From Conference Handshake to Ten-Year Relationship
Overview
Conferences give you more than the sessions on the agenda, if you know how to work them. In this discussion, William shares how to build lasting relationships with likeminded people, starting with the one question he asks that almost always gets a conversation going. He'll share real examples of connections from AME events that grew into relationships worth keeping. You'll learn how to borrow hard-won perspective from experienced practitioners, why leading volunteers builds skills your job won't, and how to treat the vendor floor as a free look at what technology can do for you. Come for the sessions. Leave with a network.
This is the first of a series of four conversations with conference speakers facilitated by Oscar Roche.
Host Company
Presenter
By day, William Harvey is Strategic Initiatives Program Manager at a Cincinnati, Ohio-based specialty chemical manufacturer.
He also serves as Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Cincinnati, where he teaches supervision and financial information for managers. His doctoral dissertation examined how organizations start and sustain continuous improvement practices, specifically Toyota Kata.
Before his manufacturing career, William served four years of active duty in the United States Marine Corps. William is AME Milwaukee’s 2026 Conference Chair and multi-year volunteer leader within the Association for Manufacturing Excellence.
Agenda
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Central time
3 p.m. Introduction.
3:02 p.m. Conversation (with audience questions).
3:25 p.m. Further audience questions?
3:28 p.m. Wrap up.
PARTICIPANT BENEFITS
- A single, field-tested question that starts conversations with strangers at any conference and rarely fails.
- A repeatable approach for turning conference introductions into relationships that pay off years later, with real examples from AME events.
- Ways to borrow perspective from experienced practitioners instead of solving every problem from scratch.
- How volunteer leadership builds skills your day job won't, from facilitation to influence without authority.
- A smarter way to work vendor stands: treating them as free technology reconnaissance rather than sales pitches to dodge.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This session is for anyone who leaves conferences with a stack of business cards and no follow-up. It's built for AME members, leaders of people and continuous improvement professionals who want more from the events they already attend: continuous improvement practitioners, plant and operations leaders, quality and CI managers, and anyone early in their career trying to build a network from scratch. It's equally useful for seasoned attendees who sit through sessions but skip the hallway conversations, the volunteer roles, and the vendor floor where much of the real value lives. If you've ever wondered whether the travel and registration were worth it, this session shows you how to make sure they are.
Safety Requirements
OTHER REGISTRATION INFORMATION
We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone to fully participate and engage. Please email events@ame.org if you have any questions.
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Cancelation Policy: This event may be canceled by AME for any reason. AME is not responsible for incidental costs incurred by registrants. For paid events, registration fee less a $20 administration fee will be refunded up to one week before the event. Substitutions may be made up to three days prior to the start of the event.
