Automotive Parts Suppliers Conference

Juan Carlos Babilonia
Director of Automotive Marketing, Strategy, and Performance Improvement , Arcelormittal N A Automotive

Juan Carlos Babilonia is the Director of Automotive Marketing, Strategy and Performance Improvement at ArcelorMittal North America Automotive, where he leads strategic initiatives that drive innovation, strengthen OEM partnerships and enhance performance across the automotive value chain.

Juan Carlos began his corporate journey in 1992 with Helene Curtis, in Chicago, specializing in inventory management, and later joined Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1997 as part of the property-accounting department. In 1999 he transitioned to ArcelorMittal, where he has since held a series of progressive leadership roles within the Commercial Automotive Group, including Team Manager, Account Manager, Global Account Manager and most recently as Director.

With more than two decades of experience in commercial sales and automotive-OEM engagement, Juan Carlos brings a deep understanding of the automotive landscape. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Business Management from Phoenix University and an MBA from Texas A&M University.

Mark Barrott
Partner, Plante Moran

Bio coming soon.

Austin Biskner
Manager, Management Consulting, Plante Moran

Bio coming soon.

Pat D'Eramo
CEO, Martinrea International

Bio coming soon.

Andrew Fromm
Partner, Brooks Wilkins Sharkey & Turco PLLC

Andrew Fromm is a litigation partner and commercial counselor who specializes in business contracts, litigation, supply chain agreements, negotiations, disputes, warranty and recall litigation, and state and federal compliance issues including NHTSA.  Andrew has successfully represented and counseled clients in a significant number of state and federal lawsuits, arbitrations, and multiple consumer class actions.  Andrew also has extensive experience representing international Fortune 500 corporations, automotive companies, manufacturing companies, and private clients throughout all phases of complex litigation involving product liability, wrongful death, negligence, contract, warranty, indemnity disputes, insurance-coverage disputes, and compliance and regulatory issues involving various state and federal agencies.  Andrew routinely counsels C-suite executives and senior management on contract and commercial strategies to achieve business goals, minimize risk, and resolve disputes. Andrew understands the challenges and objectives of management teams and business professionals. Prior to law school, Andrew worked as a structured-finance analyst for U.S. Bank in Boston, MA.
 
Andrew has been selected for inclusion in the 2023 and 2024 Michigan Super Lawyers and the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers – Rising Stars lists for his work in business litigation, Crain’s Detroit Top Young Rising Attorneys in Michigan 2019, and Hour Detroit Top Lawyers of Michigan – Rising Stars 2021.   Andrew is admitted to practice in Illinois and Michigan.  Prior to joining BWST, Andrew was a litigation associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago, Illinois and a Senior Counsel at Foley & Lardner LLP in Detroit, Michigan.  Andrew also gained five years of formal trial training by the Kirkland Institute of Trial Advocacy.

Todd Gerlach
President, Genesee A&B Inc.

Bio coming soon.

Ganesh Iyer
Head of Mindcan Inc, MINDCAN Inc

Ganesh Iyer joined Martinrea International Inc. as vice president of engineering in December 2015, became the company’s chief information officer in 2018 and then was promoted to chief technology officer in 2020. A few years ago, Ganesh began a digital transformation by leading MiNDCAN, as a way to bring Martinrea’s internal success with software development to external organizations. In his integrated role of product engineering, R&D and IT, Ganesh leads all aspects of the company’s global engineering product development and R&D activities, as well as directs all design, hardware, software, firmware and cybersecurity development and deployment to accelerate Martinrea’s efforts to competitively develop the best-engineered automotive and industrial solutions for its customers.

Ganesh started his professional career at Benteler Automotive where he held various positions in the areas of advanced quality, product engineering, operational excellence, IT and plant operations. His primary focus was on designing quality systems and advanced quality and designing and developing lightweight products to meet customer requirements. He also was instrumental in SAP launches, improving mail systems and in upgrading all infrastructure to the latest technologies.

In 2013, Ganesh joined Dana Corporation as director, purchasing, commercial vehicles where he successfully managed a major resourcing project. Prior to joining Martinrea International Inc., Ganesh also was a general manager at Norma Group where he led the turnaround primarily through improving OEE, employee morale and engagement, which led to a reduced backlog, overtime and on-time delivery.

Ganesh has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems from India and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering from West Virginia University.

Mike Jackson
Executive Director, Strategy and Research, MEMA Original Equipment Suppliers

As OESA’s executive director, strategy and research, Mike Jackson leads the association’s data compilation and analytics, identifies and researches industry trends, produces relevant analysis, and speaks as a subject matter expert regarding economic and related industry trends and analysis. He also leads OESA executive peer group councils and the association’s strategic planning efforts.

Mike has more than 20 years of progressive experience in market forecasting, strategic planning and management consulting. Most recently, he directed the vehicle production forecasting practice in North America at IHS Markit. Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Business, Management Strategy from Eastern Michigan University and a Master of Business Administration in International Business from Wayne State University.

Tony Miller
Senior Manager, GM Vehicle Engineering Center

With more than 25 years of experience in the industry, Tony Miller is a highly skilled professional with a diverse background in manufacturing, product development, finance and cost estimating.

In manufacturing, Tony has demonstrated expertise in optimizing production processes, improving efficiency and ensuring quality standards are met. He launched three new vehicles from cradle to grave and has a proven track record of implementing lean manufacturing principles and driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational performance.

While in product development, he successfully managed the entire product lifecycle, from concept ideation to commercialization, while ensuring alignment with customer needs and market trends. His strong analytical skills and attention to detail have contributed to the successful launch of several vehicles.

Tony has a solid background in finance, with experience in financial analysis, budgeting and cost management. He has a keen understanding of financial metrics and has effectively utilized financial data to drive strategic decision-making, commercial negotiations and improved profitability. With this well-rounded skill set and cross-functional expertise, he possesses the ability to bridge the gap between manufacturing, product development and finance, bringing a holistic perspective to push operational excellence and drive business performance.

Matt Robinet
Senior Analyst, North American Light Vehicle Forecast, S&P Global Mobility

Matt Robinet manages the long-term automotive light vehicle forecast for North America for the Automotive Group at S&P Mobility.

Matt joined S&P Global in November of 2023, but has extensive experience with the S&P Mobility Light Vehicle Production Forecast from previous employers. He started his career with ADAC Automotive in Grand Rapids, MI, working as both a sales analyst and a commercial estimator working primarily with Japanese and European manufacturers. He then moved to Gentex Corporation in Holland, MI, as a corporate forecaster where he worked with the Chinese market. He has experience working with business intelligence platforms and enjoys working with clients to share automotive market insights.

Matt earned his bachelor's degree in Finance and Business Economics from Grand Valley State University  and an Executive Master's degree in Business Administration from Michigan State University.

Benjamin Saltsman
Director, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation, Magna International

Benjamin Saltsman leads Data Analytics, Simulation and IoT department at Magna Corporate R&D. He and his team develop AI-based solutions based on data collected on the shop floor at Magna production divisions to improve quality, productivity and other operational metrics. He works extensively with start-ups and universities across the globe to bring new technologies to automotive reality.

Saltsman has more than 25 years of automotive product and technology development experience. He joined Magna in 2016. Prior to that Saltsman held positions with Ford, Eaton and Dura. Saltsman also holds multiple patents in product design and software algorithms.

Saltsman earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Moscow State Technical University. He additionally holds master’s degrees in Materials Science from Stevens Institute of Technology and System Design & Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He resides in Bloomfield Hills, MI, with his wife, but the house is divided as his two children are attending Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.