Made in Connecticut: 2023 Manufacturing Summit

Athletic Brewing Company chief operating officer Jamie Lissette was the featured speaker for the Made in Connecticut: 2023 Manufacturing Summit, presented by CBIA, CONNSTEP, and ReadyCT.

The Milford-based manufacturer ranks number 26 on Inc. Magazine’s Top 5000 list of the fastest-growing companies in the country and Lissette shared the behind-the-scenes story of how Athletic is disrupting the brewing industry, growing revenues more than 13,000% in the last three years.

We released the 2023 Connecticut Manufacturing Report and chief manufacturing officer Paul Lavoie joined BD Medical’s Dustin Andersen, National Graphics’ Michele Etzel, and Gerber Americas president Lenny Marano to review the report’s findings and share best practices for navigating challenges and leveraging opportunities.

The U.S. Commercial Service’s Connecticut District Export Council recognized outstanding contributors to state manufacturing exports and we presented our annual manufacturing awards.

Agenda

7:30 am | Networking Breakfast

8:30 am | Opening Remarks

• Chris DiPentima, President & CEO, CBIA
• Michael LaBella, Market President, Connecticut, Rhode Island & Southeast Massachusetts, TD Bank

8:45 am | State, National Manufacturing Outlook

• Robert Hersh, National Managing Principal, Manufacturing Industry, Grant Thornton

9:15 am | 2023 Connecticut Manufacturing Report: Results & Insights

• Moderator: Dan Wheadon, Partner, National Leader Industrials Consulting Practice, RSM US LLP
• Dustin Andersen, Plant Manager, BD Medical
• Michele Etzel, CFO & SVP, National Graphics, Inc.
• Paul Lavoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer, Department of Economic & Community Development
• Lenny Marano, President, Gerber Americas (a Lectra Company)

10:15 am | Networking Break

10:30 am | Behind the Disruptors: The Athletic Brewing Story

• Jamie Lissette, COO, Athletic Brewing Co.

11:15 am | Connecticut District Export Council Awards

• Amy Bosco, Chair, Connecticut District Export Council; Director, Global Business Development, Beekley Medical
• Alfredo Fernández, Partner, Shipman & Goodwin
• Melissa Grosso, Director, U.S. Commercial Service
• Jenny Lezon Norris, Business Development, Meridian Finance Group

11:30 am | 2023 Connecticut Manufacturing Awards

• Steve Litchfield, Regional Vice President, TD Bank

11:45 am | Adjourn