Upper Midwest (Minnesota) EMS Leadership Roundtable
Connected or Complicated? Digital, Automation, and the Future of Supply Chain Resilience
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
CRAVE Food & Drink (Wine Room)
8251 Flying Cloud Dr., Suite 3010
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Hosted by the Global Electronics Association in partnership with DigiKey
Complimentary Registration | Reception and Dinner Included
Common Challenges. Candid Conversations. Practical Ideas.
Join EMS executives and senior leaders from across the Upper Midwest and beyond for candid peer discussion, relevant industry insight, and practical ideas.
This year’s conversation will center on a fundamental question: Are digital tools and automation making the electronics supply chain more connected and resilient—or simply more complicated? We will explore where stronger connections among customers, EMS companies, distributors, and suppliers can create meaningful value, and where additional technologies, systems, and automation may introduce more complexity than benefit. At the center of the discussion will be enabling the next generation of digital business by connecting customers more effectively with their manufacturing, distribution, and supply partners.
The informal reception and dinner will give participants an opportunity to build relationships, compare perspectives, and candidly discuss the issues they are confronting across their businesses. Global Electronics Association membership is not required, and companies are welcome to register more than one senior leader.
We will begin by sharing unique EMS industry demographics, financial data, and market information relevant to EMS leaders. Leaders from DigiKey will also contribute perspectives on emerging supply chain challenges and our broader conversation theme, sharing what they are seeing across customers, suppliers, distribution partners, and the broader electronics ecosystem as digital capabilities, automation, and supply-chain models continue to evolve.
As always, the announced theme is only the starting point. Previous roundtables have expanded into workforce strategy, customer acquisition, growth, tariffs, margins, technology investment, benchmarking, equipment, supply chain, and overall business conditions. Participants determine where the conversation goes—which is why no two roundtables end the same.
The clearest indication of the value participants find in these sessions is repeat participation: many companies return, and several bring multiple members of their leadership teams. Because the roundtable works best as a small, highly interactive group, attendance will be limited.
Any questions? Contact Mark Wolfe
