Call for Industrial Safety Speakers: Operations Leadership Summit
Safety professionals are invited to submit proposals to speak at this year's Operations Leadership Summit (OLS) in Spartanburg, South Carolina, October 20-22, 2026. The event is organized by EHS Today’s sister brand, IndustryWeek, with lead sponsorship from Performance Solutions by Milliken.
The Operations Leadership Summit (OLS) gathers safety professionals, operations managers, plant managers, manufacturing business owners and professionals, and technology leaders to discuss best practices, network with peers and tour world-class manufacturing operations. OLS will be held at Performance Solutions by Milliken’s headquarters in Spartanburg, S.C.
OLS is seeking speaker submissions for the Summit’s three tracks: operational excellence, technology adoption, and safety leadership. Each session will be 45 minutes long, and followed by Q&A panels.
Your participation will help to make this conference a success, which is why EHS Today is working with IndustryWeek to reach EHS professionals with practical experience in managing and leading safety operations at their companies or organizations. In particular, for the OLS safety track, we’re looking for safety leaders who are willing to share best practices in keeping their workforces safe, as well as lessons learned in what works and what doesn’t. The goal is to have a diverse roster of safety professionals from manufacturing organizations speaking on the most current and compelling topics related to workplace safety.
For the Industrial Safety track, we’re looking for speakers who can address how manufacturers can keep their employees safe on the shop floor, while boosting morale and lowering operational costs. Topics may include:
- OSHA/regulatory compliance
- Safety training & engagement
- AI and predictive analytics for safety
- Risk management
- Safety culture leadership
Click here to submit your proposal. Submissions will be evaluated by editorial staff members and chosen based on the topic relevancy and related speaker experience. The deadline for proposals is April 15, 2026.
About the Author
Dave Blanchard
Editor-in-Chief / Senior Director of Content
During his career Dave Blanchard has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. Prior to joining Endeavor/Informa/Penton, he spent a decade covering the artificial intelligence industry. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.