Made in America Summit:

Don Bezek, Jr., Director of Global Health and Safety, Griffith Foods

Don Bezek is the Global Director, Health and Safey for Griffith foods, headquartered in Alsip, IL, a position he has held for two years. In this role, Don is responsible for Griffith’s global strategy and approach to the safety and wellbeing of the company’s employees and guests. In keeping with the company’s value of “Act like family”, safety is paramount in everything Griffith does. With over twenty manufacturing locations in over a dozen countries, the key challenges are driving a “culture of caring” and universal standards and policies throughout the globe.

Jeff Owens, Chief Executive Officer, Advanced Technology Services, Inc.

Jeff Owens began his career at Advanced Technology Services, Inc. (ATS) in 1988, rising through the ranks to his current role as Chief Executive Officer and majority shareholder. Under Jeff’s leadership, ATS has been recognized as one of the Fastest Growing Private Companies by Inc. 5000, a U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte and one of America’s Best Mid-Sized Employers by Forbes. Jeff is a graduate of Westminster College; Harvard Business School President’s Program in Leadership and the Bell Leadership Institute, along with being a member of the Young Presidents Organization. 

Lisa Walsh, Vice President, Strategic Platforms, IDEX Corporation

Lisa is a senior global leader with more than 30 years of experience helping teams improve their commercial success across a diverse set of business models and economic conditions.

She joined IDEX in 2009 after a 17-year career at Honeywell. Her IDEX contributions involved commercial sales and marketing roles for four business units (GAST, Optics & Photonics, Pharma, and Warren Rupp) before she accepted her current role as VP, Strategic Platforms in 2020.

Lori Hilson Cioromski, Moderator, President, Essential Water Technologies

Lori has 37 years of experience as an award-winning leader primarily in the chemical distribution industry and advisor for entrepreneurship growth and development. She is the Founder and President of Essential Water Technologies, LLC, a WBE Certified specialty water treatment chemical supplier and strategic small business partner of Ecolab/Nalco. Lori currently serves on the WBDC (Women’s Business Development Center) Advisory Committee and is a Past-President for NAWBO Chicago (National Association of Women Business Owners).

Daniel Kietzer, Director of Sustainability, Rheaply

Daniel has over a decade of experience in circular economy and sustainability, consistently driving impactful projects with visionary companies and organizations worldwide. While he is deeply rooted in advancing reuse and recycling markets, Daniel’s influence and inspiration spans a broad spectrum of intersectional sustainability topics, including social entrepreneurship, urban planning, water preservation, and carbon reduction strategies. Beyond this, Daniel has a keen interest in software platforms, innovative project and product design, and fostering entrepreneurship that leverages waste materials and by-products.