Agenda
Join us for Colorado Manufacturing Rising: A full day of ideas, connections, and strategies fueling manufacturing growth
OCT
13
Vendor Move-in | Exhibitor Booths
Reserved for exhibitors with 8 x 10 booths only in the main hall. Please check in at registration, and our team will direct you to your assigned booth. Exhibitor table setup will take place the morning of the expo before the show begins.
Note: 8 x 10 Booth exhibitors may also set up on the morning of the expo when vendor access opens.
Networking Reception Kickoff featuring Student Challenge presented by Community Banks of Colorado
Open to all COMP registered attendees, come and watch students from six local high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) teams reverse-engineer real machined parts provided by our manufacturing sponsor, Springs Fabrication, and recreate them from scratch. Students will compete based on accuracy, craftsmanship, process, and their ability to present their work and answer questions from the crowd.
All that while connecting with Colorado’s manufacturing leaders, decision-makers, and partners, sharing ideas and building relationships over a cocktail and light hors d’oeuvres thanks to our fabulous networking sponsor Community Banks of Colorado.
OCT
14
Doors Open to Vendors
Table Exhibitor Setup + Remaining Booth Setup. This time is designated for table exhibitors and any booth exhibitors who did not complete setup the evening before. Please check in at registration to receive your assigned location and event badges.
Doors Open to Public
Doors open to all booth and table exhibitors. Please check in at registration to receive your assigned location and event badges.
Exhibitor Hall Opens to Public
Explore nearly 100 exhibitors—from local suppliers and service providers to strategic partners—all equipped to help manufacturers solve challenges, grow stronger, and scale smarter. Discover the businesses powering Colorado manufacturing forward.
Manufacturing Sunrise Townhall
Start the day with coffee, tea, fresh fruit, breakfast pastries, and conversation! Join fellow attendees for light networking from 7:30–8:00 AM, followed by opening remarks including Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobalade.
Hear powerful, data-driven insights at the Manufacturing Sunrise Town Hall, beginning with Senior Economist Ryan Gedney, who will break down the labor market trends shaping Colorado’s manufacturing workforce.
Then, hear keynote speaker Drew Yancey of Teleios Strategy present “Colorado Manufacturing Rising: The Barriers We Break Together”. Drew brings firsthand experience helping scale his family’s business, Yancey’s Food Service—a nationally ranked distributor deeply embedded in the food and beverage manufacturing supply chain (acquired by Food Services of America in 2012).
Ryan Gedney
Talent Pipeline Senior Economist,
Colorado Department of Higher Education | Colorado Workforce Development Council
Drew Yancey
Founder, Teleios Strategy
Wipfli Hospitality Hall
The Wipfli Hospitality Hall is open to all expo attendees from 9:30–11:30 AM and 1:45–3:00 PM in between featured events. Stop in to connect, hold a quick meeting, grab a coffee, or simply recharge between sessions.
Love Them or Lose Them: How Leadership Behavior and Culture Shape Retention and Workforce Resilience
Will Davis
Strategic Client Service Manager, Wipfli
Find out how leadership behaviors, organizational culture, and aligned workplace systems directly drive employee retention and performance. Learn practical strategies to manage critical-role exposure, translate cultural commitments into daily actions, clarify leadership roles, and strengthen workforce resilience without relying on a large HR department.
Where Did My Margin Go? How to Find, and Protect, the Profit Already in Your Business
Tanya Williams
CFO Consultant, Now CFO
Discover the five hidden sources of margin leakage quietly draining your profits—and see how even small improvements can deliver a major financial impact. Walk away with a repeatable process to uncover losses, protect margins, and keep more of what your business earns.
Double Your Value in 3 Years: The Manufacturers Playbook for Scale
Michael Watkins
Principal, EBITDA Growth Systems
There’s no silver bullet for doubling the value of your business—it takes disciplined growth across sales, finance, operations, and management. Discover how the right coaching, strategy, and accountability can bring these functions together to build a stronger, more scalable company.
How Component Manufacturers Can Compete and Win in Federal Supply Chains
Karri Palmetier
Founding Member, Palmetier Law
From Stuck to Scalable: Own the System, Not the Sale
Robert A. Lock
Owner & Fractional Chief Revenue Officer, Buffalo Mountain Sales Strategies
Break through the revenue ceiling by building a scalable manufacturing sales system that removes the owner as the bottleneck. Discover three proven growth frameworks, assess your AI readiness, and learn how the right sales infrastructure can drive growth and increase enterprise value.
Your Next Hire: Find them. Develop them. Engage them. Keep them.
Steve Busch
Owner, Human Resource Strategies
Build a stronger manufacturing team with practical strategies for recruiting and selecting skilled talent—from tradespeople and automation technicians to engineers. Learn how better job descriptions, behavioral interviews, reference checks, and simple retention practices can improve hiring and reduce costly turnover.
Featured Lunch Panel | Lessons from the Climb: What I Learned Building & Scaling A Manufacturing Business
Moderated by Drew Yancey of Teleios Strategy, this high-impact conversation brings together manufacturing leaders from food and beverage to aerospace and defense to share hard-earned lessons, bold ideas, and real-world strategies for growth.
The panel is open to all registered attendees—no lunch purchase is required. For guests who purchased the optional lunch add-on, lunch will be available from 11:30 AM–12:30 PM. The panel begins promptly at 12:30 PM, followed by audience Q&A.
Kevin Pallaoro
Teton Waters Ranch
Josh Thurmond
Inventor and Chief Eruption Officer, LavaBox
Drew Yancey
Founder, Teleois Strategy
Quality as a Growth Strategy: How a QMS Helps Manufacturers Compete
Tommy Nguyen
Managing Partner, Cavendish Scott
Special Event presented by Aerospace Colorado
Join us for an insightful panel session designed to demystify the aerospace industry and help your business find its place in the supply chain. Whether you are looking to enter the market or expand your current footprint, our experts will provide a roadmap for success.
Key topics include:
- Supply Chain Mechanics: Gain a clear understanding of the aerospace ecosystem and identify exactly who purchases the products and services you offer.
- Strategic Opportunities: Learn how to map your specific capabilities to current industry needs and identify high-potential growth areas.
- Tools for Success: Discover the essential resources and support systems required to compete effectively.
- Buyer Perspectives: Get a direct look at what aerospace procurement teams prioritize when vetting and selecting new partners.
- Supplier Readiness: Learn the critical steps to becoming “supplier ready” and positioning your business to win contracts in a high-stakes environment.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain the practical knowledge and competitive edge needed to thrive in the aerospace sector.
Driving Innovation: From Ideas to Impact
Kenneth Marchek
Managing Partner, Vichek Solutions
Finale Networking Reception presented by Kaiser Permanente
Last call for connections! Open to all registered COMP attendees, this is your chance to close out an inspiring day of ideas, collaboration, and business opportunities by reconnecting with old friends and building valuable new relationships.
Grab a drink, enjoy light bites courtesy of Kaiser Permanente, reconnect with old friends, and make valuable new connections.
