Networking Events

Brenda F. Wensil, a Partner with Flynn Heath Holt, is an executive leader with a successful background in sales and marketing, advertising, brand management, customer strategy, service experience, and supply chain performance management on both domestic and international levels Brenda is known for expertise in building collaborative partnerships, developing teams and leveraging cross organizational structures to improve leader performance and drive results. She is a certified and accredited coach working with leaders and managers in large and mid-size companies as well as non-profit organizations.

She established the first-ever customer focused strategy for the federal government as Chief Customer Experience Officer at the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid, the single largest provider of funding for post-secondary education in the United States.

Brenda held leadership roles for 20 years with Wachovia Corporation (now Wells Fargo) as Head of Customer Strategy, Marketing and Customer Relations, as well as Head of Retail Segments and Director of Enterprise Supplier Performance Management. She was responsible for strong brand advantage, which became an industry leader for nearly a decade. She was also a consultant to Barclays Bank in London, leading an international team to redesign and execute the company's global technology supplier management functions.

Brenda earned a Master's degree in Organizational Development and Executive Coaching from the McColl School of Business at Queens University, and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She is accredited by the International Coach Federation, a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, and a freelance writer. She has provided keynote addresses and panel discussions on the topic of customer retention in the financial industry, and was a featured panelist for the Excellence in Government 2011 annual conference that showcased her group's customer strategy in the field of higher education.

Raymond Handling Concepts Corporation

Vice President, Human Resources, EHS and Administration

After receiving my bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz in 1990, I worked in the human resources area of a few companies, leading to a position with a consulting company in San Jose. As a result of a very enjoyable temporary working relationship with Raymond Handling Concepts, I joined the company more than 18 years ago as Human Resources Manager. In 2001, after earning my Master's Degree in Psychology, I was promoted to Director of Human Resources. Meanwhile, RHCC was entering a recession that would result in a decrease in sales revenue of more than 20% before turning around a couple of years later.

In my 18 years with RHCC, we have survived two recessions, tripled our sales between the low point in 2009 and 2017, our third record breaking year in a row and we have grown from fewer than 200 people to almost 300 today. I work with the Executive Team on strategic goal setting, implementation of operational plans, compensation, benefits, talent acquisition and development, and employee health and safety. I both directly and indirectly manage 18 people across our ten locations in six western states. But, most importantly (in our president's words) I am the "chief custodian of RHCC's unique culture".

In 2012, I was promoted to Vice President of Human Resources and more recently, I was given the expanded roles of EHS and Administration. My personal goal is to continue providing guidance and support as RHCC continues its journey of profitable growth through the incorporation of the principles of Raymond Lean Management into our culture. I feel very fortunate to have found a "home" and a career in the Materials Handling Industry and I hope that I can help attract more women into it. It's a great secret that we have to learn to stop keeping.

REB Storage Systems International

President

Lori has 35 years of experience in the Material Handling Industry. She began her career at REB Storage Systems International in 1982, and has since worked in various aspects within the company including customer service, sales, and marketing. In 2013 she began her current role as president and partner. Throughout this time, she has been actively involved in industry associations and events. Her aim is to help teach and inspire the next generation in the material handling industry.

Acco Material Handling

President and CEO

Lorin Cassidy Wolfe is a passionate and dynamic business leader with a successful track record of driving rapid growth. She is a high energy executive that challenges, empowers, and builds high performing teams to achieve world class results. During her nine year tenure with Danaher corporation she drove two industrial operation turnarounds deploying lean manufacturing tactics, doubled the revenues of a North American operation through product innovation, and was an avid student and facilitator of the Danaher Business System for Growth, Leadership, and Lean tools. Prior to Danaher, she contributed to the automotive industry at Ford Motor Company and BMW of North America across Sales, Marketing, and Manufacturing functions. Her work experience is complemented by a Mechanical Engineering BS from University of Virginia and a MBA from Harvard Business School. She grew up in a rural town in Connecticut and feels grateful to be a first generation college graduate. Today she lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and three children (under age 3!), and together they spend what free time they can find at the beaches in south Jersey. She is thrilled to be leading Acco Material Handling Solutions as President and CEO since July 2017 and has already put the Acco team ‘on the move’.

Kimberly Clark

Chief Procurement Officer

Sylvia Wilks joined Kimberly-Clark in 2016 as Vice President, Global Procurement, and Chief Procurement Officer. In this role, she is responsible for purchasing all indirect and direct materials worldwide, managing supplier relationships to deliver growth and innovation, and implementing key sourcing strategies and initiatives that drive value creation across the company’s supply chain.

Sylvia joined Kimberly-Clark after 15 years with Starbucks. She most recently served as Vice President, Global Procurement, and was responsible for the strategic sourcing and supplier relationships for all direct materials in the food and beverage, packaging, tea and contract manufacturing categories. Prior to this role, Sylvia held various leadership positions in Starbucks around Europe and North America in manufacturing, continuous improvement, international supply chain operations, and contract manufacturing. She also built and operated the only Starbucks manufacturing facility in Europe, and started up the first green-field instant coffee plant to be built in North America in half a century. Additionally, Sylvia has a passion for mentoring and building talent, and served as the executive lead to foster formal supply chain education for Starbucks employees through Arizona State University.

Sylvia has experience in reducing operating costs, improving productivity and manufacturing capacity, and implementing cross-functional change management initiatives. She began her career managing food processing plant operations in the U.K., before spending the next 13 years leading end to end supply chain operations in public and private food manufacturing companies servicing the major U.K. grocery multiples.

Sylvia graduated with a Bachelors in Engineering from The University of Hull in England. She also serves as Executive Sponsor of Kimberly-Clark’s Employee Resource Group, PRIDE. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with her partner.

American Crane and Equipment Corporation

Executive Vice President

Karen Norheim is passionate about all things manufacturing. As Executive Vice President of American Crane and Equipment Corporation, she oversees the successful day-to-day operations of a 180-person manufacturing facility headquartered in Douglassville, Pennsylvania.

American Crane is recognized as a leader in the design and manufacture of cranes, hoists and other material handling equipment, as well as components and parts for standard, custom and nuclear applications. American Crane serves just about every industry from aerospace to pulp and paper. There are three plants - including 226,000 square feet combined capacity of manufacturing space and 150 ton lifting capacity. American Crane has one of the largest floor type horizontal boring mills in the Northeastern United States along with an onsite 200 ton load testing tower.

Ms. Norheim manages all company operations with an emphasis on continued expansion, growth and long term strategy. This includes all marketing and information technology utilizing established network and computer systems.

Ms. Norheim is an advocate for encouraging young people to consider a career in manufacturing – particularly women. She is a frequent speaker at local schools and professional organizations. She is also on the Board for Women in Manufacturing, an international organization that supports the continued advancement of women in the industry.

She received a dual Bachelor of Science degree in both Marketing & International Business and International Studies from Pennsylvania State University. She also has a Master’s degree in Information Science and an MBA from Pennsylvania State University Great Valley.

The Home Depot

Director – Supply Chain Channel Management

Heather Tenney is the director of channel management for supply chain development. Her responsibilities include optimal flow path management for the direct to customer supply chain as well as reverse logistics strategy for the online business.

Heather joined the Company in 2000 as an analyst in information technology and has held roles of increasing responsibility in IT training, finance, supply chain and merchandising. Most recently, she was a merchant in Outdoor Garden with responsibility for the hardscapes and lawn accessories categories.

Heather has a bachelor's degree in management information systems from the University of Georgia.