More Information About Our Keynote Speakers and Guests:

Dr. Bert Erdel

Dr. Bert P. Erdel is the Executive Technology Advisor for Morris Group, Inc. He holds a master's degree in mechanical engineering and economics and a Ph.D. in engineering. Dr. Erdel held key positions at two world-class machine tool and tooling companies in Germany for twenty-three years before moving to the U.S.

At Scharmann, a German machine tool manufacturer of horizontal machining centers and boring mills used widely by aerospace and automotive manufacturers, Dr. Erdel was Chief Executive Officer of U.S. operations. He later served as Chief Executive Officer of MAPAL, a leading German manufacturer of precision reaming, fine boring, and PCD tools for the automotive and transportation industries.

More recently, Dr. Erdel held the positions of Aerospace Technology Advisor for DMG and Group President of Ingersoll Cutting Tools. His areas of expertise include advanced manufacturing, high-performance machining, innovative marketing systems, and management strategies. Dr. Erdel is a guest lecturer at universities nationwide and a frequent presenter at manufacturing- related conventions and conferences.

Dr. Erdel is the author of several industry texts, including High Speed Machining and New Dimensions in Manufacturing. He is a frequent contributor to technical publications and has written many scholarly works. Dr. Erdel is a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Larry Schwartz

Larry Schwartz is President and Chief Operating Officer of Okuma America Corporation, the US-based affiliate of Okuma Corporation Japan, a world leader in the development of computer numeric controls (CNC) and machine tool technology, founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan. Larry has been with Okuma for 14 years, working in manufacturing, sales, marketing, and executive management before taking his current position in 2005.

Working in the manufacturing arena for over 40 years, Larry’s passion to provide comprehensive solutions to the industry stems from his broad experience. Starting in his teens as an engineering aid and working his way up to vice president of operations at his first employer, Larry successfully converted the manual shop into an NC/CNC facility. After this, he continued to expand his expertise in the manufacturing industry, as both a customer and also in the distribution, sales, service, and manufacture of machine tools.

Larry is truly an individual who understands the challenges and demands of manufacturing in today’s increasingly competitive global market and is always looking for ways that Okuma and its partners can help their customers be more profitable. He was instrumental in the development of the THINC-OSP control, and was the driving force behind the creation of Partners in THINC and the Okuma Technical Centers in Chicago and Houston.

As president and COO of Okuma America Corporation, Larry is a member of The Society of Manufacturing Engineering (SME), The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), The American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) and serves on the imX executive committee.

Richard Childress

Richard Childress is the CEO of Richard Childress Racing. 2009 marks his 40th anniserary as a team owner in NASCAR’S top division. In 2008, all three Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams (Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick) made the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the second consecutive year.

Childress got started in the business by purchasing his first race car, a 1937 Plymouth, for $20 at age 17. He was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver from 1969 to 1981, recording six top-five and 76 top-10 finishes in 285 starts. The Richard Childress Team’s first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory came in 1983 with Ricky Rudd at Riverside (Calif.) International Speedway.

RCR was a one-team shop (No. 3 team) from 1969-1994. A NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program (No. 3) was added in 1995 and a second Sprint Cup Series team (No. 31) was added for the 1997 season. A two-team NASCAR Nationwide Series program (Nos. 2 and 21) was started for the 2000 season and the Truck Series team ceased operation. A third Sprint Cup Series team (former No. 30, now No. 07) was started in 2001 to run a part-time schedule and became a full-time program in 2002. A third Nationwide Series team (No. 29) was added in 2006 to run a partial schedule with Jeff Burton and became a full-time program in 2007. A fourth full-time Sprint Cup Series team (No. 33) was added for the 2009 season.

A humanitatiran as well, Childress was the recipient of the 2008 Home Depot Humanitarian of the Year Award for his role in establishing the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Childress currently resides in Clemmons, North Carolina.

Jeff Burton

2009 marks Burton’s 16th full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 511 starts, 21 wins, six poles, 117 top-five and 212 top-10 finishes. He raced to his third consecutive Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2008, finishing the season sixth in the championship point standings.

Burton recorded victories at Bristol in March and Charlotte in October 2008, his first multiple win season since 2001, along with seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes. He was named 2007 Person of the Year by NASCAR Illustrated.

Prior to joining the Sprint Cup Series Burton accumulated 27 wins, 11 poles, 88 top-five and 143 top-10 finishes in his 293 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts and helped capture the 2007 championship trophy where he co-piloted the No. 29 Chevrolet to RCR’s third owner’s title.

Burton is involved with Duke Children’s Hospital in Raleigh, N.C., where wife Kim sat on the Board of Directors. He is a huge fan of Duke Basketball.