The video promotes STREAM 2021, the inaugural virtual conference and expo dedicated to manufacturers in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. It opens by celebrating the Carolinas as a hub of innovation across energy, textiles, motorsports, aerospace, and automotive manufacturing, emphasizing the region’s strong local talent pool and supply‑chain advantages, exemplified by Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions’ 90% locally‑sourced supply chain. The narrative explains that STREAM 2021 aims to strengthen upstream and downstream supply chains, reduce lead times, shipping costs, and risk, and foster connections among local suppliers and manufacturers. A lineup of expert speakers—including Doug Yates (Roush Yates Engines), Jennifer Viscagli (Intros), Jonathan Eaton (Grant Thornton), and Mark Vittner (Wells Fargo)—is highlighted, along with a fireside chat featuring regional COOs. The video then provides a step‑by‑step walkthrough of the virtual platform, covering the Conference Hub, Agenda, personal scheduling, meeting requests, Sponsors Hall, exhibitor booths, a gamified points system, and the Resource Center featuring economic development organizations. The presentation concludes with thanks to the founding partners and title sponsor Grant Thornton.
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In a world of endless possibilities, where ideas, skill, and technology come together in the name of innovation to produce the things that enhance our lives, much of this innovation happens right here in the Carolinas. And the Charlotte region is a powerhouse of inventive people, companies, and ideas Serving as a hub for energy, textiles, motorsports, aerospace, and automotive manufacturing.
Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions has about 90% of its supply chain locally headquartered in the Charlotte region. This provides great lead time advantages. It helps us with our resources and people communication. It's been a great asset. The Greater Charlotte region provides a very diverse talent pool for us here. We've been able to source engineers, designers, all the way down to our hands-on mechanics and machinists.
We are leading the charge in many ways, like creating renewable energy solutions, advancing automotive and aerospace safety and technology, and improving medical devices.
Welcome to STREAM 2021, the first annual conference and expo exclusively for manufacturers across the Charlotte region. STREAM 2021, as the name implies, is designed to strengthen your local supply chains upstream and downstream. And because of the major manufacturers who are operating in all pockets of our region, we have an abundance of suppliers with so many capabilities to service multiple sectors, and they have quality products and services that you may be outsourcing out of the state or out of the country. STREAM 2021 will create connections among local companies and shore up supply chains to reduce lead times, shipping costs, risk, and disruption. And you know what? We've got a great lineup of experts in supply chain management who are ready to offer insights on what their companies are doing to innovate and navigate through disruption. Doug Yates, President and CEO with Roush Yates Engines, will address supply and customer adaptation in a virtual world. Jennifer Viscagli, CEO and founder of Intros, she'll speak about supply chain risk management. Jonathan Eaton, the National Supply Chain Practice Leader with Grant Thornton, will talk about supply chain issues that CEOs and corporate directors should care about. And Mark Vittner, Managing Director and Senior Economist with Wells Fargo, will talk about a manufacturing economic update and local policy considerations, to name a few. And of course, you won't want to miss the fireside chat with COOs of manufacturing companies across the Charlotte region.
To make the most of this virtual experience, here are some tips for navigating the conference. Once you've arrived, you can see at the Conference Hub that there are several areas to explore. Starting up top at the Agenda tab, you'll be able to see the full agenda by clicking on Agenda in the dropdown. You can access all of the scheduled speakers here and add sessions to your personal agenda. Click on Schedule a Meeting to request one-on-one meetings with exhibitors and attendees. Click on My Agenda to view the meetings and sessions that have been added to your customized schedule. Next, click on the Sponsors Hall tab to visit the booths of all the great companies that support businesses like yours and made this event possible. STREAM 2021 features an incredible list of speakers scheduled throughout the conference. Speakers are listed on the agenda, and you can join their sessions from the link provided on the agenda at their designated times. Exhibitor booths will be closed during some of the speaker sessions. You can also check out the exhibitors and attendees. From here, you can visit all of our exhibitor booths, as well as find out more about all the attendees of the conference. Remember, if you want to meet with another attendee, that's done in the Agenda tab. For a bit of fun, be sure to visit the Game tab. Throughout the show, you can earn points to win grand prizes, such as regionally manufactured tools and furniture. The Resource Center is made up of the economic development organizations from all 17 counties in the Charlotte region. As well as the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Please stop by to check in with your local EDO or state agency to see how they can assist you and be an additional resource. On behalf of our founding partners, title sponsor Grant Thornton, and all of the other organizations that supported this event, we thank you.
Thank you so much again for being here and enjoy the show.
