Steve Brown is a leading voice in the conversation on artificial intelligence. A former executive at Google DeepMind and Intel, he has delivered hundreds of engaging, information-rich keynotes across five continents, inspiring audiences to take action with AI. Brown draws upon three decades of experience in AI, digital transformation, and high tech to help leaders build winning AI strategies that fuel innovation, boost performance, and create new value.

During his 25-year career, Brown served as senior director and in-house futurist at Google DeepMind in London, as well as Intel’s Chief Evangelist and futurist. He co-founded The Provenance Chain Network, which provides supply chain transparency and security services to the U.S. Space Force and U.S. Navy, and Jump Partners, an AI incubator. Brown is also a BCG Luminary.

Brown works with global brands, Fortune 100 companies, startups, and government agencies. His clients include Nike, JP Morgan, Samsung, Lenovo, Comcast, Audi, Bank of America, PepsiCo, Intuit, and Disney. He has been featured on the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg TV, ABC, CBS, NBC, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired Magazine.

Brown’s latest book, “The AI Ultimatum: Preparing for a World of Intelligent Machines and Radical Transformation,” is a how-to guide on AI transformation written for senior business leaders, aspiring leaders, and anyone interested to learn how AI will reshape business, the economy, and society.

Brown holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Microelectronic Systems Engineering from the University of Manchester. Born in the U.K., he is a dual British-American citizen and lives in Portland, Oregon.

Mickey Hannum is an author, entrepreneur, and trusted voice in the world of safety leadership and operational excellence. With a career spanning over three decades, Mickey has helped organizations across industries create people-first cultures where safety isn’t just a policy, it’s a mindset.

His approach bridges the gap between compliance and culture, empowering leaders to build trust, drive engagement, and integrate safety into the heart of everyday business. Known for his practical approach and engaging style, Mickey shares insights through his writing, speaking, and social media presence, where he connects with a growing global audience.
 

Michael Weidokal is an internationally-recognized economic and geopolitical forecaster who helps business leaders, policy makers and the wider public to understand the issues and trends that are impacting the world today, and that will shape the world in the years to come. He is the president and founder of International Strategic Analysis (ISA), a leading provider of economic forecasting, international market intelligence and geopolitical analysis with clients all around the globe.

Weidokal’s ability to combine international economics, geopolitics and history allow him to have a unique perspective on the issues and events that are taking place throughout the world. His areas of expertise include the fields of international economic competitiveness, global market selection and geopolitical risk assessment. Furthermore, he has repeatedly proven to be able to accurately predict important trends and developments before they happen.

A prolific writer, Weidokal is a leading contributor to a wide range of ISA’s best-selling publications, including ISA’s monthly Country Reports, Risk Forecasts and many more. In addition, his new book “The Need For Growth” released in 2024 and details the growing challenge that the global economy will face in terms of generating growth in the 2020s and beyond, and what this means for the planet and its inhabitants. He is also a frequent speaker and appears often in the media, speaking on a wide variety of topics.

After a career that took him to more than 70 countries, Weidokal founded International Strategic Analysis in 2003. Today, ISA is one of the world’s most respected economic and geopolitical research firms, providing research and support for thousands of the world’s leading businesses, governments and universities.

Lisa Anderson is the founder and president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation that maximizes the customer experience and enables profitable, scalable, dramatic business growth.  Known for creating bold customer promises and profits, she is experienced in working with closely-held, private-equity backed and large, complex organizations in industries ranging from aerospace and defense, building and industrial products to food and beverage.

If it relates to improving the performance of a manufacturer, Anderson has done it. Her expertise encompasses the full scope of end-to-end supply chain business processes from creation to customer. Her unique talent resides in taking a holistic view of the business encompassing human capital, business systems, technology and finance to identify the priorities and plans that will have the greatest impact and accelerate bottom line business results.

Often quoted in media outlets like the Wall Street Journal, ABC News and Industry Week, she is regularly invited to speak at conferences and events on topics like the Amazon Effect and Resiliency in Supply Chain at venues such as the Drucker Supply Chain Forum and the Manufacturers Summit. Anderson has been named a Top 46 Supply Chain Influencer by SAP, a Top 50 ERP Influencer by Washington Frank, a Top 40 B2B Tech Influencer by Arketi, a Top Woman Influencer by Solutions Review and a Top 100 Supply Chain Blogger by SupplyChainOpz. She recently published, I’ve Been Thinking, an inspiring collection of 101 strategies for creating bold customer promises and profits.

During his 21 years as Armada’s primary strategist, Keith Prather has worked with Fortune 500 companies on everything from economic forecasting to M&A strategy, strategic planning, and corporate marketing efforts. He has pioneered the concept of the Continuous Situation Analysis that companies use in a fast-paced, aggressive modern business environment. 
Prather serves as an analyst briefing executives on domestic and global economic outlooks, geopolitical risk, supply chain issues, raw material supply, and environmental impacts on business operations.

Prather is the chief editor and one of the two primary writers for the Flagship, an Executive Intelligence Brief. Executives around the world read the Flagship for insight, foresight, and risk intelligence. Prather is also a keynote speaker for industry associations.

Prather has an MBA with a focused thesis on Corporate Intelligence. He is a former Chief Financial Officer and has an extensive background in data analysis.

If your company is like most metalcasters, then recruiting and retaining talent is one of your top challenges. Author Gene Marks has studied this issue and will present on that topic at the FLS. Through his columns and keynotes, Marks helps business owners and managers understand the political, economic, and technological trends that will affect their companies and — most importantly — the actions they can take to continue to grow and profit.

John Lancaster is the Plant Director at General Motors, bringing experience from previous roles at General Motors. Lancaster holds a Masters Degree in Engineering Management from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. With a robust skill set that includes continuous improvement, manufacturing operations management, manufacturing engineering, value stream mapping, Toyota production system and more, Lancaster contributes valuable insights to the metalcasting industry. He previously served on the AFS Board of Directors from 2018 to 2022 and has been involved in AFS at the chapter level.

For over 36 years, Jeff Hall has been the president for Benton Foundry, which specializes in gray and ductile iron. Hall holds a BS from Drexel University and an MBA from Wilkes university. 

Scott Nachazel is an accomplished leader with a demonstrated history of working in the gray & ductile iron foundry industry. Nachazel has worked at EJ for over 31 years and is experienced in both cupola and electric induction melting methods. He has a strong operations background and is professionally skilled in engineering, environmental health & safety, CAD, budgeting, operations management, construction, facility engineering, and manufacturing.

Sachin Shivaram is Chief Executive Officer of Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry, a century-old, family-owned manufacturer based in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Shivaram has spent his entire career in the metals industry, holding roles in sales and strategy. He serves on the boards of directors of two family-owned manufacturing companies, Lodge Cast Iron and Sheboygan Paint, and on the board of directors of publicly traded Broadwind, Inc. Shivaram is a member of the AFS Government Affairs Committee.
 

George Boyd, Jr. attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee and the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. After graduating from UGA with degrees in Political Science and English, Boyd went to UGA Law School. After practicing law for a number of years, Boyd joined Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Company. He is currently the CEO and President of Goldens’ Foundry & Machine Company. Boyd is part of the 5th generation of family ownership and management of Goldens’. Goldens’ operates iron foundries and machine shops in Columbus and Cordele Georgia serving industrial customers. In 2016, Goldens’ launched a consumer product line, Goldens’ Cast Iron, which offers American made, cast iron kamado grills, syrup kettle fire pits, and fitness products. 

Stephanie Salmon provides advocacy representation for AFS in Washington, D.C. An experienced government relations professional, she has spearheaded AFS policy achievements on a variety of industry issues. Salmon holds a BA in International Studies from The American University.

Justin Scott became CEO of the American Foundry Society in 2026. He brings more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of metallurgy, manufacturing, and association leadership. Prior to joining AFS, Justin served as Vice President of Innovation & Analytics at the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI), where he led cross-functional initiatives spanning industry intelligence, marketing, and technology modernization.

At MSCI, he expanded the organization’s benchmarking and forecasting portfolio, guided implementation of a new Association Management System, and supported AI policy guidance and workforce programming. Earlier, at The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS), he led technical initiatives, secured federal research funding, and served as Principal Editor of JOM, the Society’s flagship peer-reviewed journal. He began his career in science policy in Washington, D.C., supporting federal manufacturing and research initiatives.

He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He earned his Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential in 2019.