CBIZ Manufacturing Forum

David Cremin is the President of Straton Industries. Establish in 1961, Straton Industries is a contract manufacturer supplying to the aircraft, aerospace and semi-conductor markets. Straton employs 95 people in Stratford, CT. Dave Cremin is a journeyman tool & die maker. Dave attended the University of Bridgeport with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management & Industrial Relations. Dave lives in Monroe, Connecticut with his wife Tonya, and two teenage children.

Dr. Jacquelynn (Jackie) Garofano is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT), joining the executive team in 2021 after nearly a decade-long career at RTX. She has played a pivotal role in securing more than $20 million in federally funded programs for the State, leading several federal programs funded by various U.S. Departments in collaboration with national labs, consortiums, universities, and global corporations.

Brittany M. Isherwood is the President and CEO of Burke Aerospace, headquartered in Farmington, CT, with a facility in Greenville, SC. Burke Aerospace, with over 60 years of experience, is a leading provider of Electric Discharge Machining and Milling services to the Aerospace, Industrial Gas Turbine, and Defense industries, and is advancing innovative technologies like additive manufacturing and machine learning.

Molly Kellogg is the Chairman, CEO, and President of Hubbard-Hall Inc.. After receiving her MBA from INSEAD in 1993, Molly spent 20 years running the company’s Wilmington, MA division, including eight years as Executive VP responsible for corporate strategy, before becoming President & CEO in 2014 and Chairman in 2019. Molly also serves on a regional Board of the Alliance for Chemical Distributors and other association boards.

Paul S. Lavoie was appointed by Governor Ned Lamont as the Chief Manufacturing Officer for Connecticut in February 2022, a role created to coordinate efforts between the state and private sector to expand manufacturing in Connecticut. With extensive industry experience, Paul most recently served as General Manager at Carey Manufacturing in Cromwell, CT, renowned for reshoring jobs from China to Connecticut.

As President and CEO, Marietta is responsible for executive oversight of all financial matters, operations, engineering, management, and production at The Lee Company.
Marietta started working at The Lee Company in 2001 as a Facilities Manager. Since then, she has held numerous roles including: Vice President of the Restrictor Group; Vice President of the Industrial Microhydraulics Group; Executive Vice President; Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary before moving into her current role.

Nicole Russo is the Owner, President, and CEO of Microboard Processing, Inc., a premier high-tech Electronic Manufacturing Services firm in New Haven County, Connecticut. Under her 20-year leadership, Microboard has become globally recognized and sought after by the U.S. Military and Fortune 500 companies for its advanced manufacturing capabilities. Nicole was named a Connecticut Woman of Innovation in 2015 and inducted into The American Manufacturing Hall of Fame as a Woman of Distinction in 2024, with Microboard also receiving the Hall of Fame award in 2019.

Jonathan Ulbrich is the 4th generation of ownership at Ulbrich Stainless Steels and Special Metals, headquartered in North Haven, CT. Since joining the family business in 2007, he’s worked his way through all aspects of the organization, from summer jobs in operations to sales to executive management. Effective 1/1/25, Jon assumed the title of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding his father, Chris, who is now Ulbrich’s full time Chairman.

Jeff White leads Robinson+Cole’s Manufacturing Industry team, recognized as one of the nation’s top manufacturing law practices. He serves as outside general counsel for several privately held manufacturers in the United States and globally, including family-owned businesses and many industrial B2B suppliers. With deep experience in the aerospace and defense industry, Jeff is sought after by both buyers and sellers for significant transactions.