OM DENNE EPISODE
Host: Jason Weber, President, Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) Guest: Melvin "Mel" Mitchell, EHS Director, MI Metals
Episode Summary
Jason sits down with longtime safety pro Melvin Mitchell to preview AEC's upcoming Safety & HR Workshop + Plant Tour—two tightly packed days at the Westin Atlanta Airport, October 28–29. Why combine Safety and HR? Because that's how the real world runs: overlapping responsibilities, shared culture, and one goal—send everyone home safe while building great teams.
You'll hear what's on the agenda (from molten metal and maintenance safety to employment law and recruiting more women and veterans), why the Bonnell Aluminum—Noonan plant tour is a can't-miss (three+ years with no recordable incidents), and exactly why the best ideas often spark on the post-session barstool. Register early—bus seats for the plant tour are limited, and early/group rates sweeten the deal. The event is open to members and non-members, with sponsorships available.
Why Listen
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Get a field-tested map of the two-track program (Safety + HR) and how they connect.
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Learn how culture, behavior, and systems turn safety from posters into performance.
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Steal practical ideas you can apply next shift—not next year.
Program Highlights
Safety Track
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Keynote: Changing mindsets and driving a safety culture transformation (Chris Andrews, EHS Manager, Bonnell Aluminum—Noonan)
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Workshops & Breakouts:
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Cast house & molten metal safety (and why your scrap prep matters)
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Emergency preparedness & first-responder training
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Maintenance tech safety: practical risk reduction
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Human behavior: common pitfalls and proven fixes
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Safety panel: interactive problem-solving with peers
HR Track
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Leadership Keynote: "The Power Position"—shifting cultures and driving results (Emily Nichols-Mitchell, Accelerations Group)
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Sessions:
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Employment law essentials: ICE/I-9, workers' comp, hot-button issues (Philip Russell, Ogletree Deakins)
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Integrating veterans into manufacturing teams (John Buckley, Textron Aviation)
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Reaching women in operations—expanding the talent pipeline
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Future-of-work challenges (Performance Point LLC)
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HR panel: candid Q&A on today's toughest people challenges
Plant Tour
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Bonnell Aluminum — Noonan, GA See the systems, standards, and behaviors behind 3+ years with no recordable incidents—a live look at excellence in action.
Who Should Attend
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Safety leaders, HR pros, operations managers, plant supervisors, and anyone who wears both hats (because… many do).
Key Takeaways
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Safety and HR are two sides of one culture—align them and performance compounds.
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Behavior + systems beat posters and pep talks.
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Peer networking accelerates solutions you can deploy immediately.
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Seeing best-in-class operations in person changes how you lead back home.
Logistics & Registration
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When/Where: October 28–29, Westin Atlanta Airport (not downtown—easy in/out).
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Plant Tour: Wednesday morning; limited coach capacity—register early to secure a seat.
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Pricing: Early-bird and multi-attendee discounts available.
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Open Access: AEC members and non-members welcome.
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Sponsorships: Opportunities available for suppliers and extruders—helps offset costs and boosts visibility.
Pro tip from Mel: Don't leave your hotel to chance—book early. Atlanta traffic doesn't care about your first session.
Register early, bring your team, and claim those tour seats. (And if you're a supplier or extruder, consider a sponsorship—it fuels the content and keeps costs in check.)
https://members.aec.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1970710&group=
