LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL – Scheduled for May 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade in Cleveland, Ohio, the CCAI Women in Finishing FORUM (WiF FORUM) features a variety of industry and professional 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. Registration is now open along with the application process for the Liz Teska Women in Finishing FORUM Scholarship!

In addition to the line up of general session presentations, the 2022 WiF FORUM will include a tour of the finishing operations of a Cleveland area manufacturer, a team building exercise held at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and roundtable discussions addressing topics submitted by attendees. 

“We had an incredible response to the 2021 FORUM with an increase in registrations of nearly 40%,” said Sheila LaMothe, WiF Program Manager. “Feedback was extremely positive. We’ve listened to attendee suggestions and are excited to deliver another outstanding program in Cleveland that will no doubt benefit the women in our industry.” 

2022 FORUM topics and speakers include:

• Social Media: Benefits and Pitfalls – Lindsey Boyle, Sales & Marketing, Belco Industries Inc.;
• Wealth Management: Planning Your Financial Future – George Gerges, Sr. Vice President, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management;
• My Journey to Leadership Panel – Molly Kellogg, President/CEO of Hubbard Hall Inc., Marhya Osheaski, Vice President Sales at IFS Coatings, Kathryn Shaffer, Global Technology Platform Manager, Powder Coatings at PPG, and Anne Goyer, Executive Director of the CCAI;
• Powder Coatings Turn a Greener Shade – Tabitha McLeish, Global Marketing Director, General Industrial Coatings, The Sherwin-Williams Co.; and
• Leading with Emotional Intelligence – Diana Bilimoria, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Organizational Behavior, Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University.

Applications are currently being accepted for the Elizabeth Teska Women in Finishing FORUM Scholarship. The scholarship enables more women to participate in the annual FORUM by covering registration fees and accommodations costs for up to two successful applicants each year. 2021 scholarship recipient Molly Sanchez, Manufacturing Quality Engineer at Fort Recovery Industries, said, “It was uplifting to meet so many women involved in finishing. As a person in a predominately male profession, it was amazing to interact with strong women who deal with similar issues and to learn the tools that they use to navigate their careers. I met so many awesome people and made connections that I am confident will be beneficial in the future. Receiving the Elizabeth Teska scholarship made this all possible and I am grateful for the opportunity.” 

The CCAI Finishing Education Foundation Board of Directors selects scholarship recipients. Both individual applications and nominations are accepted. The deadline to apply is March 31.

For more information and to register for the WiF FORUM, visit https://www.ccaiweb.com/event/WiFForum22.  

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