VIP Matchmaking Participants

MORNING:

• Exhibit Hall Booth setup
• Registration for Suppliers (Sellers) for Matchmaking Event
• Please Note: OEMs and Large Tier 1s at Matchmaking receive complimentary registration to the entire SAC

AFTERNOON:

• Matchmaking Event – For Sponsors, Exhibitors, and attendees (for an extra fee). B2B Meetings with OEM & Large Tier 1 Purchasing representatives

EVENING:

• Wednesday Welcome Reception (Great food, beverages, and live entertainment) – All registered attendees are welcome to attend this opening night reception in the Exhibit Hall at the Gas South District Convention Center. Exhibit Booths will be open for early business prospecting.

ALL DAY:

• Exhibit Hall Booths

MORNING:

• Breakfast and morning networking opportunities
• Keynote Speakers: Peter Ricchiuti and Joseph McCabe

AFTERNOON:

• Exhibit Hall Focus and networking opportunities
• Stars of Southern Manufacturing Awards including presentation by Governor Reeves
• OEM Panel
• Town Hall (NEW to SAC for 2023!)

EVENING:

• Auto Industry Celebration hosted at Morgan Freeman’s own Ground Zero Blues Club

MORNING:

• Hotel check-out and exhibit booth tear down

Keynote Speakers

As President and CEO of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS), Joe leverages his decades of industry experience and knowledge to provide production forecasting and advisory services to the global automotive community. Joe manages the automotive turnkey operations at AFS including the global light vehicle, powertrain, drivetrain, and alternative propulsion forecast as well as a suite of AFS proprietary opportunity and sales planning software. AFS supports all tiered suppliers, VMs, government agencies, financial institutions, and the academic community with data, planning solutions, and a personalized support to help identify new business opportunities while mitigating risk. Joe’s 25+ year career in automotive forecasting ranges from his tenure at AutoFacts, PwC, AutomotiveCompass, and now as founder of AutoForecast Solutions LLC (AFS). Joe earned his Bachelors of Chemical Engineering degree at Villanova University and an MBA at Pennsylvania State University.

Peter Ricchiuti (Ri-Shooty) is the business professor you WISHED you had back in college! His humor and insight have earned him numerous teaching awards at Tulane University where he created and runs the nationally acclaimed Burkenroad Reports (burkenroad.org) student stock research program. Peter is a graduate of Babson College and began his career with the investment firm of Kidder Peabody in Boston. He later managed Louisiana’s $3 billion investment portfolio while serving as the assistant state treasurer. Peter has addressed more than 1400 groups in 47 states and several countries. He has been featured in BARRON’S, Kiplinger’s, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He also hosts a popular weekly business show on National Public Radio in New Orleans called “Out To Lunch.” Peter is a husband, dad and author who has attended baseball games at all 30 current major league ballparks.

Stars Award Presentation

As the 65th Governor of Mississippi, Tate Reeves continues to show his commitment to making Mississippi the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family. As Governor, he guided the state through 14 federally-declared disasters in his first 14 months in office. Historic flooding and tornadoes, a worldwide pandemic, and the failure of the capital city’s water system didn’t slow him down. Governor Reeves used his steady hand and common-sense to protect the lives and livelihoods of Mississippians. Mississippi is in excellent financial shape and its economy is thriving. Governor Reeves delivered the largest tax cut in Mississippi history, reached record-low unemployment rates, and had the largest annual increase in employees since the last century.

Speakers

Bill Cork is an economic development executive with extensive experience in the areas of transportation, logistics, defense, aerospace and chemicals development in the state of Mississippi. He was previously CEO of the Hancock County Port and Harbor Commission where he led the economic development efforts for Stennis International Airport, Port Bienville Industrial Park and the Port Bienville Railroad, while also working with Stennis Space Center. Cork also founded Cork Consulting Group, a real estate, urban planning and public finance consulting firm. Prior to his consulting work, he was CEO of TexAmericas Center in New Boston, Texas. He also is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Diane joined Elwood in 2019 and quickly made major growth contributions to the company. In result of her impact and capabilities, Diane was promoted into executive leadership. She then became the first female and non-Elwood family president in the company’s history. Diane has spearheaded the company towards expanding Elwood’s sales force and its evolving development plan. She has also been placing focus on traditional brick-and-mortar expansion into new markets for the company. Diane also implemented a new operational system to aid in consistent and superior service delivery for Elwood applicants. This has helped aid in the company’s market service promise by making applicants feel they are the company’s number-one priority. Diane’s contributions to the company have cemented herself as one of its most influential figures, and most certainly will continue to grow Elwood into new markets.

Michael Oatridge serves as the Alabama Mobility and Power Center Executive Director. AMP was recently established in partnership with Alabama Power Company and Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc. as a research and workforce development center to meet the needs of the emerging electric vehicle market. Oatridge worked for Honda Motor Company for more than 30 years, retiring in 2021 as Senior Vice President of Honda Manufacturing of Alabama. Oatridge joined Honda in 1989 as an engineer, taking on increasing responsibilities at its manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada. He came to the plant in Lincoln, Alabama in 2001 and became Vice President of Manufacturing Operations in 2010, a position he held until 2016 when he was promoted to Senior Vice President. He has been an Executive Board member of the Alabama Workforce Committee, Economic Partnership of Alabama and the Birmingham Business Alliance, and he has served as Chair of the Boards for the Japanese American Society of Alabama and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

Jesse leads NAOS Staffing, which joined the Elwood Staffing family in March of 2023. Jesse founded NAOS in 2010 with a specialization in on-site staffing for large-scale operations. Jesse started his career in the staffing industry in 1982 as a Regional Manager for Norrell Corporation. In 1990, he went on to become the S.E. Division Vice President for Talent Tree Staffing. In 1994, after Talent Tree sold and having worked for two very successful entrepreneurs, Jesse started two staffing companies: APS Group and Pinnacle H.R in Atlanta. The companies grew to $125 million in annual revenue and sold shortly thereafter. Jesse is originally from the state of Florida and a graduate of Florida State University. Jesse has been married to Nancy Pharr Vance for 40 years and they have three sons plus three grandchildren and counting.

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