Category Archives: FEF

FEF Alumni Shares Her Experiences in Metalcasting

By Bernard & Company Tags: fef, metalcasting, success story No Comments

Emily Shedlarski, a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, discussed her interest in metalcasting, involvement with FEF, career path and the importance of participating in FEF

On her first day of class at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Shedlarski was given the choice of either writing a paper or working in the foundry as punishment for disrupting class. Although she didn’t know what a foundry was, Emily quickly fell in love with it, especially after seeing her first metal pour. She went on to graduate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, with a degree in Materials Engineering and later, a Masters in Information Engineering Management.

Emily’s involvement with FEF started during her sophomore year, thanks to FEF Key Professor Charlie Monroe. She went on to participate in casting competitions, toured foundries and steel mills. Needing to pay her living expenses, Emily started working at steel mills in Birmingham, while also working on the on-campus foundry with Dr. Robin Foley. Emily received several FEF scholarships that helped her pay for summer classes. After attending an FEF College Industry Conference (CIC) in 2013, she knew that she couldn’t see herself working in the steel industry anymore. Emily commented, “FEF activities really helped me develop a strong baseline, so when I started to look for a job in the competitive market it was easy for me to get my first job as a foundry manufacturing engineer.”

Shedlarski’s career in metal casting started with the help of Dr. Berry Andrews. He helped her find her first job at Nucor Steel in Birmingham, Alabama as a Metallurgical Engineer. She started in the melt department, working in the laboratory, then moved over to the QA lab. When moving to the company’s Memphis, Tennessee plant, Emily worked in claims with an SEM and destructive testing/analysis.

Upon graduation with her bachelors, she joined Hubbell Power Systems in Leeds, Alabama as a foundry Manufacturing Engineer. Working there for 3.5 years, she was the Project Manager for a multi-million dollar foundry replacement project. This project gave her the opportunity to expand her skill set, since she worked closely with the lawyers of the company to develop the quotation and legal contractual agreements between companies, international shipping, safety and corporate finances. She was also the Project Manager for smaller projects such as: rebuilding core machines, crucible furnaces and an antiqued sand/metallurgical lab.

Her next career move took her to Mueller Water Products in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she worked as a Process Engineer. In her role, Emily worked with different departments to engineer solutions for production concerns and other objectives that were negatively impacting the process and the bottom line. While there, she was promoted to Project Engineer and she managed a metal recovery project that recovered over a million pounds of iron in 7 months. Another project, worth approximately one million dollars, involved Shedlarski replacing the furnace controls in a customer’s plant. Lastly, she acted as a technical liaison, going to different facilities to troubleshoot problems and managed cost savings projects to achieve corporate objectives.

In November of 2019, Emily presented at CIC, where the CEO of Simpson Technologies Corporation saw her and offered her a position as Regional Account Manager for the Southeast. The company is based in Aurora, Illinois and Shedlarski lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She does marketing, account management, makes sure the customers get the parts they need and helps them with updates to their machines. She’s also heavily involved in growing the customer base and increasing sales. In the next six months, Emily will make the transition to Product Manager. This means she will be responsible for all US customers, as well as international ones.

Besides being on the FEF board, Emily is a member of the Fund Enhancement Committee, helping to organize the FEF Fitness Challenge. The challenge involved FEF students, alumni and friends forming teams and raising funds by logging in miles. Prizes included cast iron skillets and socks. She is passionate about this, believing it is important to continue to fund FEF schools and help students who don’t have the financial means to complete their degree. Regarding student engagement, Emily is involved in student chapters and frequently drops by FEF schools. In addition, she gives presentations as requested by different schools.

When discussing student involvement with FEF, Shedlarski pointed out that FEF program accreditation carries a lot of weight in the industry and these programs supply students with basic skill sets that allow them to grow in their career. The biggest benefit Emily got from FEF was attending CIC because it changed her life. She credits it with students making friends with others who share their passion and becoming a big family. “They have the opportunity to see how invested the industry is in the future, which really is the students.” Furthermore, she mentioned the endless possibilities that metal casting offers people from various backgrounds. That’s why it’s imperative for students to become involved and meet people who are going to lead the industry.

Emily concluded, “Arguably, FEF has done more for me than I could ever imagine. Even to this day, I am so grateful for it because I have a job I love in an industry I’m passionate about and I’m surrounded now by lifelong friends.”

For more information, please contact:

Brian Lewis
Executive Director
Foundry Educational Foundation
Office: (847) 490-9200
brian@fefinc.com
www.fefinc.org

FEF is Getting Ready for the Virtual Fitness Challenge

By Bernard & Company Tags: company news, fef, metalcasting No Comments

The Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) is preparing an exciting event for its students, alumni and interested parties. The FEF Alumni/Ambassador Committee will host the first annual Virtual Fitness Challenge from April 1 to April 15. Participants can sign up as a team (maximum number of 6) representing a company, a college or just a group of friends. All FEF alumni, current students, professors, friends and friends of friends are welcome. The goal of each team is 300 miles, whether it is running, walking, rowing, biking, swimming, even walking on the foundry floor.

The cost is $34 per person and $8 for current students. All funds raised will go to the FEF student scholarship fund, ensuring ongoing support for all students. All who participate will receive a medal. First and second place prizes will be awarded to the team with the most miles. First place prizes will also go to the individual with the most miles and the team that raises the most funds.

This is a great opportunity not only to help FEF students but also to enjoy some friendly competition, engage in fitness activities and earn a participation medal.

To register please go to https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Schaumburg/FEFFitnessChallenge

If you wish to donate but not participate, please click here https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/IL/Schaumburg/FEFFitnessChallenge

If you would like to purchase a T-shirt, click https://www.feffitnesschallenge.com/

For more information, please contact:

Brian Lewis
Executive Director
Foundry Educational Foundation
Phone: (847) 490-9200
brian@fefinc.org
www.fefinc.org

FEF Partners with Entrepreneurial Pitch Competition to Showcase the Metalcasting Industry to High School Students

By Bernard & Company Tags: company news, fef, metalcasting No Comments

The Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) is proud to announce its partnership with the Blue Ocean Student Pitch Competition. This alliance will provide an opportunity for high school students who are interested in entrepreneurship to learn more about metalcasting by creating a pitch that focuses on foundry challenges in the 21^st century.

High school students will create a video pitch (up to five minutes) that defines a unique solution to a problem facing the metalcasting industry or describes a new idea to improve productivity, quality or the safety of a foundry. Participation in this competition is a great way for students to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit, develop relationships with leaders in the manufacturing industry, and add to their college applications.

Brian Lewis, Executive Director of FEF stated “this effort by FEF to promote the industry at the high school level will encourage more students to consider educational opportunities that culminate in a career in metalcasting.” Pitches will be judged by professionals in the metalcasting industry and the winner will receive a $1000 prize from FEF.

Ted Dacko, CEO, Arbor Dakota and Executive Director of the competition said “We are pleased to partner with FEF. Having high school students pitch ideas in metalcasting will create new, exciting and Blue Ocean ideas that can trigger critical improvements in the industry.”

The competition will begin accepting video pitches in the first week of December. Individual pitches can be submitted, or students can form teams of five or less. Resources are available from the Blue Ocean Competition about Blue Ocean concepts and how to pitch. Additional details about the competition, including free registration, can be found at https://blueoceancompetition.org . The winner will be announced on April 21, 2021.