Managing Director of Velan India and Incoming Chair of IVAMA Association
Ramesh Babu is the Managing Director of Velan Valves India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of the Montreal-based Velan Inc, specializing in the manufacturing of industrial valves. With over 30 years of experience in manufacturing and operations.
He has held significant roles in companies like TVS Motors and Sanmar Engineering Corporation before joining Velan in 2011.
Ramesh's leadership has earned him accolades, including the DJ Corporate Leader of the
Year 2023 award from the Coimbatore Management Association. His commitment to employee engagement and continuous improvement reflects his belief in the importance of lifting others to achieve collective success.
80/20 Expert, Strategex
Marc has 30+ years of experience in 80/20 execution and leadership. He has held a range of professional roles, from General Manager to Group President. Early in his career, he gained experience in manufacturing, engineering, sales
& marketing. Marc joined Illinois Tool Works (ITW) through acquisition and became one of the early adopters of the 80/20 process.
Over the next 25 years, Marc assumed increasing responsibilities, culminating in his roles as General Manager, VP/GM, and Group President. At his pinnacle at ITW, he was responsible for ten business units with
over $330 million in revenue on four continents. His experience includes applying 80/20 principles to a variety of business models from standard products to custom-engineered solutions. Additionally, Marc has considerable experience
in acquisitions and divestitures.
His last position at ITW was the 80/20 Director for the Food Equipment Group (a $2 billion segment). In this role, he significantly improved operating income, grew revenue, and reduced working capital requirements.
Marc retired from ITW in 2014 and joined Strategex as an 80/20 Expert.
Senior Research Analyst and Associate Director of Research, Robert W. Baird and Company
Michael Halloran is Baird’s senior research analyst covering Flow & Motion Solutions as well as an Associate Director of Research. Prior to joining Baird in 2004, Mike worked for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin and the Frank J. Remington Center. In 2014, he was ranked by StarMine as the No. 1 earnings estimator in Electrical Equipment. In 2013, he was ranked by StarMine both as the No. 2 earnings estimator in Electrical Equipment and the No. 3 earnings estimator in Machinery. In 2012, he was ranked by StarMine as the No. 1 earnings estimator in Electrical Equipment. He received a BS in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MBA in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Partner, Kelley Drye
In addition to serving as VMA’s General Counsel, Eric McClafferty’s practice at Kelley Drye focuses on counseling, compliance programs, internal investigations and enforcement matters related to economic sanctions and denied parties,
export controls, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), customs, antidumping and countervailing duties, and reviews and investigations before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
Eric has advised hundreds of large and small companies (and their foreign subsidiaries and joint ventures) on establishing compliance programs that reduce the risk of potential violations connected to U.S. sanctions.
He also advises on export licensing and classification; and guides clients through export enforcement investigations and penalty negotiations related to exports of military, dual-use and nuclear items.
Research Leader, Industrial Products and Construction, Deloitte Research Center for Energy & Industrials
John Morehouse is the Senior Research lead for manufacturing at the Deloitte Research Center for Energy & Industrials. He has over 25 years of experience in manufacturing-related roles in industry, academia, and government.
Prior to joining Deloitte, John led the Manufacturing Team at the Georgia Center of Innovation. At the Center, he consulted with hundreds of manufacturers to help them innovate their products, processes, and workforce
by assessing their challenges and then facilitating partnerships with the right resources in Georgia’s manufacturing ecosystem to create solutions.
James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics | Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies
Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D., is the James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics at the Baker Institute and the senior director of the Center for Energy Studies. He is also the director of the Masters of Energy Economics program, and holds adjunct professor appointments in the Department of Economics and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University.
He has testified multiple times on Capitol Hill on U.S. energy exports and electricity market evolution, has spoken at OPEC, and is frequently asked to speak about global and domestic energy issues. In addition to numerous awards received throughout his career, Medlock has served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy and the California Energy Commission in their respective energy modeling efforts. Medlock received his Ph.D. in economics from Rice University in May 2000.
Founder, Inside Beltway
Omar S. Nashashibi is the Founder of Inside Beltway, a nonpartisan lobbying and strategic consulting firm in Washington, D.C. Having worked in the nation’s capital for over twenty-five years, Mr. Nashashibi provides strategic consulting services to companies while also lobbying the White House and Congress on behalf of manufacturing, associations, emerging technology firms, nonprofits, and other sectors. He works with policymakers on trade, taxes, environmental and workplace regulations, supply chains, job training and identifying grants and funding to support projects. Having started his career in Washington D.C. in 1995, Mr. Nashashibi worked for the Office of Management and Budget, a branch of the White House, a large multi-state law firm, and founded a previous lobbying firm in 2005. He graduated from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he studied Political Science and International Affairs.
Principal Advisor of Strategy and Performance, Rio Tinto Kennecott
Mackenzie is the Principal Advisor of Strategy and Performance for Kennecott. She joined Rio in 2015 as a contractor working with the geologic mapping and modeling group, and has held positions at the concentrator, labs, and mine. Most recently she was the Senior Mineralogist for Kennecott, where she was able to dive deeper in the metals end of the business.
President, Spears & Associates
John Spears has 40 years of experience conducting market research on products and services used in the drilling, completion, production and pipeline sectors of the global petroleum industry for clients including oilfield service firms, operators, and financial institutions. He is the director of the firm's forecasting activities, author of the Drilling and Production Outlook and several of the firm’s market segment reports, and co-host of the firm’s weekly podcast, The Drilldown.
Managing Director - ECommerce, ValveMan
Gil Welsford Jr. is a driven and thoughtful entrepreneur who is guiding the 3rd generation family-owned business, Welsford Co., into the digital age with ValveMan.com. As Managing Director, Gil has taken a business with over
60 years of history and applied a fresh approach, embracing technology and e-commerce to expand its reach. Just as his grandfather and father did- his focus is on building long-lasting relationships with suppliers as well as
customers and ensuring ValveMan continues to serve as a reliable partner for customers across industries. Gil is committed to growing the legacy his grandfather set out while bringing a forward-thinking perspective to the valve
sector.
Valve Manufacturers Association
209 Madison Street, Ste. 303
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 202.331.8105
Fax: 202.296.0378