Author of The Great Game of Business to give opening address at Leadership Summit

The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl. (FMA) has announced that Jack Stack will deliver the keynote presentation Thursday, Feb. 27, at The FABRICATOR®'s 9th Annual Leadership Summit and FMA's 18th Annual Toll Processing Conference.

Hailed by Inc. magazine as the "smartest strategist in America," John P. (Jack) Stack is president and CEO of SRC Holdings Corp. SRC is a conglomerate of more than 35 separate companies specializing in the remanufacture of gasoline and diesel engines for the automotive and off-highway markets, distribution of engine kits, manufacture of power units, and remanufacture of electrical components.

Stack's first book, The Great Game of Business, published in 1992, earned him the title "the Father of Open-Book Management," and the book was selected as one of the 30 best business books of the year by Soundview Executive Book Summaries. He also authored A Stake in the Outcome, an overview of how to foster employees' enthusiasm, intelligence, and creativity to build a culture of ownership.

Building on the concepts outlined in his books, Stack's presentation will cover his company's style of open-book management that teaches employees to think and act like owners. "Manufacturing: The Next Generation" will be the focus of discussions at The FABRICATOR's Leadership Summit. The program will begin with optional tours at local fabrication shops and an assessment of current business conditions from FMA's economic analyst, Dr. Chris Kuehl.

Additional highlights include a technology update on equipment advances available to improve production velocity and the speed of success; peer-to-peer roundtables on business growth and operational improvement topics such as employee engagement, lean manufacturing in the job shop, robotic technology and automation, sales and marketing, and strategic planning; and case studies presented by the recipients of The FABRICATOR's and TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal®'s Industry Awards.

The theme of the 2014 Toll Processing Conference is "Advanced High-strength Metals — Ready or Not, Here They Come!" Participants will hear about the progressively stronger and lighter materials being developed and get advice on how best to prepare for the oncoming processing challenges these new metals will create. Highlights will include panel discussions on AHSS requirements for use in automotive applications and advancements in processing equipment and tooling. In addition, attendees will gain steel and aluminum market insight from industry experts.

The three-day, co-located events, presented by FMA, begin Feb. 26 at Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.fmanet.org/fls or www.fmanet.org/tollprocessing, or call 888-394-4362.