Molly Burgess has been General Manager and majority partner of RedFusion Media for over 20 years. A small marketing consulting firm in southern California, she coordinated policy design, oversaw marketing campaign projects, and helped move the company from 2 employees to over 12 employees, who created over 500 website designs and dozens of successful campaigns, in the span of a decade.
In 2014, Molly contracted with the Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire (MCIE) to produce a regional summit event. The successful, all-day program focused on relevant information for manufacturing floor supervisors through C-suite officers and owners. In 2015, Burgess was contracted as the Executive Director of MCIE and continues in that position now.
When she learned about the high drop-out rates at local high schools, Burgess was moved to enlarge the work of the Manufacturers’ Council to include a student, parents, and public outreach within the programming of the organization. Informing this population about the family-supporting careers in regional manufacturing, and the training that is available for the many opportunities in the industry, has become a focus of the organization. Helping to correct the historic impression that manufacturing jobs are dirty jobs, and that training in advanced manufacturing technologies will enable workers and companies to succeed in the future, is an ongoing passion for Burgess.
Molly holds a degree in British Literature with additional studies in Business Administration from the University of Colorado.
Debbie has over two decades of experience as an integral part of the Manufacturers' Council of the Inland Empire. Her contributions include spearheading the Manufacturer's Summit in 2011, which has since become an annual event with sold-out attendance. The summits have featured keynote speakers, equipment vendors, and educational breakout sessions, offering valuable information on topics such as production, lean practices, and marketing to support and grow manufacturing in the Inland Empire.
Before joining the Council, Debbie worked for more than 22 years at Chaffey College in the Economic & Workforce Development Department. Most recently as the Administrator at the Industrial Technical Learning Center (InTech), overseeing professional and technical training delivered at the vocational trade school. She was instrumental in garnering more than $18.8 million in grant and contract awards to fund training specific to manufacturing.
As Community Relations Director for the Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire, she continues to work with educators, manufacturers, and regional partners to strengthen the industry by connecting resources, services, and a trained workforce, to help ensure manufacturing thrives in the region.