SAN RAMON, CA - Planning Ahead for 2010 will be the topic at the second annual East Bay Manufacturing Summit on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at the David I. Wendel Conference Center in downtown Oakland, CA. The Summit is being hosted by The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex), a Bay Area consulting firm that focuses on strategy, people, process and performance for the manufacturing sector. Manex has hosted several Manufacturing Summits throughout the Bay Area, including Sonoma, Solano and San Joaquin Counties.

"Building on our most recent summits focused on surviving the downturn and finding capital, it's critical for manufacturers to now turn their attention to the future as the economy is poised for recovery," says Brent Meyers, president and chief executive of Manex. "A window of opportunity exists for manufacturers to capitalize on the upswing and be well-positioned for the long-term."

Rich D’Amaro, chairman and chief executive officer of Tatum LLC, will present the keynote address at the event. He will speak on what smart chief finanical officerss are doing to prepare for the upturn, such as tackling critical performance issues, diverting unnecessary expenses to mission-critical projects and revisiting debt structures. Manex will discuss the steps manufacturers should follow to ensure their success in 2010. Using powerful case studies, Bill Browne, engagement manager for Manex, will illustrate how companies have thrived and share their strategies for success.

The summit will conclude with a panel discussion on “Navigating the New Financial Markets.”

The program will begin at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast provided and will conclude at approximately 11 a.m. To register, visitwww.manexconsulting.com.