Speakers

Bryan Cranfield is General Manager at Total’s Port Arthur Refinery platform.  He has almost 30 years of global experience in refining, base chemicals, and polymer production, with three tours in Belgium and one in Qatar and four different locations in Texas.  He specializes in manufacturing, safety, operational excellence and joint venture leadership.  Bryan holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma.

Dr. Kenneth Evans is the current President of Lamar University. He holds several degrees including a Master's in Business Administration and a Ph. D. in  Marketing. He has held a variety of teaching, research, and administration positions at Arizona State University, the University of Colorado and California State University, Sacramento. Prior to his academic career Dr. Evans worked as a consultant and marketing representative for several companies in California.

Wes Munlin Is the is the Lead Manufacturing Innovation Engineer for Bell Helicopter. Wes holds a Bachelor of Science from Lamar University and is a certified Textron Six Sigma Grenn Belt At Bell he guides a multi-disciplined team that develops manufacturing strategies for Bell well into the future. Prior to working at Bell, Wes had the position of Operations Manager at Hampson Industries. Early on in his career he held several positions in Vought Aircraft for 20 years.

Dr. James Marquart is Lamar University's Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs. He holds several degrees including a PhD. in Sociology and a Bachelor's in Law Enforcement Administration as well as being one of the nation's leading experts in on prison systems. Prior to working at Lamar University, Dr. Marquart served in various administration and teaching positions at the University of Texas-Dallas, Sam Houston State University, and Mississippi State University. He has also worked as a correctional officer and sergeant for the Texas Department of Corrections and as a correctional officer for the Mississippi State Penitentiary.

Dr. James Curry is an Associate Professor in Industrial Engineering at Lamar University. His research areas are Supply Chain Management, Optimization, Software Development, and Natural Language Generation.  Prior to joining Lamar, he worked in logistics, supply chain consulting and government.  Dr. Curry is interested in employment trends and the role of Industrial Engineers within the workforce. 

Dr. Grace is the President of H. S. Grace & Company, Inc. His firm provides specialized financial and organizational services to companies, assists in commercial litigation, and advises on issues of corporate governance, oversight, and control. He was the National Chairman of Financial Executives International from 2003-2004. At Lamar University Dr Grace is a Distinguished Alumnus and serves on the Board of Advisors of Engineering and Business schools. He holds a Bachelor's in Industrial Engineering from Lamar University, a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Houston.