog, podcast and YouTube platforms. Hear how and why he built this whole new career in industrial automation in this episode.
2022-10-0125 min
Talking Industrial AutomationWendy and Howard Huffman of Huffman Engineers | Episode 73After moving their family out of state to start Huffman Engineering based on a PO, Wendy and Howard Huffman were handed a piece of paper that said the project they left everythy for was cancelled. But despite that setback -- and early Hot Stove Lession -- the Huffmans went on to spend the next three decades building a business they can feel proud of. Hear about their journey, core values and success stories in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-09-1529 min
Talking Industrial AutomationCody Bann of WIN-911 | Episode 72Did you know NASA uses WIN-911 software to test the rockets for the new Artemis program? Hear about other examples -- such as how Dubai keeps aquatic species alive in the middle of the desert, New Zealand monitors seismic activity and UK company in its environmental remediation across Europe from Cody Bann, WIN-911 Software's director of engineering. Plus, find out the Win-911 origin story and more in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-08-2927 minTalking Industrial AutomationCassy Gardner of Banks Integration | Episode 71System integrators are in a unique position to impact billions of peoples' lives, which makes it imperative that the industry take DE&I seriously exlains Cassy Garner in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. She also believes its just plain good for business -- which is backed d up with data -- and solving other challenges like recruitment and retention. Cassy also provides other persepctives about life at Banks Integration -- the West Coast branch of E Tech Group doing work in life sciences, pharmaceuticals and emerging technologies such as cellular agriculture and cultivated meat.
2022-08-0129 min
Talking Industrial AutomationBusiness Value: GPS for Your Business | Episode 70The concept of business value can be used like GPS to help businesses find the best route. In this encore presentation moderated by Bryan Powrozek of Clayton & McKervey, panelists Jane Tereba (Capital Valuation Group), Ben Smith (Clayton & McKervey) and Clint Bundy (The Bundy Group) as they discuss the key factors in determining a business's value -- and how to manipulate those levers strategically to position it for growth, and, ultimately, develop a succession plan. Even if your day-to-day responsibilites have nothing to do with the overall business strategy, understanding these concepts offers you a glimpse...
2022-07-1556 minTalking Industrial AutomationXavier Mesrobian of Skkynet | Episode 69With more than 20 years experience in sales and marketing, Xavier Mesrobian has witnessed first-hand how industrial automation has evolved. Cybersecurity, remote monitoring, predictive analytics and artifical intelligence are just a few topics he covers in this epsiode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-06-1330 minTalking Industrial AutomationCrossover Episode with The Sound of Automation | Episode 68The Future of Work, the importance of benchmarking and even a bad pun or two make an appearance during this special crossover episode with the host of The Sound of Automation, Bryan Powrozek of Clayton & McKervey. Plus, you'll also get a sneak peak into the agenda for the upcoming CSIA Executive Conference.
2022-06-0127 minTalking Industrial AutomationTony Valasek of EOSYSTo emphasize its unique business model as an employee-owned organization, PRemier System Integration re-branded to EOSYS in 2021. What does that mean exactly? Tony Valasek breaks it all down and more in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-05-1531 min
Talking Industrial AutomationWalker Mattox of Gray Solutions 6Meet Walker Mattox, who self-identifies as a recovering serial entrepreneur who finally found home as the founder of Gray Solutions, a Gray company in 2018, and hasn't looked back. Hear how, as founder, he led the exponential growth of Gray Solutions from two solutioneers to the 12th largest system integrator as recognized by Control Engineering in this episode.
2022-04-1532 min
Talking Industrial AutomationTor-Inge Eriksen of Clarify | Episode 65With an interest in the intersection between people, software and the physical world, Tor-Inge Eriksen started as a consultant, where he worked on projects in agriculture, health care, aquaculture, shipping and manufacturing. He soon realized that the knowledge of people in the field was underused, and decided to commit to building a software as a service product with his co-founders. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, you;ll discover how Tor and his company, Clarify, combine human context and industrial data for daily decisions. Plus, you'll hear his thoughts on industry pain...
2022-03-1539 minTalking Industrial AutomationBob Vavra of Endeavor Business Media -- Episode 64Sportswriter, radio host, emcee, trade publisher – and even a Jeopardy contestant, Bob Vavra’s seen it all. But at the heart of everything he is – and always will be – a storyteller. These days, he is senior content director for Machine Design and Power & Motion where he uses his 18 years covering manufacturing to find smart people and give them a forum. Hear how he has ridden the wave of digital transformation in publishing and what trends he sees in his unique position as a conduit for the industry in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-02-1541 min
Talking Industrial AutomationKerry Grimes of AvevaKerry Grimes leads AVEVA’s worldwide sales go-to-market strategy for all AVEVA partners, which consists of more than 5,000 distributors, solution providers, global and regional system integrators, and technology providers selling, servicing, and supporting AVEVA’s entire product portfolio. Hear how he got there -- and where he's going -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2022-01-1430 minTalking Industrial AutomationAdrian Fahey of Sage Group - Episode 62Leading a team of more than 500 people over two continents and four different brands, SAGE Group Managing Director and CEO Adrian Fahey built a resilient company that offers a comprehensive suite of industrial digitalization solutions. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, you'll hear how Adrian and the company founder, Andrew Dunst, built this Australian powerhouse and where he thinks the company is headed next.
2021-12-1418 minTalking Industrial AutomationSam Cafferata of Concept Systems - Episode 61A passionate controls system integrator with more than 25 years of industrial automation experience, Sam Cafferata has specific experience in recycling, food processing, bulk material handling, wood products, aerospace and plastics. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, you'll hear why Sam's favorite part of his job is helping his team at Concept Systems and partnering with his customers to have fun and succeed. This episode is sponsored by Xometry.
2021-11-1114 minTalking Industrial AutomationSteve March of Schneider Electric -- Episode 60Hear how Steve March leveraged his 15 years managing marketing, sales and business development efforts for engineering design and system integration firms, to manage Schneider Electrics program and strategy in the U.S. for partnering with companies like those he used to work for in this episode. Steve also dives into the trends and challenges facing the industry right now -- and what opportunities are cropping up in industrial automation.
2021-10-1330 minTalking Industrial AutomationBrandon Ellis of Ellitek Episode 59Having worked in various capacities within the industrial automation market for nearly 25 years, Brandon Ellis, founder and president of elliTek, funnels his experience into developing elliTek’s data commander MES Gateway Appliance and Industrial Internet of Things Appliance, which are designed to simplify secure data movement between plant floor machines at enterprise level databases. Brandon also founded elliTek University’s Training Center where he builds workforce development programs because he is passionate about both teaching and learning from others. And if that’s not enough, Brandon is also co-host of elliTek’s podcast, Industrial Automation – It Doesn’t Have To…
2021-08-2746 minTalking Industrial AutomationJohn Weber of Software Toolbox -- Episode 58Find a need and fill it, goes the old saw, and that's exactly what John Weber did more than 25 years ago when he booted up Software Toolbox. Hear how he did it -- and a little bit of history -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, you'll get his advice for selecting vendors and building a career in industrial automation.
2021-08-1634 minTalking Industrial AutomationLuke Stephenson and Josh Riley of Enterprise Automation -- Episode 57You don't often think of unicorns when it comes to industrial automation, but Enterprise Automation just might be the one to change that. With two top-tier, invitation-only certification partnerships -- Aveva and Schneider Electric -- EA is the only integrator in the world that has earned this unique, combo endorsement. In this bonus episode, EA's Principal Joshua Riley and Business Manager Luke Stephenson recount their origin story as well as what they forecast for the next 24 months. This episode is brought to you by Aveva.
2021-08-0334 minTalking Industrial AutomationDavid Musto of Thermo Systems -- Episode 56After starting Thermo Systems in New Jersey in 1998, CEO and President David Musto and his co-founder Gregory Smith have grown the full-service control systems integration firm into a team of 180 plus engineers and controls professionals based in more than 16 locations globally. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, he shares his growth story -- as well as his philosophies about customer service, team building and keeping the talent pipeline flowing.
2021-07-2123 minTalking Industrial AutomationCPA Uses Engineering Background to Help SI BusinessesDigital transformation is not just happening on the plant floor. All areas of a business are getting a digital makeover. Bryan Powrozek of Clayton & McKervey reveals some of the ways the back office can achieve efficiencies -- and even increase revenues -- in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, you'll hear how, after 12 years in the auto industry doing product development and systems engineering for a supplier and then in 2011, he changed careers, and is now a manager in the firm's system integrators practice.
2021-06-1533 minTalking Industrial AutomationBarry Anderson of Latsa -- Episode 54Former SI and seasoned estimation pro Barry Anderson of Latsa Consulting offers his tips for winning the right business in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, he reveals why he thinks the future of automation is so bright.
2021-05-1424 minTalking Industrial AutomationPat Miller of Engineered Energy Solutions -- Episode 53With decades of experience under his belt, Chair and Founder of Engineered Energy Solutions Pat Miller is once again re-iterating his business to meet the challenges of the current work environment. In addition, Pat reveals how his lifelong passion for energy efficiency has not only fueled his business model but come full circle, as organizations of all types are re-thinking how they can meet the demands of a changing climate and deepening their interest in energy efficient solutions in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2021-04-1541 minTalking Industrial AutomationKirk Byles of Freewave Technologies -- Episode 52First-time CEO Kirk Byles reveals how he overhauled a 25-year-old company -- Freewave Technologies -- to meet the demands of the future in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, he candidly recounts the bumps along the way, lessons learned and why he is optimistic about the future of industrial automation.
2021-03-1444 minTalking Industrial AutomationJim Mansfield of Matrix Technologies -- Episode 51For more than 30 years, Senior Manager Jim Mansfield of Matrix Technologies Inc. has led manufacturing and operational transformation teams within the food and beverage, discrete manufacturing, metals and mining and consumer products industries. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Jim reveals how he draws on his decades of experience to helps clients navigate the operational excellence journey by enabling the connected plant and enterprise.
2021-02-1524 minTalking Industrial AutomationSteve Pavlosky of GE Digital -- Episode 50Delving into more than 30 years in the industry, GE Digital's Steve Pavlosky discusses how GE Digital creates value from data across a wide variety of industries in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, he offers his advice on the historians vs relational databases -- and how to future proof your business.
2021-01-1839 minTalking Industrial AutomationTim Finerty of Clayton & McKervey -- Episode 49With so much that happened in 2020 that impacted businesses like the CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program, it's more important than ever for business owners to understand the implications, obligations and opportunities as they approach year end. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Tim Finerty, a shareholder with Clayton and McKervey, a tax and advisory firm in Southfield, Michigan, offers his best advice for the industrial automation sector as they work with their financial team to close out 2020. Note: This episode was recorded December 10, 2020.
2020-12-1328 minTalking Industrial AutomationKen Mroz of CIMON Automation -- Episode 48Building on the success in Asia and Europe, CIMON Automation is making a play to penetrate the North American and Latin American markets. Leading the charge is Ken Mroz, national business development manager. He explains how his years of industrial distribution and system integration solutions sales experience are up to the challenge in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2020-11-1319 minTalking Industrial AutomationBarry Brian of DRM -- Episode 47Meet Barry Brian, who, along with his co-owners, built DRM from a two-man system integration shop to an 80-person team in southern middle Tennessee. His special sauce: delivery a quality solution no matter what. Listen to his unique journey in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2020-10-1540 minTalking Industrial AutomationJosh Eastburn of Opto 22 - Episode 46You'd be hard-pressed to pigeon-hole Opto 22, says the company's Director of Technical Marketing Josh Eastburn. "The way we tend to identify our niche is rather psychographic than demographic: we work with people who are looking for something different---cool stuff that just works," he explains. Learn more about this California-based company, as well as Eastburn himself, in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2020-09-1130 minTalking Industrial AutomationMichael Gurney of Concept Systems - Episode 45Using a technology-driven approach, Oregon-based Concept Systems has grown from a one-man shop in 1999 into a national presence with regional offices in Seattle, Washington, Kennewick, Washington and Charlotte, North Carolina. Learn how during this episode of Talking Industrial Automation with serial entrepreneur Michael Gurney.
2020-08-1027 minTalking Industrial AutomationCullen Raichart of GreenBroz -- Episode 44When self-taught engineer Cullen Raichart channelled his inner innovator to solve challenges inherent in cannabis processing, GreenBroz was born. Hear how this pioneering entrepreneur took a kief tumbler and grew it into a $13 million business in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation.
2020-08-0440 minTalking Industrial AutomationTalking Industrial Automation with Lindsey Parker of Panduit - Episode 43Panduit is perpetually in a state of change, and that's a good thing, reveals Lindsey Parker, manager of business development for the Industrial Network Infrastructure Market at Panduit Corp., in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Case in point: The Illinois-based company recently merged its industrial and enterprise businesses -- and now people who are experts in both the IT and the OT space are working together day in and day out on the problems that exist between those two types of organizations.
2020-07-1322 minTalking Industrial AutomationCraig Salvalaggio of Applied Manufacturing Technologies - Episode 42A series of strategic acquisitions, leadership hires and customer diversification fueled the growth and success of Applied Manufacturing Technologies says Craig Salvalaggio in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, he reveals how his passion for robotics and machine vision led to his current position as COO, where he builds the business case for automation, as well as mentors up and coming industry professionals.
2020-06-1540 minTalking Industrial AutomationBonus Episode: Andy Parrish of Diligentiam - Episode 41For any business, cashflow is life. And never has that been more true than during the current economic disruption. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Andy Parrish of Diligentiam reveals some strategies to free up much-needed cash -- and they may surprise you.
2020-06-0438 minTalking Industrial AutomationJason Sanders of Leister Technologies - Episode 40Think air heaters and hot air blowers are for packaging applications only? Think again. In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Jason Sanders of Leister Technologies explains why. Plus he reveals how is company -- and his customers -- are adapting during the pandemic.
2020-05-1329 minTalking Industrial AutomationChris Schleich of Enterprise Automation - Episode 39Hear from Rising Star Chris Schleich as he reveals how the pandemic has impacted Enterprise Automation in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, learn how this California system integrator powered through and grew 20% during the last recession.
2020-04-1438 minTalking Industrial AutomationBonus Episode: Here's What You Need to Know About the COVID19 CrisisAn insurance broker, lawyer and accountant answer your the frequently asked questions about the pandemic and what it means for the system integrator and manufacturing business. A transcript of this episode is available here. A programming note: This episode of the podcast was recorded on March 19, 2020, while the global pandemic situation was still very fluid. To help CSIA members stay up to date, the association has set up a Forum on controlsys.org for members to share resources, advice and tools to cope in this rapidly changing environment. If you are a CSIA member, you...
2020-03-2349 minTalking Industrial AutomationRick Brookshire of Epson Robots Episode 37Rick Brookshire, director of product development for Epson Robots, reveals how, as the entry price drops, the applications and use of robotics has exploded. Plus he weighs in on the dystopian take of robots taking all the jobs and other trends and misconceptions.
2020-03-1335 minTalking Industrial AutomationJulie Gaier of TRG Marketing Episode 36Julie Gaier, a content marketing specialist with TRG Marketing, reveals how her skills as an Emmy-award winning television reporter educate the industrial automation industry in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, you'll learn how media opportunities can turn into profits, as well as tips for how even companies with small budgets can leverage trade press to generate growth.
2020-02-1628 minTalking Industrial AutomationChris Tury of Outbound Technologies Episode 35Chris Tury Jr., a partner and general manager of Outbound Technologies Inc., reveals how the company strategically diversified from the automotive industry into other vertical markets to promote resiliency and grow Outbound into a $15 million company, in this episode of Talking Industrial Automation. Plus, you'll hear how Outbound achieves an 80%-plus customer retention rate and innovates with enterprise systems to maximize resources -- all while building a company culture that cultivates employee retention.
2020-01-1531 minTalking Industrial Automation10 Secrets of Businesses That Go The DistanceBased on his decades of experience, Jim Biehl of Clayton & McKervey reveals why some businesses thrive and others flame out. Plus, he discusses the No. 1 inhibitor to business growth. Hint: It's not what you think.
2019-12-0826 minTalking Industrial AutomationPete Atkin of Samsara IndustrialPete Atkin, vice president and general manager of Samsara Industrial, reveals why he thinks the industrial automation market is on the cusp of a major change. Plus, he discusses how customer demand for connected operations has fueled Samara's growth to a 1,500-person company in just 4 years.
2019-11-1836 minTalking Industrial AutomationRanbir Saini of GE DigitalRanbir Saini, Senior Director of Digital Product Management for GE Digital, where he is the business leader for automation software. Drawing on his 15 years of experience delivering industrial automation, operations management and media content creation software to OEM municipal and enterprise customers, Ranbir reveals his predictions for the digital transformation of the automation industry. Plus, he breaks down how broadcast media is more similar to the industrial space than you'd think.
2019-10-1817 minTalking Industrial AutomationBruno Wilson of Encoder Products Company -- Episode 31Bruno Wilson is a regional sales manager and business development engineer for Encoder Products, a 50-year-old designer and worldwide manufacturer of motion sensing devices based in Sagle, Idaho. Bruno’s experience includes business processes, human resources and administration, research and development, manufacturing engineering, market analysis, sales and business development. In this episode, Bruno shares his insights as an up-and-coming leader.
2019-09-1635 minTalking Industrial AutomationTom Sulda of Astal -- Episode 30Tom Sulda is director of Latsa Learning Services, where he leads a national team of instructors in Australia. Latsa’s instructors are also part-time consultants who help clients implement new best practice process methodologies, such as Prince2, Managing Successful Programs, AgilePM and AgileBA. Additionally Sulda’s company IPX Check is a newly certified CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks auditor where Tom is the lead auditor. In this episode, Sulda offers a brief primer on agile project management vs the waterfall approach and the pros and cons of each. Plus he reveals who should give it a try and...
2019-08-2811 minTalking Industrial AutomationMarc Taccolini of Tatsoft -- Episode 29Marc Taccolini is founder and CTO of Tatsoft, a platform developer for real-time factory-floor data monitoring, SCADA and HMI Systems, distributed data aggregation and advanced visualization tools. In this episode, Taccolini recounts his journey as an innovator, including lessons learned, as well as his pivot to meet the demands of a disrupted industry. Enjoy getting to know Marc Taccolini of Tatsoft. Programming note: This episode was recorded during the 2019 CSIA Executive Conference in Asheville, North Carolina, in May 2019. Credit Bensound and Wistia's Music Collection for the music in this episode.
2019-08-1422 minTalking Industrial AutomationJeff Burnstein of the Association of Advancing Automation - Episode 28Jeff Burnstein is president of the Association of Advancing Automation, the umbrella organization for the Robotic Industries Association, Advancing Vision and Imaging, and Motion Control and Motor Association. In this episode, Burnstein predicts the role of robotics in manufacturing, the impact they will have on businesses, as well as what the industry needs to do to prepare for the future. Plus, he answers the grand-daddy of all questions: Will robots take our jobs? Enjoy getting to know Jeff Burnstein of the Association of Advancing Automation. Programming note: This episode was recorded...
2019-07-1717 minTalking Industrial AutomationMike Howard of George T. Hall Company - Episode 27Mike Howard is vice president, system integration for George T. Hall Co., which got its start in California but has since expanded into Nevada. He shares his experiences with CSIA certification and how it helped GTH manage a recent growth spurt. Plus he reveals his lessons learned from scaling up quickly to meet customer demand and the challenges his clients are facing. Mike also describes how he became involved with the manufacturing and integration fields, as well as how George T. Hall went from being in the airstream business in 1932 to today's system integration expertise...
2019-06-1323 minTalking Industrial AutomationZack Scriven of Zack Scriven Media - Episode 26In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Zack Scriven, founder and lead content creator of Zack Scriven Media, shares his journey from industrial automation engineer to video marketing entrepreneur. Along the way, you'll hear his tips on how to work with millennials, attract and retain talent, the role of marketing in today's marketplace and the secret to getting started on using video to tell your story. Production note: This episode was recorded on-site during the 2019 CSIA Executive Conference so the audio includes some background noises, though the main content is audible. Credit Bensound an...
2019-05-2921 minTalking Industrial AutomationJoe LaRussa of Brose Group -- Episode 25In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Joe LaRussa, director of industrial engineering for the North American Seat Business at Brose Group, provides his take on the global war on talent, as well as reveal his successful strategy for priming the talent pipeline. Plus, you'll hear his advice on how system integrators can prepare for the future to meet customer demand.
2019-05-1421 minTalking Industrial AutomationRick Kaun of Verve Industrial - Episode 24In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, Rick Kaun, VP of solutions for Verve Industrial Protection, shares his take on the unique role cybersecurity plays in a control system or operational environment. He also breaks down the current guidelines and standards surrounding cybersecurity, including the pros and cons of several of the most popular and how to choose between them. Finally, he reveals real-life examples of what to do, and more importantly, what not to do. And recaps some of the industry events where you can learn more. Links to the events he men...
2019-04-0227 minTalking Industrial AutomationJose Rivera of Control System Integrators Association -- Episode 23Thinking about attending the 2019 CSIA Executive Conference? In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, CSIA CEO Jose Rivera reveals what's new at this year's event, schedule highlights, as well as what's back by popular demand. Programming note: Industry Director Lisa Richter debuts as TIA's host in this episode, replacing the Tony Veroeven. CSIA and its members are extremely grateful to Veroeven for his work creating, launching and then doubling the audience of the podcast.
2019-01-2213 minTalking Industrial AutomationSteve Newcomer of Phoenix Contact - Episode 22Steve Newcomer is the Strategic Channel Manager Phoenix Contact USA which is located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Steve shares his thoughts on cybersecurity within the industrial automation industry, and he shares a few best practices consumers can take to better protect themselves from external threats. Steve also describes how he became involved with the manufacturing and integration fields. He also shares his journey of how he came to work at Phoenix Contact. Enjoy getting to know Steve Newcomer of Phoenix Contact.
2018-08-1336 minTalking Industrial AutomationRick Vanden Boom of Applied Manufacturing Technologies - Episode 21Rick Vanden Boom is the Automated System's Group Director of Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), which is North America’s largest independent automation engineering company headquartered in Orion, Michigan. Rick describes how the robotics industry, specifically collaborative robotics, is reducing the amount of floor space required to complete automation projects. Rick also shares his thoughts on the IIoT, Industry 4.0, and Big Data and how AMT is working to capitalize on these industry trends. Enjoy getting to know Rick Vanden Boom of Applied Manufacturing Technologies.
2018-08-0148 minTalking Industrial AutomationLessons from Touching a Hot Stove (Legal Edition) - Episode 20At the most popular session at the CSIA Executive Conference, "Lessons from Touching a Hot Stove", system integrators have learned how their peers’ businesses have been burned by accidents, injuries and losses. This is especially true when the threat of a lawsuit, or an actual lawsuit itself, arises – what could have been done to avoid this dispute in the first place? In this episode, I’m releasing a recent webinar titled, "Lessons from Touching a Hot Stove: Legal Edition." This installment is a great conversation between the CSIA Legal Plan attorneys, Mark Voigtmann and Brian Clifford. Mark and Br...
2018-07-161h 00Talking Industrial AutomationMatt Wells of GE Digital - Episode 19Matt Wells is the Vice President of Digital Products of GE Digital, a leading software and advisory service company headquartered in San Ramon, California. Matt describes GE Digital’s role as a subsidiary of General Electric (GE), how automation is changing the labor force, and the incentive for companies to increase flexibility in order to meet changing demands. Matt also shares his perspective on the rapidly growing IIoT network and how he believes GE Digital can leverage this emerging network using Cloud technology. Enjoy getting to know Matt Wells of GE Digital.
2018-07-0951 minTalking Industrial AutomationTom Burke, President of the OPC Foundation - Episode 18Tom Burke is the President of the OPC Foundation. Tom shares why it is essential for the industry to consider the interoperability demands of end-users, what the OPC Foundation is doing to solve the software development challenges they face, and how the problems system integrators face today are different than they were before Industry 4.0. Enjoy getting to know Tom Burke from OPC Foundation.
2018-06-251h 15
Talking Industrial AutomationChris Luecke, Host of Manufacturing Happy HourThis week my guest is Chris Luecke (Lou—Key), host of Manufacturing Happy Hour; a bi-monthly YouTube series. Manufacturing Happy Hour covers latest in automation trends and technology over a cold one. Chris started the show in 2016 and has done over 30 episodes. Chris is an OEM specialist Account Manager with Rockwell Automation and likes to record his show to help clients get to know him and make automation more approachable. Chris shares some of his favorite subject matter discussed for his show, why he decided to become an engineer and he recommends a podcast that focuses on ma...
2018-05-2956 minTalking Industrial AutomationWhat's new in the CSIA Best Practices and Benchmarks Manual Version 5 - Episode 16CSIA recently released the Fifth Version of the Best Practices and Benchmarks Manual. The Best Practices are nearly 400 items that CSIA Members have developed over 24 years relating to better run system integration business. In this brief episode, Remco Kappert of EKB and Eric Schaefer of Stone Technologies help you understand what changes were made since version 4! This was an in-person interview at our 2018 Executive Conference in San Francisco. Please bear with a bit of a noisy background. Thanks for listening!
2018-05-2113 minTalking Industrial AutomationAshley Dawson of Crossmuller - Episode 15Ashley Dawson is the General Manager of Crossmuller, a full-service system integrator located in Sydney, Australia. Ashley describes how he approaches a project with a customer, and why he thinks their Certification feels different for the customer, and new engineers. He also shares with us three things he looks for in new employees, and how a prospective customer can be a "good customer." Enjoy getting to know Ashley Dawson of Crossmuller.
2018-05-1456 minTalking Industrial AutomationArun Sinha of Opto 22 - Episode 14Arun Sinha of Opto 22 is our guest this week. Arun and I spoke online just before the CSIA Executive Conference in San Francisco. Arun thinks the future looks bright for the industrial internet of things and that there some exciting things happening, beyond collecting sensor data. Arun describes where he sees Opto 22 and its role in the industry, and how it relates to other companies in industrial automation, and we have a great conversation about the impact of the convergence of OT and IT. Enjoy getting to know Arun Sinha of Opto 22, CSIA...
2018-04-3059 minTalking Industrial AutomationJeff Knepper of Canary Labs - Episode 13Jeff Knepper is the Executive Director of Business Development at Canary Labs, a historian company near State College, Pennsylvania. Jeff shares why data collection is so important to improving manufacturing and processing and discovering things that may not have been known as a problem. We discover that even Jeff's coffee mug is an IOT device collecting data!
2018-04-231h 00Talking Industrial AutomationGeorgia Whalen, President of Rivergate Marketing - Episode 12This week you get to know Georgia Whalen, president, and owner of Rivergate Marketing, a firm specializing in industrial automation companies. Georgia started her company and reentered the workforce in 2008 after raising her three children. We can all imagine how challenging that must have been given the economic forces at the time. Perseverance and tenacity won out as they often do and now Georgia and her staff perform marketing services for many CSIA system integrators including setting a strategy, blogging and social media management. Georgia discusses how engineers and technical people shop and research. She...
2018-04-0958 minTalking Industrial AutomationJason Andersen, VP of Business Line Management of Stratus - Episode 11Jason Andersen and I spoke about industrial automation computing at the edge, 24/7 reliability, and predictive analytics and maintenance. Jason also discusses how analytics are the "sensory stimuli" for AI (Artifical Intelligence) and machine learning and how he approaches a client's project by simultaneously simplifying the installation and future-proofing it. Jason is the VP of Business Line Management and drives the product development of Stratus' products. Enjoy getting to know Jason Andersen.
2018-04-0253 minTalking Industrial AutomationTim Matheny, President of ECS Solutions - Episode 10In my conversation with Tim Matheny of ECS Solutions (a system integrator based in Evansville, IN) I learned about how he helps companies make more bread, (figuratively and literally) how buying a controls system solutions is like buying a vacation, and what made Tim successful in his career over 36+years. Enjoy getting to know Tim Matheny of ECS Solutions.
2018-03-2649 minTalking Industrial AutomationSam Hoff, CEO of Patti Engineering - Episode 9Sam Hoff of Patti Engineering spoke with Tony Veroeven during the Manufacturing in America conference in Detroit in March 2018. Sam discusses how he named his company, on what he spends the first 90 minutes of his day, and what the first couple years was like when he started Patti Engineering. Enjoy getting to know Sam Hoff of Patti Engineering.
2018-03-1939 minTalking Industrial AutomationMarketing for Engineers: How to Find Content When Engineers "Don't Write" - Episode 8Rivergate Marketing's Meghan Pavasaris teaches us content is key in digital marketing, but where do you find content when engineers claim they “don’t write”? We discussed tactics and strategies that work to gather the technical information and create compelling content that customers need and expect. Even though this was a webinar, you can still glean some valuable information from our discussion. If there is something you want to see, all of our tools, tips, and tricks are listed in the show notes below. Watch the webinar on our YouTube Channel.
2018-03-0535 min
Talking Industrial AutomationPC Romano, President of Avid Solutions - Episode 7In this episode of Talking Industrial Automation, I spoke with PC Romano of Avid Solutions. You're going to learn the unique things he's doing to develop skilled engineers for his company; How he approaches a project and the unique things he does to ensure a project goes well; what are some of the things prospective clients can do to ensure a good relationship with their system integrator. Enjoy getting to know PC Romano.
2018-02-2637 minTalking Industrial AutomationRick Caldwell, President of SCADAware - Episode 6In this episode I spoke with Rick Caldwell, President of SCADAware, a system integrator based in Bloomington, IL. Rick grew up plumbing with his dad but realized 10 years into his career that he had penchant for electricity instead of water. After changing his focus to computer science and electrical engineering, he had a serendipitous moment in meeting Dick Morley, the father of the programmable logic controller, otherwise known as the PLC. Enjoy getting to know Rick Caldwell.
2018-02-1933 minTalking Industrial AutomationLuigi DeBernardini, CEO of Autoware - Episode 5Luigi DeBernardini, CEO of Autoware, a system integrator in Vicenza, Italy. explains how IIOT (the industrial internet of things) can help manufacturers understand what’s happening real-time in their plant, and explains it with a very understandable and practical analogy. Learn what type of help Luigi’s customers ask of him, and that sometimes what a customer asks for is not always the proper solution. Enjoy getting to know Luigi. Visit our podcast page at: https://www.csiaexchange.com/podcast
2018-02-1240 minTalking Industrial AutomationJeff Miller of Interstates Control Systems - Episode 4In this episode, you get to know Jeff Miller, Director of Project Management at Interstates Control Systems, a system integrator based in Sioux Center, Iowa. Jeff is based out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota and is the current Chairman of the Board of the Control System Integrators Association. You'll learn that Jeff always had an affinity for engineering, why hackers are attacking industrial sites, and what traits successful system integrators have. Enjoy getting to know Jeff Miller of Interstates Control Systems.
2018-02-0550 minTalking Industrial AutomationMatt Burton - Hargrove Controls + Automation - Episode 3You’ll learn how Matt was able to grow his business from 4 to over 100 people in just five years, how Hargrove was able to protect its processes and institutional knowledge from being lost by turnover or being owned by just a few linchpins, and what they do to develop new incoming engineering talent. And a fun fact: you’ll learn that Mardi Gras did not originate in New Orleans. Don’t google it, listen to the episode. Enjoy getting to know Matt Burton of Hargrove Controls and Automation.
2018-01-2956 minTalking Industrial AutomationEric Schaefer of Stone Technologies - Episode 1Episode One of the Talking Industrial Automation Podcast. Tony Veroeven of the Control System Integrators Association has a conversation with Eric Schaefer of Stone Technologies, a CSIA Certified system integrator, about his involvement in CSIA, how important Certification is to his clients and his business. Eric is the chair of the Best Practices committee and a big proponent of CSIA's Best Practices. He describes how the Best Practices Manual helps guide system integrators to run better businesses, which ultimately is a service to clients and the manufacturing and processing industries. Eric and I re...
2018-01-2021 minTalking Industrial AutomationStephen Malyszko of Malisko Engineering - Episode 2In this episode, you get to know Steve Malyszko, owner of Malisko Engineering, a system integrator based in St. Louis. We had a conversation about the importance of hiring a system integrator to bolster cybersecurity, how to do nine months of work in three months, and why Steve’s last name is spelled differently than the company’s. You’ll learn how he started in this industry, and much more. Subscribe to the podcast for interviews with CSIA system integrators and industry partners. Visit: https://www.csiaexchange.com/podcast
2018-01-1944 min