The 2nd annual SAP-Centric EAM conference will provide significant value to delegates through four informative tracks available each day. Thought-provoking content will be delivered by organizations like yours that have successfully implemented SAP Solutions for EAM. Each track will be managed by a chairman who is recognized as an SAP-Centric EAM leader.

Eventure Events would like you to meet our Track Chairs — all of whom are key industry leaders dedicated to the SAP-Centric EAM community. These remarkable individuals come from diverse and highly experienced backgrounds covering a wide range of asset intensive industries. We strongly encourage you to maximize on your networking experience at this year’s conference by reaching out to these well accomplished individuals who can guide you to get the most value from your SAP-Centric EAM community.  

Here are your 2006 SAP-Centric EAM Track Chairs:

Gregg Manley, Kraft Foods
With over 30 years of experience in manufacturing, Gregg Manley has lead many initiatives to drive down operating costs and improve equipment reliability. For over 10 years, his passion for the SAP tool has positioned him as a key support leader for the Kraft Foods implementation plan. His current roles include SAP coordinator, plant maintenance, materials management and safety risk management. A sought after speaker, he has engaged with international conferences and seminars in the United States, Canada, England, Germany and Australia. He is currently the group chair for the ASUG Plant Maintenance Special Interest Group and a member of the Enterprise Asset Management Executive Exchange. Gregg has 5 children and his favorite past time for the last 22 years has been working part time as a bouncer.

Jodie Perry, International Paper
Jodie Perry began his career with International Paper in 1969. Over the years, he has held numerous positions in paper mill maintenance organizations, ranging from craftsman to supervisor. In 1990, Jodie served as a supervisor for the maintenance planning department in a major paper mill. His responsibilities included job/resource planning quality and CMMS integrity/completeness. In 1999, Jodie joined the SAP Plant Maintenance Team to manage large facility PM implementations around the globe. In time, he became the team lead for the group responsible for the implementation and support of SAP plant maintenance. From 2003 - 2005, Jodie served as the first customer champion for the SAP EAM Executive Exchange — which consists of representatives of select companies meeting with SAP EAM leaders for the purpose of understanding and influencing the longer term vision and strategy of SAP EAM product development. Jodie served as steering committee member for the first SAP-Centric-EAM conference. His hobbies include woodworking, metal craft, Harleys, hunting, antiques, and the 5 grandchildren he and his wife dearly enjoy.

Paul Kurchina, KurMeta
Paul Kurchina is considered an SAP visionary and a leader in leveraging SAP and mobile technologies. He has led numerous SAP implementations and has been involved in various leadership roles in America's SAP User Group (ASUG.) Paul has co-authored a book with Ravi Kalakota entitled Mobilizing SAP: Business Processes, ROI and Best Practices. This book focuses on real-world mobilization of business processes and provides analysis of the mobile business landscape. Paul was the lead architect behind the Mobile and RFID program at TransAlta, a global electrical generation and marketing company. Since joining ASUG in 1993, he has held multiple leadership positions in plant maintenance, utilities, production strategies, enterprise portals and enterprise architecture. Paul became actively involved in the SAP world in 1993 through previous positions at Ontario Hydro and PricewaterhouseCoopers where he developed and launched large-scale IT initiatives. Paul lives in Calgary with his wife, two boys and a Portuguese Water Dog Reba. His hobby is applied technology.

John "Monty" Wilson, Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD)
After a career in the United States Air Force, John L. “Monty” Wilson joined Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD) as a distribution system engineering supervisor. In 1998 he was selected to be part of the initial implementation team to install SAP at NPPD. After going live in 1999, he continued to work with the SAP support team at NPPD, working primarily with the Work Management module. Since the initial implementation project at NPPD, he has been involved in two upgrades of the SAP system as well as implementing the SAP to Primavera synchronization project using Impress Software. Monty has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Speed Scientific School, University of Louisville. He is married and has two children.

Efem Yildirim, Nexen, Inc.
Efem Yildirim has been supporting SAP plant maintenance in Nexen's SAP Solution Center since 2001. He has been involved in all of Nexen's implementation projects (Oil and Gas - 2002, Chemicals- 2004 to 2005 and Long Lake/UK- 2005 to 2006). Prior to joining the SAP support team, he worked both domestically and internationally as a production/reservoir engineer. Efem is currently the chair of the Western Canada ASUG Chapter. He has also been coaching women's soccer for the last 10 years. He is currently in his 5th year as president of the Calgary Women's Soccer Association (CWSA.) Efem played soccer for a couple of years at Oklahoma State University, and continues to play and referee the sport.

Bob Hogg, SAP
Bob Hogg is the director of business development for SAP’s Service and Asset Management business unit. Bob has served as both a senior operations manager and a management consultant. He has over 20 years of experience with global companies in the following industries — computer manufacturing, semiconductor equipment, bio-tech manufacturing, mining, aerospace and defense. His experience extends over many fields including the global field service, service parts logistics, service sales & marketing, materials management, process reengineering, and supply chain & project management. Bob’s consulting and operations experience has involved projects in CRM, Service Supply Chain, E-Commerce, BPR, 6-Sigma, and ERP initiatives. Bob lives with his wife and 5 children outside of Austin, Texas and enjoys Lake LBJ and horseback riding.

Michael Ross, Vesta Partners
Michael Ross is a senior consultant for Vesta Partners, LLC in the SAP Operations Group. He has over twenty-five years of experience in computer-based applications for operations support in plant maintenance and materials management (MRO- Maintenance, Repair & Operations.) He is a certified plant maintenance consultant with 10 years of experience in SAP configuration, implementation and support. He has worked in various industries such as utilities (nuclear, co-generation and mass burn incineration) and construction & engineering. As a software consultant for maintenance applications he gained knowledge and experience in the oil/gas, chemical, pulp & paper, defense and automotive industries. Mike was formerly the program chair for the Americas’ SAP Users Group (ASUG) Plant Maintenance Special Interest Group and the Texas-Houston chapter chair. Mike is married and has 4 children (3 girls, 1 boy) and 2 grandchildren (1 boy, 1 girl.) He enjoys spending time at home with his family.