Summit Agenda
(Subject to Change)
Sunday, November 5
| SOCMA Executive Committee & Board Dinner | ||
| 4:00pm-6:00pm | SOCMA Executive Committee Meeting Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor |
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| 6:30pm | SOCMA Board of Governors Dinner Off-Site Meet in the hotel lobby at 6:00pm CT. |
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Monday, November 6
| SOCMA Board of Governors | ||
| 8:30am - 9:00am | Board of Governors Breakfast Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor |
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| 9:00am - 12:00pm | Board of Governors Meeting Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor |
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| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 12:00pm - 7:00pm | Registration Open Parish Hall - 10th Floor Sponsored by:  |
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| 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Lunch Parish Hall - 10th Floor Sponsored by:  |
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| 1:30pm - 3:00pm | 1101: Toolbox Talks - Building Safety Culture from Lessons Learned La Fourche & Pointe Coupee - 9th Floor Join a fast-paced, highly interactive small group discussion led by recipients of SOCMA’s Safety Recognition Program. Tap into the wealth of collective wisdom amongst your peers to develop actionable strategies that drive safety excellence within your organization. Speakers: Paul Ameis, WTS; Jarod Kindell, NASi; Wesley McSwain, South Coast Terminals; Jason Roe, Milliken; Willie Urrutia, Monument Chemical; Ray Vermillion, Ashland; Tom Willis, ChemDesign |
Operational Excellence | |||
| 1:30pm - 3:00pm | 1102: Executive Fishbowl Feliciana East / West - 10th Floor Exclusively for c-suite manufacturer executives, this closed session combines informal networking and peer to peer conversations to address challenges in the specialty and batch chemical industry. Share your successes and learn from others during this unique fishbowl. (Open to Manufacturing Executives Only) Moderator: Alan Dyke, ProChem, Inc. |
Leadership and Business Strategies | |||
| 1:30pm - 3:00pm | 1103: Building Bonds - Getting Inside the Minds of SOCMA Members St. Landry - 9th Floor With specialty chemical manufacturers facing economic challenges and budgets tight, it’s more important than ever for industry service providers to understand their most pressing needs and how they can provide solutions. This is your opportunity to hear directly from SOCMA team members who are on the front lines with these companies to glean a better understanding of how you can break through the noise and get their attention. Speakers: Robert F. Helminiak, SOCMA; Joe Dettinger, SOCMA; Erika Krueger, SOCMA |
Business Strategies | |||
| Break | ||
| 3:00pm - 3:30pm | Networking Break 9th Floor Foyer Sponsored By:  |
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| Concurrent Sessions | ||
| 3:30pm - 4:45pm | 1201: International Trade - Strategies for Establishing Import and Export Programs St. Landry - 9th Floor Discover actionable stategies to successfully establish an import and export program tailored to the specialty chemical manufacturing industry. This practical session will provide attendees with a concrete understanding of the common import and export challenges and solutions that they can take back to their facilities. Speaker: Bob Stang, Husch Blackwell; Jeffrey Neeley, Husch Blackwell |
Chemical Supply Chain Management |
| 3:30pm - 4:45pm | 1202: Facility Permitting - How to Plan in the Environmental Justice Era La Fourche/Pointe - 9th Floor Gain valuable insights, practical strategies, and expert guidance on navigating the permitting process with a focus on environmental justice. Attendees will gain a better understanding of EPA's focus on environmental justice and what it means for chemical manufacturers, as well as real-world examples of the implementation of environmental justice at the state and local level. Speakers: Devin Barry, Thompson Hine LLP; Sandy Cernick, Pressure Chemical; Adam Pingel, Monument Chemical |
Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 3:30pm - 4:45pm | 1203: Part 1: Strategies for Thriving in Turbulent Times - Planning for Facility Expansion and Investment Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor Speaker: Ross Gale, International Process Plants and Equipment |
Leadership and Business Strategies |
| Evening Programs | ||
| 5:30pm - 7:00pm | Opening Reception 9th Floor Foyer Sponsored by:  |
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| 7:30pm - 9:00pm | Leadership Accelerator Dinner (Invite Only) Off-Site Sponsored by:   |
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Tuesday, November 7
| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 7:45am - 7:45pm | Registration Opens Parish Hall - 10th Floor Sponsored by: |
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| 7:45am - 8:30am | Breakfast Parish Hall - 10th Floor Sponsored by:  |
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| Morning Programs | ||
| 8:30am - 9:00am | Annual Business Meeting Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor Attend SOCMA’s Annual Meeting to welcome the newest class of Governors and thank the outgoing class. Association and membership updates will also be shared. |
Business Meeting |
| 9:00am - 9:45am | View from Capitol Hill - Critical Political Intelligence for the Specialty Chemical Industry Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor Uncover exclusive insights into federal agency activities and gain critical intelligence about the Administration's priorities for the remaining months. This session will provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the current political landscape in Congress and the Administration, and the pressures shaping every facet of the specialty chemical industry. Moderator: Kate Hampford Donahue, Hampford Research, Inc. Speakers: Robert F. Helminiak, SOCMA; Genevieve Strand, SOCMA |
General Session |
| Concurrent Sessions Block | ||
| 10:00am - 11:00am | 2101 - Artificial Intelligence in Chemical Manufacturing - Transforming Growth & Efficiencies La Fourche & Pointe Coupee - 9th Floor In the realm of chemical manufacturing, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, revolutionizing every aspect of the industry. Join us for an illuminating session led by renowned AI expert Shaun Ensor, as he explores the profound impact of AI on growth and operational efficiencies within the chemical manufacturing landscape. Speaker: Shaun Ensor, PB Engineering Services Limited |
Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | 2102 - Preparing for Inspections - Strategies to Ensure Readiness St. Landry - 9th Floor Obtain expert guidance on navigating government inspections, common pitfalls during the process and proactive risk assessment strategies to identify potential compliance gaps and hazards before inspectors identify them. Speaker: Mini Kapoor, Haynes Boone |
Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 10:00am - 11:00am | 2103 - Signals & Trends: 2024 Economic Outlook and What to Watch For Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor Explore the dynamic landscape of financial markets and the outlook of global economic trends, emerging investment opportunities, and risk factors. Gain valuable insight to optimize portfolios, and make informed decisions in this informative and forward-looking session. Speakers: Heather Errigo, Lynx Investment Advisory, LLC; Vipin Sahijwani, Lynx Investment Advisory, LLC |
Leadership and Business Strategies |
| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 11:00am - 11:15am | Networking Break 9th Floor Foyer Sponsored by:   |
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| General Session | ||
| 11:15am - 12:15pm | Crisis Communications - Equipping your Company for Effective Communications in Emergencies Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor This interactive session will ensure that employees at all levels are ready to navigate challenging situations with confidence and professionalism. You'll be divided into small groups to work through scenarios and hone the skills and knowledge necessary to communicate effectively during a crisis, ensure the safety of all stakeholders, and protect the organization's reputation. Speaker: Rachel Coffman, Coffman Collaborative |
General Session |
| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 12:15pm - 1:00pm | Lunch Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor Sponsored by:  |
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| General Session | ||
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Finding Business with Commercial Intelligence and Best Practices Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor Hear valuable commercial intelligence and industry trends to help participants position themselves and their organizations for sustainable growth and position themselves for success in the specialty chemical market. Moderator: Erika Krueger, SOCMA Speakers: Bob Girton, Edgewater Capital Partners; Kevin Yttre, Grace Matthews; Jose Maria Bermudez, Viakem SA de CV |
General Session |
| Concurrent Sessions | ||
| 2:15pm - 3:15pm |
2201 - Hot Topics in Environmental, Health & Safety
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Chemical Supply Chain Management |
| 2:15pm - 3:15pm | 2202 - Hot Topics in Supply Chain, Tax and Trade St. Landry - 9th Floor Join us for a variety of "quick hits" on the following topics:
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Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 2:15pm - 3:15pm | 2203 - Top 10 Steps to Improve Your KPIs Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor Learn from experts who focus on employee engagement and retention with approaches and insights that get to the root of discontent, poor morale, and miscommunication, the key factors in employee turnover. Attendees will walk away with a “Top 10” checklist they can take back to examine and improve their company performance, regardless of company size. Speakers: Kristin Donnelly PhD, Abbey Research; Erin Hinston PhD, Abbey Research |
Leadership and Business Strategies |
| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 3:15pm - 3:45pm | Coffee and Networking Break 9th Floor Foyer   |
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| Concurrent Sessions | ||
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | 2301 - Supply Chain and Procurement Fishbowl La Fourche & Pointe Coupee - 9th Floor Join this engaging session to exchange ideas and foster information sharing regarding supply chain and procurement challenges. Moderator: Ken Zriebec, Veranova |
Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | 2302 - Mastering Root Cause Analysis - Tactics for Effective Incident Investigation and Prevention St. Landry - 9th Floor Enhance your skills and expertise in conducting thorough root cause analyses, and develop the confidence to investigate incidents, identify root causes, and implement effective corrective and preventive actions. In this session, attendees will walk through a mock root cause analysis to learn tips and tricks for every step of the process. Speaker: Brian Bourgeois, ChemDesign; Sarah Williams, SOCMA |
Operational Excellence and Safety |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | 2303 - Strategies for Thriving in Turbulent Times - Navigating Market Downturn, Expanding into New Markets, and Maximizing Profitability Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor In today's dynamic business landscape, organizations need to adopt robust strategies to optimize their facilities and enhance their EBITDA performance, In this comprehensive program, attendees will gain valuable insights into the best practices that can help them effectively manage their facilities and maximize EBITDA even amidst market fluctuations. Moderator: David J. Topping, Phelps Dunbar LLP Speakers: Tom Ambrose, Black Bay; Jimmy Jet, Integrity BioChem |
Leadership and Business Strategies |
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| Evening Programs | ||
| 5:30pm - 6:30pm | Networking Reception Parish Hall - 10th Floor  |
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| 6:30pm - 8:00pm | Dinner & Recognition Louisiana Ballroom - 10th Floor Sponsored by:  |
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Wednesday, November 8
| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 8:00am - 9:00am | Breakfast Parish Hall - 10th Floor |
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| SOCMA Summit | ||
| 9:00am - 12:00pm | SOCMA Committee Meetings (Open to all attendees) Feliciana East/West - 10th Floor 9:00am Trade, Tax and Supply Chain Committee 9:45am Environment Committee 10:30am Health and Safety Committee 11:15am Chemical Regulations Committee |
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