Bob Roitblat, CEO of Mainsail Consulting Group, speaking during the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier 119th Annual Meeting. Submitted photo

Featuring a dynamic keynote address, the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier held its 119th Annual Meeting May 2 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Jamestown.

Bob Roitblat, CEO of Mainsail Consulting Group, has combined his experiences in business and as a competitive sailor to draw parallels between winning a yacht race and building a winning business. He has been featured as a TED Talks speaker, and has consulted with and supported enterprises across a broad range of industries including technology, distribution, manufacturing, NGO’s and professional services.

Roitblat talked about the innovation process and its importance for businesses of all types and sizes. Putting a new twist on a common phrase, he said, “If you do the same thing you have always done you will not get the same results. The world is constantly changing, and those results may no longer be possible or desired.”

“Innovation is a process,” he said, “and it is not about ideas, it’s about outcomes.”

He described the key pieces of the process as discovery, ideation and launch, and noted the best outcomes are those that delight and surprise customers, rather than just meet expectations.

Roitblat has more than 30 years experience running companies from all phases of their existence, from start-up to sale. He helps current and emerging leaders develop business skills that are practical, proven, and effective. His passion is to help business owners and executives succeed. He held a workshop with several local manufacturers prior to the MAST Annual Meeting.

MAST Board President Rhonda Johnson noted, “Since 1900, MAST has been devoted to promoting the common interests of our manufacturers as they play a vital role in our economy. We are addressing workforce needs and providing a human resource compliance platform that will be meaningful for a broad variety of businesses.”

Re-elected as board officers for the coming year were Rhonda Johnson of Weber Knapp as president; Eric Livengood of Ulrich Planfiling as senior vice president; John Stahley of Dresser-Rand as vice president; Dale Gier of Producto Corporation treasurer; and John Zabrodsky of Advanced Manufacturing Technology as immediate past president. New board members elected to a first term are Chris Anson of Lakeside Precision; Daniel DeMarte of Jamestown Community College and Anna Dibble of Cummins Inc. Continuing their service on the board are: Kevin Brombacher, M & T Bank; Chase Churchill, Jamestown Electro Plating; Randy Manitta, Hope’s Windows; John Mulryan, Scott Rotary Seals; Chris Napoleon, Napoleon Engineering; and Ricky Turner, Blackstone Advanced Technologies.

Weber Knapp was the major sponsor for the event. Additional sponsors were: M&T Bank, Media One Radio Group, OBSERVER, The Post-Journal, Univera Healthcare Southern Tier, Dahlstrom Roll Form, Insurance Management Company, Insyte Consulting and Jamestown Electro Plating.

The Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier is a pro-active leader, committed to enhancing the economic strength of the region, by acting as a primary resource for information and assisting in the promotion of manufacturing excellence.