Date: Wed, October 14, 2026
Cost: Members - $59, Non-Members - $74, Young Professionals or Students - $25
Location: William Penn Inn, 1017 DeKalb Pike, Gwynedd, PA (215) 699-9272 www.williampenninn.com
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: October 9, 2026 (Friday) No Walk-ins allowed.
Event Times:
4:45 Registration / 5:00 Networking Reception & Cash Bar / 6:15 Dinner / 7:30 Keynote Speech
8:30 Q&A / 8:45 Closing Comments / 9:00 Adjourn
Menu: Chicken Francoise, House Salad (GF), Cheesecake, Rolls, Veggies, Coffee, Tea
Dress is Business Casual. All organizations will have information booths set-up during networking.
Keynote Speaker:
CHRIS MIGNANO
Chris Mignano is Vice President of Manufacturing and Business Development at iRocket. Innovative Rocket Technologies is a company based in New York that focuses on developing rocket engines and a small reusable launch vehicle named Shockwave. The company aims to revolutionize the space industry by creating the world's first fully autonomous and 100% reusable rocket engines.
In his role at iRocket, Mignano’s work includes helping build a secure, scalable, made-in-the-USA supply chain designed to strengthen domestic manufacturing resilience and support U.S. defense and aerospace readiness. This requires close coordination with suppliers, alignment of production schedules, and robust risk management—core supply chain competencies
Chris previously contributed to engineering and innovation initiatives with GE Aerospace and Innoveering.
A graduate of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, Chris earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Chris Mignano’s background blends engineering leadership, advanced manufacturing, and business development, making him well-suited to support and strengthen supply chain management in complex, high-tech industries.
Topic: Building the Future Faster: How Supply Chains Are Being Transformed by Advanced Manufacturing, Digital Twins, AI, and Automation
Modern supply chains are being reshaped by rapid advances in advanced manufacturing, automation, additive manufacturing, AI-enabled engineering, and digitally connected operations. Industries such as aerospace and defense are pushing the boundaries of speed, agility, and resiliency to dramatically compress traditional product development and production timelines.
Organizations are increasingly focused on building secure, resilient, “Made in the USA” supply chains capable of supporting national security, critical infrastructure, and advanced industrial innovation in an increasingly volatile global environment. This session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how emerging aerospace and advanced manufacturing organizations are leveraging Industry 4.0 and emerging Industry 5.0 technologies to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities, improve operational responsiveness, and create more agile and resilient supply chain ecosystems.
Take Aways:
- How additive manufacturing, digital twins, co-botics, AI, and automation are transforming supply chains and manufacturing operations.
- The importance of resilient, secure, “Made in the USA” supply chains in today’s rapidly changing environment.
- The growing convergence of engineering, manufacturing, operations, and supply chain management in Industry 4.0-5.0 environments.
