2026 Marketing & Sales Conference

DAY 1 – SALES INTELLIGENCE, MARKET DATA & INTERPRETATION

8 – 8:45 a.m.

REGISTRATION

8:45 – 9:30 a.m.

WELCOME & CONFERENCE OVERVIEW: CONNECTING MARKETING TO BUSINESS IMPACT

Missy Gruwell
Global Product Marketing and Communications Manager
Simpson Technologies

Focus:

Why foundries struggle with sales visibility and marketing planning
The role of data in improving sales outcomes
How this conference helps you build a practical marketing plan

9:30 – 10:30 a.m.

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOUR MARKETING PLANS

John Belmont
Senior Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications
American Foundry Society

North America’s metalcasting industry is large, diverse and essential, touching nearly every sector of the economy. AFS will share insights from its semiannual Forecast & Trends report and the latest AFS Metalcasters Outlook Survey, focusing on current industry sentiment and how foundries see the months ahead. Confidence has rebounded but rising costs and trade uncertainty are putting it to the test. Attendees will come away with a clear view of where the industry stands and what it means for their marketing, communications, and sales strategies.

10:30 – 11 a.m.

BREAK

11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

HOW FOUNDRY CUSTOMERS BUY TODAY

Irene Henderson
Global Commodity Manager
Fairbanks Morse Defense

Christopher Pfenning
Director - Procurement
Copeland

Focus:

Real buying behaviors and decision drivers
- Examples of buying triggers
Common early-stage customer questions
- Examples of sales cycle behaviors
How messaging gaps impact sales success
- Website and forward-facing platforms up to scale?
- Customer segmentation and how they purchase

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

NETWORKING LUNCH

1:15 – 2:15 p.m.

TURNING SALES INSIGHT INTO MARKET INTELLIGENCE

Jill Trider
Consultant

Focus:

Using sales activity as a source of market data
Capturing insights from key accounts and opportunities
Identifying patterns in customer questions and needs

2:15 – 2:30 p.m.

BREAK

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

TOOLS FOR CAPTURING & ORGANIZING SALES AND MARKET DATA

Moderator:

Alexandria Trusov
Marketing Principla & Owner
TruInsights Consulting LLC

Panel:

Andrew Halonen
President
Amatrium, Inc.

Denise Korbol
Director, Sales Operations
Waupaca

Jamie Bolton
Sr. Manager Business Development
Kohler

Focus:

Simple tools (CRM, spreadsheets, AI-assisted summaries)
How to track buying signals and customer interactions
Organizing data for visibility and repeat use
Understanding your lead generation pipeline

3:30 – 4:45 p.m.

BUILDING A MARKETING PLAN THAT SUPPORTS YOUR BUSINESS GOALS

Sara Timm
Chief Strategy Officer & Fractional Marketing Advisor
Timmco Advisory

Focus:

The session will cover the essential components of a plan: objectives, strategies, channels, tactics, budget, responsibilities, timelines and KPIs. Participants will also learn how to establish a realistic budget based on their goals, priorities and available resources.

5:30 – 7 p.m.

NETWORKING RECEPTION

DAY 2 – BUILDING A PRACTICAL MARKETING PLAN

8:30 – 9 a.m.

COFFEE & NETWORKING

9 – 10 a.m.

MARKETING FUNDAMENTALS FOR FOUNDRIES

Towanda Long
Director of Marketing
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company

Focus:

What marketing actually means in a foundry environment
Core elements: positioning, messaging, visibility
What works vs. what doesn’t

10 – 10:30 a.m.

BREAK

10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

CAPACITY IT NOT GROWTH: Four Commercial Decisions Foundries Must Make Before They Market

Jeff Trattner
Consultant