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EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION
MWUG MEMBERS: $125/person NON-MEMBERS: $205/person Sponsorship & Exhibitor Registration |
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HOTEL INFORMATION
If you need overnight sleeping accommodations, please contact the Hyatt Regency O’Hare directly and reference the QAD Midwest User Group conference to secure your room at the discounted conference rate of $189/night (sgl/dbl). Phone: (847) 696-1234 RESERVE YOUR ROOM ONLINE Be sure to make your sleeping room reservation before the cut-off date of March 28th. After that date, rooms in the MWUG block will be released for general sale and may not be available to conference attendees. TRANSPORTATION / PARKING The Hyatt Regency O’Hare is adjacent to Chicago-O’Hare International Airport and is a short 5-10 minute drive from the main terminals. The hotel provides complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport with departures leaving the hotel every 15 minutes (at the top of the hour) and every 30 minutes from 12am – 3am. Reservations are NOT required and space is available on a first-come first served basis. Taxi and ride share services (such as Uber, Lyft) range from $15-20 each way. Discounted parking is available at the hotel for conference attendees who are also registered hotel guests for $20/day (in and out privileges). For additional information on the hotel and available amenities, please visit: www.hyattregencyohare.com QAD PLATINUM TRACK Back by popular demand! QAD's Platinum Track will take place on Monday, April 20th – offering private meetings with the QAD Executive Team. Please contact your account executive for more information. |
5:00pm Vendor Fair Set-Up / Registration Opens
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5:30pm
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PRE-CONFERENCE BONUS SESSION
Ten Tips to Improve MRP Performance (QAD-specific) SCOTT DULECKI - Autokiniton MRP drives the manufacturing process, but is that a Sunday drive through the countryside or a stop-and-go horn-blaring rush hour? There are a number of choices that you make when running MRP that determine whether you’ll be smiling or swearing as MRP runs. In this session, Scott will cover what you can do to reduce the stress and challenge of running MRP. |
8:00 am Registration / Vendor Fair Opens / Buffet Breakfast
9:00 am Welcome & Program Overview / Sponsor Introductions
9:00 am Welcome & Program Overview / Sponsor Introductions
WELCOME KEYNOTE ADDRESS
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10:00am
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Champion AI: Today, Tomorrow & Beyond
RON DAVIS SVP, Product Engineering QAD Redzone Champion AI is live, in production, and already changing how teams work. This session walks through what's available now, what's coming in FY27, and the three things your organization should be doing today to maximize the opportunity. Champion Advantage with QAD Enterprise Transformation in Manufacturing
AMIT SHARMA President, Manufacturing QAD-Redzone Traditional ERP upgrades create high cost, high risk and low perceived value. Amit will discuss a single risk-controlled, sequence to drive performance and operational excellence through Adaptive ERP, powered ChampionAI. The QAD champion Advantage measures first, activates value early, modernizes safely and expands capabilities.
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11:00 am
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Break / Visit the Exhibits
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11:30 am
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BUSINESS PROCESS
Imagine a World Without Physical Inventories TANYA CANNON - Adaptivity How do we eliminate this requirement and improve our inventory accuracy? We will discuss requirements for elimination of physical inventory and proven methods for obtaining world class inventory accuracy as well as how to measure the return on investment. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Welbilt Transforms Production Planning Across Its Brands TAPAS KOLLEY - Welbilt ALEX KIM - 32 Soft When Welbilt upgraded to the latest version of QAD, one critical challenge emerged—the new QAD upgrade functionality didn’t fully align with the unique processes across Welbilt’s diverse brands and manufacturing facilities. To overcome these obstacles, Welbilt partnered with 32 Soft to implement and tailor their Production Planner solution for Welbilt. The Production Planner restored and enhanced planning efficiency—providing real-time visibility, flexibility, and choice. In the future, the Production Planner can be tailored for each brand and facility, enabling each manufacturing site to plan production in its own way. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
REDZONE TRACK
Redzone and Champion AI SPEAKER(s) TBD - QAD-Redzone Redzone’s Champion AI is designed to integrate effortlessly with your existing systems, such as ERP, MES, and CMM —whether proprietary software or third-party platforms. This ensures your AI-powered manufacturing software operates within a fully connected ecosystem, enabling real-time insights, streamlined operations, and faster decision-making across departments, while complementing advanced industrial manufacturing software solutions. |
SPONSOR TRACK
Cyberscience Customer Case Study: Auto Meter Products TOM OLDHAM - Cyberscience ALEC TIPTON | MICHAEL EKSTROM - Autometer Find out how Cyberquery customer Auto Meter Products uses Cyberquery to its fullest! Auto Meter has been using Cyberquery since 2003 and has used Cyberquery for far more than just reports. Cyberquery provides a full BI environment that supports automated distribution, browser-based report access, and self-service report and dashboard creation. Its integrated QAD data dictionary complete with relational mapping reflects extensive hands-on knowledge of QAD across versions, making it especially well suited for QAD users. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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12:30 pm
1:30pm |
LUNCHEON / Vendor Introductions
Break / Visit the Exhibits |
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2:00 pm
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BUSINESS PROCESS
Volume to Rhythm: Building a Sales Order Process for Sustainable Growth DON LINDSEY - 32 Soft Supply chain professionals will learn how to transform sales order entry from a transactional task into a measurable process that drives stability, sustainability, and growth. In this session, Don Lindsey will introduce a practical framework that uses inter-event spacing and statistical process control (SPC) drift bands to detect disruptions, improve cadence, and anticipate issues earlier than traditional RFM/trend methods. This process emphasizes consistency over volume, normalizes performance across accounts, enhances predictability, and strengthens long-term operational resilience. Join Don to explore the science of rhythm in achieving sustainable process performance. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Lessons Learned From Our QAD Upgrade MULI PAZ - Argon Medical Devices This session will discuss our recent process of upgrading our QAD version from 2020EE to Adaptive (latest version). Will include subjects like: 1. Selecting upgrade partner 2. Key technical considerations 3. Planning lookouts 4. Business preparation and readiness 5. Addressing delays and potential ways to keep on track |
REDZONE TRACK
Redzone and Shop-Floor AI SPEAKER(s) TBD Desc |
SPONSOR TRACK
Balancing Master Data Management Quality with Project Time, Budget, and Scope CLIFF OMAN - Logan Consulting Master Data Management (MDM) is often one of the first areas compromised when projects are under pressure to stay on time, on budget, and in scope, yet it is also one of the most critical foundations for long-term system stability and scalability. In this session, Cliff Oman will share real-world experiences and practical recommendations for balancing MDM quality with the competing demands of schedule, cost, and scope. Attendees will learn how to identify which master data decisions must be addressed upfront, where compromises can safely be made, and how to design MDM approaches that support the future-state solution without jeopardizing project delivery. The session will also include an interactive discussion of one or two audience-submitted scenarios, allowing participants to explore how thoughtful MDM decisions can prevent common post-go-live challenges. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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3:00 pm
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Break / Visit the Exhibits
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3:30 pm
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BUSINESS PROCESS
Adaptive by Design: A Guide to Tailoring the QAD User Experience JEFF STEELE - QAD, Inc. The modern workforce expects enterprise software to be as intuitive as a smartphone app. If your ERP feels like a hurdle rather than a tool, adoption drops and data integrity suffers. This session focuses on making QAD work for your people, not the other way around. We begin with an "outside-in" approach, revealing immediate UX tips and tricks that transform how users interact with their daily tasks. From there, we move "under the hood" to explore the QAD Adaptive Platform—the engine that allows you to build, extend, and personalize your environment without compromising the core. Learn how to move beyond standard configurations to create a tailored, high-performance ecosystem that is truly Adaptive by Design. Applicable QAD Version(s): QAD Adaptive |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
What Are AI Assisted Workflows? Workflows on Steroids! ANDREW WEINSTEIN - ISS Group NATHAN GOLDWASSER - Abbott ISS Group has been delivering Approval Routing/Workflow Solutions to the QAD User Community since the mid-90’s. With the ever-increasing use of AI to improve business productivity, ISSG has embarked on incorporating AI technology into our Solutions. Come learn about AI Assisted Workflows, what they are and how they will provide ‘a dose of steroids’ to your process improvement toolkit. As part of the presentation, Nathan Goldwasser, Abbott IT Manager will discuss how Abbott is using ISSG’s Workflow technology for their Purchasing, Inventory Lot Control, Supplier Onboarding, and ACH payment processes. The session will also include a demonstration of the ISSG Workflow technology and a sneak peek at what is coming from ISSG. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
REDZONE TRACK
Redzone Customer Case Study With JelSert SPEAKER(s) TBD Hear first-hand how one QAD user (Jelsert) embraced the benefits of QAD Connected Workforce. |
SPONSOR TRACK
Inventory Management Best Practices: A Practical Playbook for Manufacturers JOSEPH DOYLE - Royal 4 Systems Inventory is more than product on shelves—it’s working capital, customer service, and operational risk. This session presents a practical, end-to-end playbook for improving inventory accuracy, flow, and predictability in manufacturing environments. Attendees will learn why inventory has become a board-level topic, where manufacturers commonly lose control, and which execution control points matter most across planning, purchasing, production, warehousing, and counting. The session highlights proven best practices including KPI scorecards, ABC segmentation, master data discipline, S&OP lite, warehouse execution standards, and cycle counting methods that reduce or eliminate disruptive annual physical inventories. The focus is on real-world execution—what works, what doesn’t, and how to drive measurable improvement in 30–90 days without overcomplicating the effort. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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4:30pm
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Break / Networking
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4:45pm
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BUSINESS PROCESS
Winds of Change: How to Substitute Parts in QAD CARLOS COLMENARES Sungate Solutions Manufacturing is a dynamic environment where change is constant. Effectively managing item changes and substitutions in QAD is critical to minimizing supply chain disruptions, excess inventory, and stockouts. In this presentation, Carlos will review QAD tools and processes—such as Item Master maintenance, Engineering Change Orders (ECOs), Bills of Material (BOMs), and planning controls—that enable manufacturers to implement item changes and substitutions with minimal operational impact. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
First QAD Adaptive Launch on AWS for Automotive Tier 1 Supplier MAYANK PUNDIR - Arista Consulting STEPHEN HUFF - Tenneco Tenneco recently went live with QAD Adaptive and became the first-ever customer on latest QAD version. We will present the overall project summary and other key points: * How to Prepare for QAD Adaptive. * Who can upgrade (EE OR SE). * Advantages of moving to QAD Adaptive. * Lessons learned during the implementation cycle. * How to prepare for post-launch support. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
REDZONE TRACK
Integrations SPEAKER(s) TBD - QAD-Redzone Learn more about the broad range of integration capabilities with QAD-Redzone including: data-laking, API integration, PLC and edge device connectivity to support customers. |
SPONSOR TRACK
Transforming Manufacturing to Reimagine and Re-Engineer Production MIKE BOOKE Strategic Information Group QAD CUSTOMER TBD With the new capabilities of QAD Adaptive, processes and practices must evolve to take advantage of new functionality in AI, reporting, and planning. But these changes can’t and shouldn’t be made lightly. Business Process Reengineering should be used in a methodical transformation exercise to ensure the new processes will support the manufacturer’s strategic needs long term while taking full advantage of what new technologies have to offer. We’ll present a case study on how to Blueprint your process evolution based on your strategic goals and business needs to propel your organization into a successful future. Attendees will be able to justify the time and expense of evolving their processes and show the benefits of leveraging new technologies and functionality that will transform their business. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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6:00 pm
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Dinner Party / Music & Networking - Visit the Exhibits |
7:30 am Vendor Fair Opens / Buffet Breakfast
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8:30 am
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BUSINESS PROCESS
Demystifying AI and Using it Today ANITA YOUNGER Strategic Information Group As manufacturing rapidly evolves, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved from futuristic idea to a driving force for change today. Beyond the buzzwords, AI presents manufacturers with significant opportunities right now. In this session, we'll discuss Machine Learning, Generative AI, and Agentic AI, clarifying their roles and immediate impact on your operations. Discover how other manufacturers are currently leveraging these technologies. Find out how your peers are using AI. Through hands-on examples and practical business cases, we'll demonstrate real-life AI applications and show you how to tap into their potential to advance your enterprise. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
From Hidden Risk to Operational Confidence: A Valmont Success Story MIKE FURGAL - OmegaServe MUKUNDA CAMTY - Valmont Industries Many QAD customers assume their database environment is “healthy” simply because the system is running. In this session, we walk through a real customer case study where a proactive database health check uncovered hidden risks that could have led to unplanned downtime, performance degradation, or recovery gaps. Attendees will learn how small configuration issues, overlooked best practices, and aging assumptions were identified—and how targeted remediation improved system stability, performance, and confidence in day-to-day operations. This presentation focuses on outcomes, lessons learned, and why proactive health checks are becoming a key pillar of operational resilience for on-premise QAD environments. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
TECHNICAL
Simplify and Assure Timely A/R Payments BRUCE LeBEL - ProStar Software The capabilities to make A/R more efficient and to assure timely payments and elimination of bad debt are now available for every version of QAD. Now you can establish systems and procedures to assure payments are made per the agreed contract terms. • Create a configurable payment "backstop" with Assured Remittance • Adopt efficiencies and automations to simplify operations from Sales Order entry through collection • Simplify payments by enabling: Automated payments and customer payment application and more! • Recover ("recoup") the payment processing costs of credit card transactions • Reduce payment processing costs through interchange optimization • Eliminate the breaching of PCI DSS protocols by methods that shield your workstations and server from exposure to sensitive cardholder data. • Avoid expensive projects to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard by receiving PCI DSS compliance as a service Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
SPONSOR TRACK
Prominent Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Significantly Improves Efficiency with Mobile Interface Modernization ANDREW HALL Strategic Mobility Group Join Strategic Mobility Group SMG3 for an inside look at how a screen modernization initiative transformed operations for a manufacturing organization that is utilizing QAD Automated Solutions. In this session, SMG3 shares how our partnership-driven approach led to the development of EmulaTE, a modern GUI solution built in collaboration with StayLinked using the SmartTE platform to enhance functionality in traditional terminal emulation environments. Whether you are in manufacturing, distribution, or looking to modernize your end-user experience, this session offers actionable takeaways and a forward-looking vision for intelligent workflow innovation built on consultation, collaboration, and measurable results. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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9:30 am
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Break / Visit The Exhibits
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10:00 am
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BUSINESS PROCESS
WMS Overview with QAD Adaptive with Live Examples NILAY DASONDI - Arista Consulting
Applicable QAD Version(s): QAD Adaptive |
CUSTOMER SUCCESS
Leveraging Prophix as a QAD Platform to Drive Financial Outcomes BEN CONNEALY Strategic Information Group JIM WARD - Yamamoto Engineering NEIL HUSSEY - Prophix As financial planning, consolidation, and reporting requirements continue to grow in complexity, QAD customers are increasingly looking for modern, scalable platforms to support these critical processes. In this session, Strategic and Prophix will share how the QAD-recommended planning and financial reporting platform helped our customer move beyond legacy tools to achieve greater efficiency, flexibility, and insight. The session will feature a customer case study highlighting why Strategic recommended Prophix, how the implementation experience supported rapid time to value, and how the platform has been configured to support both planning and financial reporting needs. Attendees will gain insight into the measurable business outcomes achieved and how Prophix complements QAD to support more informed decision-making across the finance function. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
BUSINESS PROCESS
Project Velocity: QAD's Migration to AWS BILL BELL - QAD, Inc. QAD has entered into a partnership with AWS and as part of this, all cloud infrastructure will be migrated from IBM + Flexcential to AWS in 2026. This is significant and exciting news for all QAD Customers! There will be many questions around planning and approach, and we will address them for all those in attendance. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
SPONSOR TRACK
Where OpenEdge Data Meets Artificial Intelligence ROY ELLIS - Progress Software Earlier this year, OpenEdge introduced its new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Solutions, bringing practical, developer‑focused AI directly into the OpenEdge ecosystem. These solutions include the MCP (Model Context Protocol) Connector and the MCP Server —together designed to accelerate development and unlock the power of AI across your applications and data. Building on this foundation, Progress Agentic RAG (Retrieval‑Augmented Generation), or PAR, brings everything together. PAR enables LLMs to work across OpenEdge data and additional data sources—such as files on disk—providing richer, more accurate, and context‑aware AI responses. Let us introduce you to AI - before it surprises you! Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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11:00 am
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Break / Visit The Exhibits
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11:15 am
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SPONSOR TRACK
Accelerating QAD Implementations: Reducing Risk and Accelerating Time to Value with YASH Accelerators DEEPAK CHINCHPURE - YASH Technologies Organizations today cannot afford prolonged ERP deployments or execution risk. In this session, YASH Technologies will showcase how purpose-built QAD accelerators — including industry-aligned process models, automated data migration frameworks, and reusable integration and testing assets — help compress implementation timelines by up to 30–40% while improving quality and governance. Attendees will gain strategic insights and practical approaches to drive faster, lower-risk QAD implementations and maximize business value. Applicable QAD Version(s): Any |
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12:30pm
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Closing Luncheon / Conference Wrap-Up / Prize Drawings
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SPEAKERS & SESSIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.