Panel Recap: What We Heard from Manufacturing Leaders

On July 23rd, we joined forces with Industry Video Productions to bring together some of the region’s most respected manufacturing leaders to discuss a critical question: How do legacy companies continue to grow while adapting to modern challenges like global competition, innovation demands, and workforce shortages?

Each panelist offered a unique perspective, but as the conversation unfolded, a powerful theme emerged. Growth in today’s manufacturing world isn’t just about machines or margins. It’s about leadership, culture, and the courage to evolve.

Jacki Grosso – From Global Vision to Local Impact

Jacki Grosso, Chief of Staff and Head of Marketing at Lotte Biologics, opened the discussion with a clear example of bold investment. As part of a strategic expansion from its South Korean parent company, Lotte Biologics acquired the former Bristol Myers Squibb facility in Syracuse and turned it into one of the few U.S.-based antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) manufacturing sites.

Jacki shared that this transition was a calculated risk, but one that’s already paying off. Lotte retained 96 percent of the workforce, avoided downtime, and is now GMP-ready to manufacture next-generation cancer therapeutics. Their bet on Central New York is also helping to reshape the regional biotech ecosystem. “We’ve delivered on everything we promised,” she said, highlighting the importance of community partnerships and long-term vision.

Nate Andrews – Innovation Rooted in Purpose

As President of Morse Manufacturing, Nate Andrews spoke from experience about balancing heritage with progress. Morse, now in its 102nd year, specializes in drum-handling equipment and offers more than 200 distinct products. That diversity wasn’t always the case. Increased global competition forced Morse to shift product development into overdrive and rethink how it innovates.

Nate also reflected on the company’s recent move into a new 120,000-square-foot facility. What started as a capacity issue quickly evolved into a culture transformation. Just months after the move, Morse hired its first female welder. They now have a team of women on the shop floor, something that had never been possible in their former space. “We didn’t even have a women’s locker room before,” Nate shared. “Now we do. And it’s changed who we are.”

Thomas Chartrand – Betting Big on Aseptic Milk

Byrne Dairy’s leap into aseptic milk production came at a critical moment. As COVID loomed, the company had to decide whether to pause or push forward on launching this shelf-stable product. Tom explained that the family-owned business chose to invest for the long haul. Aseptic milk requires sterilized processing environments, entirely new equipment, and trained personnel.

Looking back, Tom said the most important lesson was planning for the unknown. “It always costs more than you think it will,” he said, and stressed the importance of working with the right partners. This mindset helped Byrne Dairy weather the early uncertainty and emerge stronger with a product that has long-term potential.

Michael Frame – Changing the Narrative Around Manufacturing Careers

Michael Frame, Executive Vice President at MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, brought a policy- and education-forward perspective to the conversation, calling out the urgent need to address misconceptions about the manufacturing industry. “The misperception is what — dark, dirty, dangerous — that was the sort of impression of manufacturing,” he said. “Every single one of the manufacturers here, I’ve been to all of the facilities, and... it's anything but that.”

Mike emphasized the critical role of career exploration, especially early in a student’s development. Without firsthand exposure, it’s impossible for young people to see themselves in these careers. “It really starts with career exploration and making sure that we are providing the opportunity for students... to see what modern manufacturing actually looks like.”

He also highlighted the importance of expanding access for populations traditionally underrepresented in the industry. MACNY has launched two key pre-apprenticeship programs: Real Life Rosies, focused on helping women enter manufacturing, and Advanced to Apprenticeship, aimed at creating opportunities for neurodiverse individuals. Both programs offer hands-on exposure and training to support workforce diversification and meet growing talent needs.

Through these initiatives, Mike and his team are working to broaden the pipeline and ensure that modern manufacturing reflects the diversity and innovation of the next generation.

Dave Pollock – Reframing the Gen Z Conversation

Dave Pollock, a recently retired executive who led operations at Feldmeier Equipment and now serves as a Consigliere, challenged the stereotypes often placed on Gen Z workers and instead called for a leadership shift grounded in empathy and adaptability.

“Everybody talks about, how are we going to deal with Gen Z? They're different... the stigmas they have? They're lazy, they are entitled,” Dave said. “And I just think that that is a stigma.” Rather than judging this generation by outdated standards, Dave emphasized the importance of understanding the cultural context in which younger workers were raised.

He encouraged companies to embrace values like work-life balance, goal setting, and ongoing feedback. In contrast to older generations who saw staying employed as its own reward, Gen Z wants to understand the broader purpose of their work, receive regular recognition, and feel like part of a mission-driven team.

“They want direction. They want to be told exactly what to do. They want goals set, and they want to be rewarded for it,” he explained. Leaders, he argued, need to stop resisting these changes and start adapting to them. “It’s going to be their culture, not ours.”

Kevyn Rustici – Bridging the Gap Between Old and New

Kevyn Rustici of Boulter Industrial Contractors rounded out the panel with the perspective of someone new to the company but not new to leading change. With a corporate background, Kevyn joined Boulter just nine months ago and immediately began working to introduce innovation in a company with 133 years of history.

He described the work as a “waltz” between honoring the past and moving the business forward. That mindset reflected the larger conversation — that transformation requires respect for what came before, but also the boldness to try something different.

The Common Thread: Transformation with Intention

Despite the differences in industry and scale, the panelists were united by a shared understanding. Evolving in manufacturing is not about abandoning tradition. It’s about making informed, courageous decisions to build something that lasts.

Whether it was reshoring critical biotech production, redesigning a manufacturing floor to support a more inclusive workforce, or launching new products during a global pandemic, every story pointed to the same truth: growth happens when you lean into change, not away from it.

Workforce development was more than a buzzword. It was a commitment to visibility, opportunity, and action. Innovation wasn’t just about technology. It was about people and the environments they work in.

This panel was more than a discussion. It was a roadmap for where manufacturing is headed — and how legacy companies in Central New York are leading the way.

View the full panel discussion below.