.png)
2026 SPESA Executive Conference - Education Recap
Compiled by SPESA with significant contributions from Devin Steele of eTextileCommunications — Thanks Devin!
Please see below for recaps from the October 29th educational sessions of the 2026 SPESA Executive Conference.
Click here to see everything you missed in San Antonio!
Rise & Shine | Women’s Leadership Breakfast
Speakers:
Michelle Washington, TV Style Expert & Conference Emcee
Casey Russell, Founder, Wild Pony Hat Bar
The 2026 SPESA Executive Conference kicked off with a new addition to the program — the Women’s Leadership Breakfast.
Michelle Washington, TV style expert and conference emcee, and Casey Russell, founder of Wild Pony Hat Bar, led an engaging conversation about leadership, personal growth, and professional development for women in the sewn products industry.
Some of our favorite quotes from Casey:
"If you’re not encouraging your staff to grow, you’re just renting their time and talents."
"Clarity is kindness in leadership."
"There is an unspoken tax on women. You can either resent that tax or be undeniable."
Following the Q&A, Michelle and Casey opened the conversation up to the women in attendance, sparking discussions on the leadership challenges unique to women, advice for addressing micro-agressions in the workplace, and promoting confidence and community.
Panel | San Antonio Industry Leaders
Speakers:
Sharon Durham, President, Jon Hart Design
Mario Guajardo, CEO, Richter Goods
Julie Shelton, Jon Hart Design
Bronte Treat, COO, Richter Goods
Moderator:
Saige Thomas, President, Texas Fashion Industry Initiative
Made in Texas, built to last! During this panel, leadership from two San Antonio-based manufacturers shared their stories, challenges, and commitment to American-made products.
Jon Hart Design has been handcrafting premium leather and coated-canvas bags, luggage, and accessories in San Antonio for more than 50 years. Known for its personalized products and timeless designs, the company emphasizes quality craftsmanship and heirloom pieces made to last for generations.
Richter Goods is a family-owned manufacturer specializing in premium Western shirts, including its signature pearl-snap styles. The company designs, cuts, and sews its small-batch collections in San Antonio, combining traditional craftsmanship with premium fabrics sourced from heritage mills around the world.
The panel explored what it takes to manufacture in America. Both companies emphasized the importance of preserving sewing skills, building strong supplier relationships, and creating products that connect emotionally with consumers. Panelists also discussed the challenges of finding skilled workers, sourcing materials in smaller quantities, and balancing automation with the human touch that makes their products special.
One key takeaway: Made in America is an important part of their identity, but quality, design, craftsmanship, and the customer experience are what ultimately drive success. As Sharon Durham explained: “Made in America is important for some parts of the country and for some generations. You need to know where those customers are to be successful.”
SPESA Snapshot | Texas Suppliers
Presentation by Bert Feinberg, President, Frontier Distributors/Phillocraft
SPESA members are based all over the world and provide a wide variety of products and services. As one of SPESA’s long-standing Texas-based members, we asked Bert to share insights on the Texas customer base and how the Texas industry operates from a supplier perspective.
Bert’s company manufactures and distributes industrial sewing machine tables, cutting tables, and accessories, proudly displaying a “Made in America with Pride” label on its products.
He offered a look at the changing sewn products equipment market, comparing his company's dealer network and sales data from 2019 and 2025. Among his findings: Texas ranked No. 1 in the number of dealers and No. 2 in sales for his company in both years. But the industry faces challenges, including dealer closures, consolidation, rising freight costs, tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and competition from sales of used equipment.
Despite those headwinds, Bert emphasized Texas's advantages as a manufacturing and business hub, including its infrastructure, market size, and business-friendly environment.
His presentation reinforced an important message: Supporting American manufacturing means supporting not only the companies making finished products, but also the equipment manufacturers, suppliers, and dealers that keep their factories running.
Panel | Cutting the Skills Gap: Building the Workforce American Manufacturing Needs Next
Speakers:
Brett Bowden, Founder/Owner, Printed Threads, MADE Lab
Robert Finnegan, Head of Community, Education, and Workforce Initiatives, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA)
Charles Freeman, Director of Research and Creative Activities, Texas Christian University
Moderator:
Erin Tillery, Postdoctoral Fellow, Texas Christian University
How do we close the skills gap and build the workforce American manufacturing needs? That was the focus of this lively and insightful panel discussion.
The panel explored the challenges of attracting younger workers, retaining experienced employees, and connecting education more closely with the needs of textile and sewn products manufacturers.
A highlight was the introduction of TACTIC (Texas Advanced Certification in Textile Innovation and Composites), a new TCU-AFFOA workforce training initiative developed through extensive interviews with aerospace and defense manufacturers (and kickstarted at a previous SPESA event!). The program, designed around actual employer needs, is scheduled for beta testing in November 2026, with an introductory course launching in January 2027.
Beyond technical skills, panelists emphasized workplace culture, communication, career advancement, and helping employees understand the impact of the products they make. The takeaway? Building the next generation of American manufacturing talent will require stronger partnerships among industry, education and workforce organizations — and a willingness to rethink how we recruit, train, and retain people.
Headwinds and Tailwinds: The Global Economic and Sustainability Trends Shaping Our Industry
Presentation by Rick Horwitch, Chief Of Sustainability & Supply Chain Strategy, Bureau Veritas
Supply chain disruptions aren't going away. The question is: How prepared are companies to deal with them?
Drawing on extensive global supply chain research, Rick Horwitch delivered a data-driven presentation examining how rising energy and labor costs, tariffs, geopolitical uncertainty, and workforce shortages are reshaping textile and sewn products manufacturing.
Among the eye-opening findings:
An analysis of more than 10,000 factory environmental audits revealed significant dependence on natural gas, electricity and other energy sources vulnerable to price volatility and supply disruptions.
A supply chain resilience assessment involving 590 supplier sites for a major U.S. brand uncovered serious weaknesses in business continuity planning.
An analysis of 500,000 product inspections across 11 countries found workmanship defects three times higher in newer sourcing hubs, highlighting the importance of workforce training and quality management.
But Rick also highlighted opportunities. Bureau Veritas's work with factories demonstrated that better training, reduced material waste, and improved production efficiency can generate savings of up to 4% to 5% of free-on-board (FOB) costs in some cases.
His message: Sustainability, quality and responsible manufacturing practices shouldn't be viewed simply as compliance expenses. When approached strategically, they can improve efficiency, strengthen supply chain resilience, and deliver measurable financial returns.
Trade, Policy & Election Update
Presentation by Ned Steiner, Managing Director, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
With trade policies seemingly changing by the day, keeping up with tariffs and regulations is no easy task for the sewn products industry. Ned Steiner helped make sense of it all in his update covering the upcoming midterm elections, U.S.-China trade relations, the ongoing USMCA review, and the growing list of tariff actions affecting manufacturers and importers.
Of particular interest was the impact of tariffs on machinery and equipment needed to expand U.S. manufacturing. Ned discussed potential avenues for tariff relief that could help companies invest in domestic production.
He also emphasized the importance of industry associations and manufacturers making their voices heard in Washington. His advice? Build relationships with lawmakers and their staffs, educate them about your industry, and, whenever possible, visit them in person.
Panel | FutureTEX: Building the Manufacturing Technology Backbone for American Textiles
Speakers:
Jeff Pacuska, Program Manager - OSW Revolutionary Fibers and Textiles Manufacturing Innovation Institute, U.S. Army DEVCOM Soldier Center OUSW R&E MANTECH
Stephen Sharp, Chief Innovation and Manufacturing Officer, FutureTEX
Gregg Woodcock, Executive Director, American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)
Moderator:
Michael McDonald, President, SPESA
During this panel, industry and government leaders discussed how FutureTEX, the new manufacturing innovation institute, plans to turn investment into real manufacturing capabilities.
FutureTEX isn't just about developing new textile technologies. It's about getting those technologies into American factories, strengthening domestic supply chains, and making U.S. manufacturers more competitive.
A few important takeaways:
FutureTEX represents a potential $480 million investment over 10 years, subject to funding and appropriations, to strengthen America's textile manufacturing capabilities.
The institute plans to issue its first project calls in spring 2027, focusing on real manufacturing and defense supply-chain problems that need practical solutions — not research that sits on a shelf.
Equipment suppliers, automation companies, software developers, and manufacturers all have opportunities to participate. And projects don't have to involve fully automated factories. Individual technologies that improve productivity and competitiveness can be part of the solution.
The Department of Defense is increasingly concerned about gaps throughout the textile supply chain, from raw materials and spinning to coated fabrics and finished products.
A strong commercial textile industry is essential to a strong defense industrial base. Manufacturers need commercial business to sustain the capabilities that can also support military needs.
One of the strongest messages came from Jeff Pacuska, who challenged companies to identify specific problems, bring forward existing technologies, and help develop solutions. The government knows many of its supply-chain weaknesses, he explained, but it doesn't necessarily know what technologies are already available to address them.
Stephen Sharp also urged the industry to engage with lawmakers and help demonstrate why continued investment in American textiles matters.
SPESA President Michael McDonald made it clear that SPESA intends to be actively involved, emphasizing that this is a rare opportunity for the equipment and technology sector.
FutureTEX is moving from concept to execution, and the industry needs to get involved now. It's an exciting time for American textiles, but as the panelists emphasized, the opportunity comes with a responsibility to deliver results.
Thank you to Devin Steele for providing live updates during the conference. Please be sure to follow his personal accounts (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook) as well as eTextileCommunications (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook) for insights on other industry events and activities. And subscribe to eTextileCommunications for regular industry news.
