Conference Encourages Students to Continue Careers in Metalcasting.

By giving students a chance to meet industry professionals and listen to their experiences, this year's FEF College Industry Conference sought to strengthen the future of the metalcasting industry.

"Your career in this industry has already begun. Now you must decide if you will continue with it." Piggybacking on the "Opportunities in Metalcasting" theme at the annual Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) College Industry Conference (CIC), that's what speaker Mike Zeno, Foseco, Inc., told students.

Students appeared ready to follow this advice as they listened to speakers and networked with industry experts and employees from 33 exhibiting companies. The conference, held November 8-10 in Chicago, drew a total of 365 attendees, counting 118 student delegates from 32 FEF schools. Highlights of the conference included panelists sharing their work experiences, a keynote address, and the presentation of awards and scholarships.

Sharing Experiences

Three panelists of varying experience in the foundry industry shared their work history and thoughts on the benefits of a metalcasting career. On the panel were Zeno, Kai Spande, GM Powertrain, and Perry Harvey, ESCO Turbine Group.

Zeno, a product development specialist, focused on the difference between a job and a career, saying that a job is work done for pay and a career is one's progress through professional life. He urged the students to be career-focused by reminding them that "a career tends to be something you do to advance your personal growth and development."

Zeno stressed that networking at the conference was a way to advance to a new career level. He also made the point that networking works both ways, and students should remember that as they make contacts at the conference and in the future. "Networking is not just getting to know others, but it also is getting others to know you," he said.

Spande, the lost foam launch manager at GM Powertrain, also suggested that students look at the larger picture of their career. "Possibly the most pivotal point in your life is in front of you as you make the next step in your career."

He spoke about the doors of the "casting community" that were opened to him through FEF. Based on his experiences attending CIC, he told students, "this conference will give all those that desire or demand a role in the industry a face-to-face introduction to the leaders of the industry."

Spande talked about the metamorphosis of the foundry industry since he started working. "The new challenges the industry faces create change, and we cannot grow without change. You will have to figure out how to get into these organizations so you can continue to learn, grow and develop yourself for the future," he told the students.

Harvey, president of ESCO Turbine Group, offered a timeline of his metalcasting career, focusing on key messages he learned along the way. He spoke about his experiences in foundries as a student and how they furthered his career.

Like the two previous speakers, Harvey stressed the importance of seeing the industry as a career opportunity and the need to develop good networking and people skills. He told students:

* you're always learning--when you're not, move on;

* people are the key to success--communication is the key to people;

* technology changes--stay in contact with sources who know about it;

* have fun--life is short.

Future Leaders and Agents of Change

Rick Sommer, president and CEO of Citation Corp., gave the conference's keynote address, focusing on the need for change within the industry.

He touched upon current changes in the industry, including better technology and a more diverse workplace with a different set of expectations.

Sommer explained to students that the changing workplace opens doors for them. "The need for technological change provides opportunities for students to learn about the company they work for and bring in new ways of doing business," he said.

After discussing the changing foundry atmostphere, Sommer spoke about changes at Citation, providing insight into the company's cultural and organizational changes. Citation, which has 6000 employees, 17 plants and yearly sales of more than $700 million, instituted changes to evolve into its present-day form. Customers were seeing Citation as one company, but when they dealt with a specific foundry, little continuity was maintained--they were dealing just with that division. Citation rethought its organizational structure and developed a company-wide culture to eliminate this problem.

In rethinking its structure, Citation used an organizational pyramid that focuses on six levels of systems development. The pyramid, from bottom up, includes markets, products and services, resource management, operational systems, management systems and culture. Sommer explained that companies must be successful on each level in order to succeed.

The management team also drafted a set of "Culture Principles" to define "how we will behave as an organization in terms of our people, our customers, teamwork, performance standards and our community," Sommer said.

By defining visions for the future, committing themselves to constant review and focusing on basics like customer needs, excellence in manufacturing and employee involvement, Citation was able to change its structure and culture to become a stronger company. "Two years later, we are able to look back and see how our corporate culture has been literally transformed," Sommer said.

Awards and Honors

FEF's highest honor, the E.J. Walsh Award, was presented to Jack Bodine, retired, Bodine Aluminum, during the annual banquet. During the Edward C. Hoenicke Memorial Luncheon, Von Richards, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, received the MS/FEF Board Award. In addition, FEF honored retiring FEF professor Robert Pehlke, Univ. of Michigan. Also during the luncheon, three FEF/Ray Witt Gift Program awards were presented to Mike Dragomier, Kent State Univ., Craig Johnson, Central Washington Univ., and Shu-zu Lu, Michigan Tech.

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RELATED ARTICLE: FEF CIC Scholarship Winners

Following the breakfast address by Jeri McIntyre, president, Central Washington Univ., 32 scholarships were presented to FEF student delegates. The winners were:

* Keith D. Millis Scholarship--Matthew Berndt, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Chad Moder, Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville, Jay Morrison, Western Michigan Univ., and Michael Taylor, TRI-State Univ.;

* Ron Ruddle Memorial Scholarship--Lazaro Beltran-Sancbez, Univ. of Alabama;

* CISA Scholarship--James Sturgeon, Tri-State Univ.;

* Richard Frazier Scholarship--Sarah Obermayer, Tri-State Univ.;

* AFS Southwestern Ohio Scholarship--Vincent Kerchenski, Ohio State Univ.;

* William M. Grimes Scholarship--Gartland Foundry--Joshua Crites, Purdue-West Lafayette Univ.;

* Booth-George W. Mathews Jr. Endowment--Trisha Miller, Michigan Tech;

* Sanders-George W. Mathews Jr. Endowment--Laura Rowland, Univ. of Michigan;

* Witt-George W. Mathews Jr. Endowment--Dave French, Univ. of Michigan;

* James P. & Katherine Keating Scholarship--Charles Keim, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla;

* Ron & Glenn Birtwistle Memorial Scholarship--Brian Hartharger, Tennessee Tech, and Elizabeth Coleman, Univ. of Alabama;

* Tony & Elda Dorfmueller Scholarship--Charles Monroe, Penn State Univ.;

* William E. Conway Scholarship-Fairmount Minerals--William Strecker, Pittsburg State Univ.;

* Deere Scholarship-Environmental--Salvatore Zagarella, Penn State Univ.;

* Robert W. Reesman Memorial Scholarship--Candice Kent, Mohawk College;

* Burleigh Jacobs Scholarship-Grede--Mark Palmer, Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville;

* Donald G. Brunner Scholarship-Waupaca--Nathan Wischnewskin, Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville;

* George Isaac Scholarship--Julian Ibarra, Cal Poly-Pomona;

* MODERN CASTING Partners Scholarship--Sean McNerney, Kent State Univ.;

* Robert V. Wolf Memorial Scholarship--Brandon Durham, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla;

* Jack H. Thompson Memorial Scholarship--Charles Keim, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla;

* David Lame Scholarships--Eric Armbruster, Western Michigan Univ., Allison Arndt, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Alicia Cobb, Univ. of Missouri-Rolla, Timothy Dues, Tri-State Univ., Matthew Pettus, Tri-State Univ., and Grant Wesson, Univ. of Northern Iowa;

* Affiliate Scholarship--Ginger Connin, Tri-State Univ.