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, forge valuable connections, and unlock growth opportunities. Reserve your spot now!

8:00 am – Doors open/Check-in Begins/Breakfast Buffet Open
We encourage you to come when the doors open and enjoy valuable networking!

8:15 am – Welcome

8:20 am – AI in Manufacturing | Dr. Meg Reiss, Founder and CEO, SolidIntel

9:20 am – Networking Break

9:30 am – International Patent Practice and Trademarks | Aaron Sternhagen, Associate Attorney, Watson Intellectual Property Group

10:30 am –Supply Chain Mapping Tool | Angela Allen, Supply Chain Business Advisor, SD Manufacturing & Technology Solutions

10:45 am – Networking Break

11:00 am – Agile, Adaptive, and Automated: The Future of Supply Chain Innovation | Dr. Marek Kolinski, Assistant Professor of Decision Science and Management, USD

12:00 pm – Presentation of "Coolest Thing Made in the Black Hills"

12:10 pm – Event Concludes 

Registration closes on September 29th!

About the Speakers: 

Dr. Meg Reiss

Dr. Meg Reiss is the founder and CEO of SolidIntel, the first dual-use generative AI company focused on supply chain and intelligence. She previously served as the national security policy advisor to U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, where she helped shape legislation underpinning today’s supply chain regulatory frameworks. Meg is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center, a visiting fellow at George Mason’s National Security Institute, and a board member of the Foundation for American Innovation, and consults for the Department of Defense as well as the most innovative defense tech startups in the U.S. A South Dakota native, she holds degrees from Stanford, the University of Nottingham School of Law (LLM), and the University of Texas-Austin. 

Aaron Sternhagen

Aaron Sternhagen is an Associate Attorney for the Watson IP Group, focusing mainly on domestic and international patent and trademark matters. Mr. Sternhagen represents clients in all aspects of patent drafting, prosecution, and enforcement before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and has experience advising corporate clients around the globe with regard to their international trademark portfolios. He additionally provides counsel relating to all areas of transactional IP law, both in the United States and abroad.

Angela Allen

Angela Allen is a Business Advisor for South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions specializing in Supply Chain. Her background includes experience in product design, sales, customer service, and project management. Before coming to SDMTS, she worked in manufacturing in the plastics and engineered wood products industries. In addition to her manufacturing experience, she spent several years as a designer in the civil engineering field. Using her project management expertise, she will be working to develop the supply chain program and supply chain business solutions for SDMTS. Angela recently earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from Project Management Institute (PMI) and her Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) certification from ASCM. In December 2024, Angela earned an MBA from the University of South Dakota.

Marek Kolinski

Marek Kolinski is an Assistant Professor of Decision Science and Supply Chain Management at Beacom School of Business at the University of South Dakota. Before joining Beacom, he worked for 12 years in supply chain, manufacturing, and product management, primarily in the construction materials industry. Marek has successfully led projects optimizing supply chain network design, omni-channel sourcing, and aligning supply chain and operations strategies. Marek holds a Bachelor's in Supply Chain Management and Information Systems and a Master's in Quality Manufacturing Management degrees from The Pennsylvania State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Strategic Management from Kennesaw State University.

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