Tracy Gowler is enjoying a successful career deploying her engineering skills to solve a broad variety of challenges.  Tracy drives project management efficiency across a wide section of high-performance bicycle components manufactured by the fast-growing SRAM Corporation. Previously Tracy cut her engineering teeth at Motorola's Mobile Products division contributing to the explosive early days of cell phones. Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: How Tracy carved out a successful career progression as the only female in a male dominated environment at Motorola. Defining and improving the impact of a team lead in managing multidisciplinary product launch teams Deploying Lean process to project management using PDCA - Plan Do Check Act The impact of finding Darcoid during a moment of critical need and building an impactful working relationship for future partnership Happiness and good morale - critical in a high-pressure role Applying engineering and project management principles in a high turnover real estate investment business. Applying an engineer's perspective to solve nutritional health problems - as a side gig How Eureka moments can flourish when you're receptive to new ideas and give yourself time to mull things over. In this episode… In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt sits down with Tracy Gowler, Director Drive Train Team Leadership at SRAM Corporation, to talk about the challenges of launching a broad portfolio of products to meet the evolving needs of a demanding market.  Tracy discusses how developing the optimal mix of engineering principles, transparency, and manufacturing experience can drive success with program management teams spanning multiple continents. Resources Mentioned in this episode Tracy Gowler on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracy-gowler-87109010/ Bill Sharratt on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/billsharratt/ Darcoid https://www.darcoid.com SRAM corporation https://www.sram.com/en/sram Motorola https://www.motorola.com Your Health Made Simple https://yourhealthmadesimple.com  

Graham Sills is the Vice President of Business Development in Asia Pacific at FOX Factory, a global leader in high performance suspension systems for ATVs, mountain bikes, motocross, and off-road vehicles. Prior to working with FOX, he oversaw Supplier Development for KOR Industrial Design and was an Account Manager for IC Star Industrial Co, LTD.  In this episode… Is it possible to create a global brand presence that outperforms the competition? What are some solutions you can execute to build an innovative brand culture?  Graham Sills was entrusted with FOX Factory's premiere brand as the company transitioned the manufacturing of their mountain bike suspension components from the US to Taiwan. He understood the efficacy of intentionally modifying corporate culture to align with a new host country. To accomplish this, Graham set clear expectations, established direct and open communication, and prioritized supply chain development. He encourages other professionals to analyze their designated culture for optimal success.  In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt sits down with Graham Sills, Vice President of Business Development in Asia Pacific at FOX Factory, to discuss building a high-performance bicycle brand. Graham speaks to the benefits of building a factory from the ground up, the importance of adapting to the local culture to drive the best outcomes, and how Taiwan is uniquely positioned as the manufacturing engine supporting the cutting-edge product innovation for FOX Racing Shox's brand.

Steve Barton is the Filtration Market Director at Darcoid, where he has worked for over seventeen years. He also supports Darcoid's sister company, CrestTec, in the role of Sales Engineer. He has thirty years of experience in the manufacturing and process engineering industry and is an expert in product development, evaluation, compliance resolution, problem-solving, and more. Prior to his time with Darcoid, Steve was the President of SB Industries, the Director of Engineering and Technical Sales for A & D Rubber, the Foam Process Engineer for Johnson Controls, and a Project Engineer for Hercules Aerospace. In this episode… How can an engineer understand the application of a product during a seal design project? When the questions seem to be piling up, where can designers turn for answers about the product design? Steve Barton brings his consultative expertise to product engineering to prepare fledgling seal designers for rubber's often surprising dynamic performance characteristics. With a wealth of experience in many aspects of seal design, Steve takes a hands-on approach with the goal that anyone — novice or expert — can release seals for production which meet the specific performance characteristics required of their project.  In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt sits down with Steve Barton, Marketing Director and CrestTec Sales Engineer at Darcoid, to discuss the expertise needed to create a successful seal component. Steve talks about the details of compression molding, working with different elements and materials, and learning from the challenges of creating superior products.

Bruce Balthaser is the National Sales and Distribution Manager for the Engineered Materials Group at Parker Hannifin. He manages a team of five sales managers and 27 field sales specialists spanning North America. He is responsible for stewarding and growing Parker's US network of value-add distribution partners: companies entrusted with the Parker brand. In this episode… How can distributor agreements continue to run smoothly after an acquisition? What can your company do against supply chain scarcity, allocations, and lack of resource availability? Bruce Balthaser understands the hustle and grind of the seal business. Bruce has learned to navigate the waters of supply chain disruptions and has successfully managed acquisition transitions. He knows the power behind staying true to your beliefs and uses candor and goodwill to ensure relationships thrive. In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt sits down with Bruce Balthaser, National Sales and Distribution Manager for the Engineered Materials Group at Parker Hannifin, to discuss cultivating relationships. Bruce talks about the heavy role of distribution in the seal industry, why a strong distribution model is crucial for businesses, and how a little sincerity can go a long way. 

Nandkishore Patel is Director of New Business and Product Development at Darcoid. In this key role, Nand builds on his extensive experience and depth of knowledge in the seal industry and focuses on bringing new-to-market products, capabilities, and materials to its customers as their technical sealing needs evolve. Before moving into his current role, Nand spent the first 17 years of his career at Darcoid building out, developing, and directing Darcoid's industry, leading quality assurance operations. Nand earned his master's in chemical engineering and polymer science at the University of Toledo. In this episode… In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt is joined by Nand Patel, Director of New Business and Product Development at Darcoid, to dive deep into the mission-critical checklist required to de-risk any elastomer resourcing initiative. All rubber is not created equal. Recognizing and deploying the optimal workmanship standards for your specific use case is critical. We talk to the required combination of: expertise in seal materials; manufacturing; and in-house validation capabilities to deliver the quickest, lowest-risk path to relieve your seal supply constraints.

Jeff Davies is enjoying a successful career in design engineering, which includes positions of increasing responsibility at small companies, startups, and Fortune 500 organizations like Korry Electronics, FrontRow, and Agilent. He is now the Design Engineering Manager at CamelBak, a leading manufacturer of hydration products, where he started as an individual contributor. Jeff has amassed considerable experience in aerospace, analytical equipment, acoustics, seals, and injection molded components. In this episode… In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt sits down with Jeff Davies to talk about the challenges of seal design and manufacture. Jeff discusses his design approach and the risks associated with re-sourcing critical components. He also shares the passion of the team at CamelBak, the company's preeminent culture of sustainability, and offers advice to engineers new to seals. Plus, he'll explain how to stand out from the pack when interviewing for open positions.

Craig Rosslee is Technical Director at Lam Research, a semiconductor capital equipment manufacturing company. Lam Research Corporation is an international supplier of some of the most innovative wafer fabrication equipment and services for the semiconductor industry. Prior to his work with Lam Research, Craig was a Senior Process Engineer for Intel Corporation, the Technical Manager/IMEC Assignee for Sokudo Co. LLC., and Etch Senior Project Manager for Applied Materials. He graduated from the University at Buffalo with a degree in chemical engineering and earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In this episode… What can you do to accumulate knowledge and experience in data analysis and chamber matching? When faced with a problem in the semiconductor industry, is it possible to build a better tool and process? Craig Rosslee has some advice for novice engineers beginning in the industry: Get comfortable being uncomfortable and if you're not struggling you're not developing! Today, Craig is here to share his knowledge on delivering and managing complex products to listeners everywhere.  In this episode of Makers of Our Future, Bill Sharratt of Darcoid is joined by Craig Rosslee, Technical Director and team lead for the Syndion GP platform at Lam Research, to discuss what exceptional leadership and engineering actually require. David describes his globe-spanning career in semiconductor lithography and etch tool development and the immense satisfaction from leading a creative cross-functional team. 

Faith Hruska is a Territory Sales Manager with Parker EMG. Faith has already distinguished herself at Cleveland State University, where she is on her way to gaining her degree in mechanical engineering. She was noticed by the Parker Hannifin Corporation for standing out in her class and recently graduated from the company's prestigious Technical Sales Development Program. In this episode… Parker Hannifin is a global Fortune 250 company and recognized leader in the industry. They've developed a powerful program for hiring and developing new graduates into business development team members: the Parker Technical Sales Development Program. But be warned: this is not a simple training course. This course is a year-long series of embeds with manufacturing divisions and Parker partner companies across the country. Faith Hruska, a Territory Sales Manager at Parker EMG, recently graduated from the program — and she's here to share all of her lessons and insights with you.  Join us on this episode of Makers of Our Future, for a rare opportunity to spend time with someone just starting out in her career journey in the seal industry. Bill Sharratt sits down with Faith Hruska, Territory Sales Manager at Parker EMG, to learn how her interests and educational path enabled her to stand out in a competitive selection process. Plus, they discuss how she has thrived in this challenging training environment.

David Setton is Director of Engineering at Lam Research, one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturing equipment companies. He has over 25 years of experience in product design and management. He specializes in complex electro-mechanical equipment and leading multi-disciplinary cross-functional teams for major engineering projects. Prior to his work at Lam Research, David ran his own company, Setton Consulting, and was the Engineering Manager and a Mechanical Engineer for Mattson Technology. In this episode… What are the ingredients to become a great leader and an exceptional engineer? Are you looking for expert tips and enriching inspiration that will guide you through your career-building process? David Setton has some advice for novice engineers and managers beginning in the industry: articulate your ideas thoroughly and in a very concise manner. Knowing your material and doing great work is one important aspect of leadership and engineering, but the other is presenting succinct details about the projects you are working on. Today, David is here to share his encouragement to young engineers and detail the process of creating a successful seal.   In this episode of the Makers of Our Future podcast, Bill Sharratt, of Darcoid, sits down with David Setton, Director of Engineering at Lam Research, to discuss what exceptional leadership and engineering actually require. David talks about his journey into the engineering field, the step-by-step process for manufacturing a silicon wafer, and the material science of seals and semiconductors.

Darron Peddle is the Principal Engineer at WishBone Medical, a company that manufactures pediatric orthopedic products. He is an experienced seal industry veteran engineer with over 20 years of experience in the seal design field. Before joining WishBone, Darron was the Product and Engineering Manager at Parker Hannifin's Engineered Materials Group, and the Senior Engineer at DePuy Synthes Companies.  In this episode… New to seals? Engineered elastomer (rubber) can behave in surprisingly non-intuitive ways. Learn how one expert has achieved mastery using an analytical methods-based approach.  Darron Peddle is a skilled engineer and expert in the seal industry. His carefully-honed design approach has led to many diverse engineering positions and participation in multiple influential design projects. No matter where you are in your career, Darron will educate you on the complexities of working with rubber so you can create a functional design to meet your product performance goals In this episode of Makers of Our Future,Bill Sharratt is joined by Darron Peddle, Principal Engineer at WishBone Medical, to discuss the best design methods for elastomer seals. Darron shares his tips and tricks on designing with rubber, his crucial role in overcoming a hardware design flaw, and his advice to engineers engaging with seals for the first time.