WAI Operations Summit & Wire Expo | May 22-23, 2012

Omni Dallas Hotel | Dallas, Texas, USA

Speaker Biographies

(Listed alphabetically after the keynote speaker)

Keynote Speaker | Dr. W. Michael Cox

W. Michael Cox is Director of the O’Neil Center for Global Markets and Freedom, a research institute within Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business. An accomplished public speaker, Dr. Cox has an uncanny talent for blending astute economic analysis, independent research and a common-sense communication style. He has been keynote speaker at events hosted by a variety of organizations—including Wells Fargo, Met Life, PepsiCo, Energy Future Holdings, UBS, Gen Re, Orix, and the Dallas Citizens Council.

Dr. Cox may be best-known for celebrating capitalism’s capacity to deliver economic progress and raise living standards. His recent work focuses on the new businesses models arising from the globalization of the labor force and the emerging power of India and China. He’s been examining the policies that foster growth and the challenges facing the U.S. economy as it attempts to pull out of a severe recession. No matter what the subject, his PowerPoint shows are the best in the business.

Dr. Cox is former Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, where he served for 25 years advising the bank’s presidents on monetary and other economic policies. He holds the distinction of being the Federal Reserve System’s only Chief Economist in history. In 2009, Dr. Cox retired from the Fed and became director of the O’Neil Center, which focuses on the study and teaching of how competitive market forces impact freedom and prosperity in the global economy.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Dr. Cox earned his doctorate at Tulane University. His 35 years of college teaching experience include stints at Virginia Tech, the University of Rochester and Southern Methodist University. He is Past President of the Association of Private Enterprise Education, a CATO Institute Adjunct Scholar, Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis, Senior Fellow at the Dallas Fed’s Globalization and Monetary Policy Institute and a Distinguished Scholar of Hendrix College, his undergraduate alma mater. Dr. Cox is also President and CEO of W. Michael Cox and Associates, LLP, a Dallas-based private consulting group.

Dr. Cox is the author of Myths of Rich and Poor, a book nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He’s currently working on a book titled The Imagination Age, which will explore the next phase of America’s economic evolution. In addition to his publications in scholarly journals, he has written a series of 17 “annual report” essays that explain the inner workings of American capitalism. Dr. Cox has written numerous articles for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Financial Times, Investor’s Business Daily, Leadership Excellence magazine and D CEO magazine.

The media rely on Dr. Cox's ability to make plain sense out of difficult economic issues. He is a frequent guest on national radio, television and Internet programs, including Fox News, PBS’ Ideas in Action, ABC’s John Stossel program, CNN, C-SPAN, ReasonTV, Voice of America, and numerous talk-radio programs. He and his works have appeared in virtually every major newspaper and magazine worldwide. Back to top.

Doug Anton

Doug Anton is founder of AEM Consulting Group Inc., Ashland, Oregon, USA, which for 18 years has specialized in assisting companies to improve competitiveness and profitability by applying and integrating proven strategies like ISO 9001 and related quality systems, MRP/ERP, and Lean Enterprise. Prior career experience includes 10 years with two Black & Decker companies in key management roles: quality, production, engineering, and facilities. His B.A. degree is from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and he did his graduate work at Utah State University. He is the co-author of the ISO 9001 Survival Guide and the ISO 9001 Survival Software Templates. As a speaker, Doug injects frequent examples from his years of hands-on manufacturing and operations experience and consulting work with over 100 companies. Back to top.

C. Richard Gordon

C. Richard Gordon is technical service metallurgist at Gerdau Long Steel North America–Beaumont Steel Mill. He has more than30 years’ experience in the steel and wire industries. He previously worked with the National Standard Company managing groups working in the areas of R&D, quality, and process technology for carbon steel and stainless steel wire products. He is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology and holds master’s and B.S. degrees in metallurgical and materials engineering. He serves on the Board of Directors for the ASM International’s Notre Dame Chapter and is also a member of ASTM, TMS, and WAI. Back to top.

Daniel L. Jones

Daniel L. Jones has served as president and chief executive officer of Encore Wire Corp., McKinney, Texas, USA, since 2005. He previously served as president and chief operating officer beginning in 1998. He was named executive vice president in 1997 and chief operating officer later the same year. He previously held the position of vice president-sales and marketing from 1992 to 1997. He had served as director of sales since joining the company in 1989. He is also a member of the Board of Directors.

Jennifer McNelly

Since joining The Manufacturing Institute in 2008, Ms. McNelly has supported their efforts to launch and implement a strategic national agenda on education reform and workforce development, innovation support and services, and research on behalf of U.S. manufacturers. Ms. McNelly is the chief architect of one of the Institute’s flagship reform efforts, the NAM-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System (SCS). The SCS is a set of nationally portable, industry-recognized manufacturing skills certifications now implemented in secondary and post-secondary education courses of study in 35 states. The Manufacturing Institute is the non-profit, non-partisan affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers.

Dr. Horace Pops

Horace Pops is president of Horace Pops Consulting, Inc., Ft. Wayne, Indiana, USA. He previously was director, metals laboratory at Superior Essex in Ft. Wayne. He holds an Sc.D. degree from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.Met.E. degree from Lehigh University, and a B.Met.E. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was president of the Wire Association International from 1992 to 1993. He has received numerous honors from WAI, including its Mordica and Donnellan Memorial Awards as well as 16 paper awards spanning 1976 to 2008. He is the sole or co-holder of 10 patents. Back to top.

Paul Van Houtte

Paul Van Houtte is a professor in the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at the Catholic University of Leuven (KUL), Belgium. He has been with the university since 1975, holding various positions as research associate and assistant until becoming a professor in 1988 and a full professor in 1995. He earned his Ph.D. and M.S. degree in mechanical engineering from KUL. He is a winner of the Bekaert Prize, awarded jointly by the Belgian National Science Foundation and NV Bekaert SA to a Belgian scientist for outstanding achievements in the field of physical metallurgy or the applications of steel. Back to top