Utica, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) announced today it will host a conference and expo for Mohawk Valley manufacturers, businesses, educators and students to mark National Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 3, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., in the Wildcat Field House on the Utica campus.

Presented by the Center for Global Advanced Manufacturing (CGAM) and sponsored by the Workforce Development Institute, the event will feature internationally respected pollster, opinion leader and best-selling author John Zogby, founder of the “Zogby Poll” and the Zogby companies. His keynote address is entitled “First Globals: Understanding, Managing and Unleashing the Potential of our Millennial Generation.”

“We’re pleased to welcome John Zogby back to campus for this important conference,” said William W. Durgin, SUNY Poly provost. “His focus on intergenerational dynamics will help set the tone for a stimulating exploration of 21^st century advanced manufacturing and its growing vitality.”

“Manufacturing is alive and well, and it’s important for the community to be aware of the tremendous opportunities for careers in exciting, high-tech fields,” said Deborah Tyksinski, associate provost. ”This event serves to raise awareness of manufacturing’s success in our region and showcase successful role models for our students.”

The conference will include a panel presentation for manufacturers to discuss the topics of Environmental Compliance in NYS, Additive Manufacturing, Innovation and Technology Transfer, Industrial Vulnerability and Keeping the Business American Made. A separate panel of recent graduates now working in manufacturing will share their experiences with students in attendance. The event expo will feature interactive displays of products from more than 25 Mohawk Valley manufacturers. Exhibits from area colleges as well as Workforce Development Institute and Working Solutions will also be featured. In conjunction with the conference and expo, a screening of the documentary “Made in America,” presented by the Workforce Investment Board, will take place at 1 p.m. in the Student Center theater. Attendance at the October 3 events is free but advance registration is requested online: http://sunyit.edu/mfgday/registration.

Launched in 2012, CGAM comprises a broad array of academic institutions and industry partners dedicated to the support of innovative, advanced manufacturing in the Mohawk and Mid-Hudson Valleys. CGAM directly supports manufacturers by coordinating education and training of the workforce and by providing incubation, acceleration and technology transfer facilities in both regions, as well as training in areas of high demand for both employers and students.

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About SUNY POLY.  SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany campus, and degrees in technology, professional studies, and the arts and sciences at its Utica/Rome campus. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts more than $20 billion in high-tech investments, over 300 corporate partners, and maintains a statewide footprint. The 1.3 million-square-foot Albany NanoTech megaplex is home to more than 3,100 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, faculty, and staff. The Utica/Rome campus offers a unique high-tech learning environment, providing academic programs in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, with degrees and course offerings in natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. SUNY Poly operates the Smart Cities Technology Innovation Center (SCiTI) at Kiernan Plaza in Albany, the Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing and Technology Development Facility in Rochester, and the Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center (STC) in Canandaigua. SUNY Poly founded and manages the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C) on its Utica campus, and is lead developer of the Marcy Nanocenter site, as well as the Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Complex, Buffalo Information Technologies Innovation and Commercialization Hub, and Medical Innovation and Commercialization Hub. For information visit www.sunycnse.com and www.sunyit.edu.

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Media Contact:

Jerry Gretzinger, VP of Strategic Communications and Public Relations (518) 956-7359 |  ggretzinger@albany.edu