Supply Chain Challenges
Paul M. Von Driska was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana with an MS in Mechanical Engineering. Paul and his wife Beth live in Roscoe, IL and have one son, Michael, who is a junior at Columbia University in NYC. For those of you that like Illinois history, Beth’s Mom’s family founded Lisle, IL in 1831 and Joy Morton bought the wood lots of many of the local farmers to create the Morton Arboretum.
Paul has worked for thirty years at Bergstrom, Inc. which is headquartered in Rockford IL. and started in downtown Rockford 73 years ago. Bergstrom Inc. is the leading global designer and manufacturer of cab climate systems for heavyduty commercial trucks, off-highway machines and specialty vehicles. Bergstrom has operations in Rockford and Joliet, IL and in the UK, Spain, and China and a Joint Venture (JV) and Design Center in India. Paul has worked in various areas of the company including Engineering, Project Management, and Business Leadership including Managing Director of Bergstrom UK for 5 years, helping create the operations in India and leading the acquisition of the operation in Spain. He is currently VP, Government Affairs and Legal, and is responsible for reviewing, negotiating and drafting of various contracts; 1/14/2022 Supply Chain Challenges 1/27/22 Program 2/3 support in mergers and acquisitions and overseeing and managing patents, trademarks and litigation matters. Prior to working for Bergstrom he worked at Whirlpool’s Research and Engineering Center in Benton Harbor, MI and for Valeo Climate Control in Auburn Hills, MI.
In the past decade Paul has been an active community volunteer and promoter of the Rockford region. He served on the board of Montessori Private Academy and helped build their new school. He was a co-lead of Transform Rockford’s Leadership and Youth Team, an advisory Board member of the YMCA’s Youth Development Team and a math tutor at Kennedy Middle School. In addition to being the Rotary Academy liaison for Kennedy Middle School he currently serves as a CASA.
Paul will talk about the supply chain challenges that Bergstrom has experienced since the fall of 2020 including the shipping logjam at the ports of Long Beach, the COVID19 induced labor shortages and resulting increased lead times, deep freeze in Texas, plastic resin shortages/allocations, microprocessor/chip shortages, Suez canal blockage, China electricity restrictions, etc. It has been extremely challenging (a nightmare), but our team has pulled off miracles and we had record sales in 2021.
This will be an interesting and informative program and one to invite a guest or prospective member to join us.
Becky and or Pete Rundquist will introduce our presenter and act as Rotary host.