Call for Manufacturing Innovation Awards Applicants

The Awards Committee of the Manufacturers’ Council of the Inland Empire is seeking applications for Innovation Awards. Manufacturers are encouraged to enter in four categories.

A new award, for college student teams, has been added and offers up to $2,000 in scholarships per project team.

Awards will be made at the Manufacturing Summit, the largest event of its kind in Southern California, to be held at the Ontario Convention Center on Friday, February 3, 2017.

Winners will be presented their awards and given the opportunity to speak, for up to 7 minutes during the general session, on their innovation and how it has improved their organization or what it might hold for the future.

The Annual Summit attracts the “movers and shakers” of the Southern California manufacturing community. In its 6^th year, it is the most influential event of its kind in this region, presenting the latest trends and technologies, insights into how other manufacturers have resolved regulatory issues,  and the latest on cyber-security risks.

Award categories for the E=mc² Innovation are:

Innovation in Product Development

We want to showcase a manufacturing firm that has developed new and improved products that support customer and business growth and margin improvement.

Innovation in Resource or Process Efficiency for Manufacturers

Here, we commend energy efficiency, water conservation, and other resource efficiency improvements. Or, there may be process and flow improvement (such as lean manufacturing successes) which result in smaller footprint or less waste.

Innovation in Human Capital and Talent

The skills and talents of the workforce are hugely important to a manufacturer’s success. Applicants for this award have found innovative ways for building skills, empowering employees, and developing top talent in the organization.

Innovation in Marketing

In this category, we wish to highlight the innovation in marketing or sales that results in business growth, increased market share, or heightened reputation.

Student Award

Many of our colleges require students in certain subjects (engineering or business administration, for example) to work with manufacturers in the Inland Empire. If the students (usually as a team) and their manufacturing partner develop a successful project that could apply to one of the innovation awards described above, they should apply.

Innovation Committee:

Wallace P. Brithinee, Ph.D.

Wally Brithinee, Ph. D, is president of Brithinee Electric, a firm that provides motor repair, replacement, remanufacturing, and rewinding service in the Southwest U.S.; and manufactures motor control panels utilizing microprocessor-based drives and programmable devices. Brithinee graduated summa cum laude with a degree in mathematics from the University of California, Riverside, and later completed a M.A. and Ph.D. also in mathematics. Graduate work and original research was performed under a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) fellowship.

Kash Gokli

Kash Gokli is a professor of manufacturing and engineering management, and the Director of Engineering Clinic in the Harvey Mudd College Department of Engineering.  Gokli has worked in the private sector holding positions of General Manager, VP of Manufacturing and VP of Product Development in multinational corporations. He has an MS degree in Industrial Engineering from The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Six Sigma Black Belt.

Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP

Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, a relationship-centric consulting firm that elevates the business practices and outcomes of client manufacturers, distributors, and supply chain organizations. Lisa received her MBA with an emphasis in Finance from California State University Fullerton and her BSBA with an emphasis in Operations Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.