Experience the Manufacturing and Trade Summit, where industry leaders unite to explore cutting-edge trends, strategies, and technologies.  Discover the future of manufacturing and trade, learn about SD Trade, forge valuable connections, and unlock growth opportunities. Reserve your spot now!

8:00 am – Doors open/Check-in Begins

8:30 am – Welcome

8:35am - Overview of SD Trade presented by Luke Lindberg, President & CEO, SD Trade

9:35am – The State of American Manufacturing presented by Sam Beaver, Director of Government Relations, National Association of Manufacturers

10:30am – Networking Break

11:00am - Manufacturing & Trade from the Perspective of Local Companies

Ethan Schlegel, New Generation Supplements

John Willard, CAW Industries, Inc.

Kenton Brannan, Pete Lien & Sons, Inc.

11:45am - Lunch Served

12:00pm – Current Economic Trends Impacting American Manufacturing & Trade presented by Michael Faulkender, Dean’s Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland (Former Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Department of Treasury)

1:00pm – Conclude Event 

*the schedule is subject to change

About the Speakers:

Luke Lindberg is the President & CEO of South Dakota Trade, a 501c(6) public-private-partnership that navigates international trade for South Dakota.

Previously, Mr. Lindberg served as the Chief of Staff and Chief Strategy Officer at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. As the agency’s second-highest ranking official, he was responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of EXIM and advancing strategic initiatives such as new programs focused on “China and Transformational Exports”, opening new markets for American Liquified Natural Gas, securing America’s supply of Critical Minerals & Rare Earths, and protecting allies in the race to deploy 5G globally. He also led EXIM’s involvement in the execution of the ground-breaking Abraham Accords. Mr. Lindberg earned the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes distinctive accomplishment and leadership that significantly benefit EXIM and the nation.

Today, Mr. Lindberg Serves on the board of directors of the National Association of District Export Councils, the Children’s Home Society, and is a study group member with the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Mr. Lindberg is also a Senior Fellow at the America First Policy Institute and has been featured by Fox News, The Washington Times, The Hill, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, and The Farm Journal, for his Thought Leadership on international affairs. Mr. Lindberg earned a Masters of Business Administration, a Masters of Public Policy, and a Bachelors of Arts in Government & Politics, all from the University of Maryland.

Sam Beaver is the Director of Government Relations at the National Association of Manufacturers, where he works to represent the NAM's members and advocate for the manufacturing sector's interests before Congress and the Administration. Sam joined the NAM in 2018, following 8 years working in a variety of roles on Capitol Hill. He worked for two Congressmen from Pennsylvania in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Legislative Assistant handling a wide range of policy issues, before moving to the U.S. Senate as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Finance Committee focusing on tax policy under Senator Orrin Hatch. Following two years with the Committee, Sam then joined the Senate Majority Whip Office under Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) as a Policy Advisor handling tax, trade and financial services policy.  

Sam is a graduate of the University of Virginia and also studied at the London School of Economics. He has taken part in a number of Congressional election campaigns and is a former Foreign Policy Fellow with the Woodrow Wilson Center.  

Michael Faulkender is the Dean’s Professor of Finance at the University of Maryland and Chief Economist at the America First Policy Institute. At the beginning of 2019, Dr. Faulkender joined the US Department of the Treasury to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy. In that role, he advised the Secretary on domestic and international issues that impacted the economy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he assisted in negotiating the CARES Act and was the senior Treasury official who led the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In January 2021, he was awarded the Alexander Hamilton Award for Distinguished Leadership, the highest service award granted at the Department of the Treasury.

His research lies at the intersection of financial economics and public policy. Examples include the job impacts of the PPP, corporate capital structure, risk management, corporate liquidity, and executive compensation. His work has been published in top academic finance journals, received numerous “best paper” awards, and has been cited in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and The New York Times, among others. In the last 18 months, he has testified to Congress four times.

Professor Faulkender has a PhD in Finance from Northwestern and a Bachelor's Degree in Managerial Economics from UC Davis. He has also served as a faculty member at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, the Kellogg School at Northwestern University, and the Olin School at Washington University in St. Louis.