LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL – Registration is open for the CCAI 2021 Women in Finishing (WiF) FORUM to be held Oct. 4-6, 2021, at the Embassy Suites South Bend, Indiana, at the University of Notre Dame. The FORUM features a variety of professional and personal development sessions along with networking and team building activities and is open to women of all job types, from the finishing line to executive management.

A highlight of the 2021 FORUM will be a tour of the finishing operations of local manufacturer Lippert, which includes powder coating, liquid coating and electrocoat. “We are excited for the women in our industry to come together at this year’s FORUM,” said Sheila LaMothe, WiF Program Manager. “Women in Finishing strives to provide tools for women in our industry to grow and advance their careers. With a phenomenal program in place, every FORUM participant is sure to learn tips and techniques they can implement when they return to the office,” she added.

FORUM presentation topics and speakers include:

• World-Class Operations Driven by a Culture of Caring – Jason Lippert, President & CEO, Lippert;
• Managing Conflict: Turn Fight, Flight or Freeze into Calm, Confident and Productive – Kim Lisiak, Director of Leadership Development, Lippert;
• Creating the Structure for Accountability – Lee Ann Schwope Cochran, Partner, Amphora Consulting;
• Journey to Leadership Panel – Shelley Bausch (Senior VP Global Industrial Coatings, Axalta Coating Systems), Alesha Miller (Assistant General Manager, Lippert), Allison Lee (General Manager & Partner, Coatings Plus), and Michelle Striggow (Senior Finishing Account Manager, Graco);
• Embracing Market and Technology Trends in Industrial Finishing – Shelley Bausch, Senior VP Global Industrial Coatings, Axalta Coating Systems;
• Sales Strategies for Women in Finishing – Leslee Robinson, Sales Representative, Cardinal Paint and Powder; and
• A Feminine Touch in a Masculine World: Why Manufacturing Needs the Healthiest Version of You – Dr. Amber Selking, VP of Leadership and Culture, Lippert.

2021 also marks the debut of the Elizabeth Teska Women in Finishing FORUM Scholarship program. Established to honor the memory of one of WiF’s first official members, the program aims to support women in the industrial finishing and coatings industry by expanding their opportunity to participate in WiF programs. Specifically, the scholarship enables more women to participate in the annual FORUM by covering registration fees and accommodation costs for up to two successful applicants each year. “Liz embodied the spirit of Women in Finishing. It seems only natural to remember our friend through a program that will continue to support the women in our industry,” said LaMothe. The CCAI Finishing Education Foundation Board of Directors will select recipients. Both individual applications and nominations are accepted. The deadline to apply is July 30.

For more information and to register for the WiF FORUM, visit www.womeninfinishing.org/forum.  

For more information and to apply for the Elizabeth Teska Women in Finishing FORUM Scholarship, visit www.ccaiweb.com/WiFForumScholarship.