Otto Breitschwerdt is chief technology officer and a senior vice president of Caterpillar Inc., responsible for the Integrated Components and Solutions (ICS) Division. ICS designs and builds components and systems that are used across the Caterpillar portfolio and also provides technology leadership, engineering, research, validation and manufacturing services to the enterprise. Breitschwerdt joined Caterpillar in 1990 and has served in a variety of positions in sales, marketing, operations, engineering, and supply chain. Prior to this role, he was appointed senior vice president of the Building and Construction Products division (BCP). He served as BCP general manager with global responsibility for manufacturing, designing and marketing the small wheel loader, compact wheel loader, compact track loader, and skid steer loader product lines. Breitschwerdt spent time in various other assignments in the U.S. and Brazil, including the Eastern U.S. region manager, BCP engineering and supply chain director, and Brazil district manager. As the plant manager for the Campo Largo, Brazil facility, he managed the facility’s start up, from construction to full production of small wheel loaders and backhoe loaders. Breitschwerdt earned a degree in agricultural engineering from the University of São Paulo in Brazil and is also a graduate of Caterpillar’s Executive Leadership Development Program in partnership with Stanford University. In addition to his role as director on the FFA board, he also serves on the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Construction Equipment Sector Board, and the United Way of the Triangle. He has previously served on boards for the Association of Equipment Distributors Foundation and the American Chamber of Commerce in Brazil. Breitschwerdt is a certified executive coach through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) and certified in emotional intelligence through Multi-Health Systems Inc.

Mandi Henderson is Vice President of Global Hydraulics, responsible for enterprise strategy and governance of Caterpillar’s $2 billion hydraulics business. She manages development and execution of the hydraulics enterprise component strategy, including aftermarket growth, make/buy, technology development and supply resilience. After a brief stint as a design engineer at a small agricultural equipment manufacturer, Mandi started her Caterpillar career in Fuel Systems as a test engineer, then held roles in fuel systems product development and as a category buyer. She had the opportunity serve as Supplier Quality Manager for Europe engine components, in Peterborough, UK. She returned to the U.S. and then worked as Engineering Manager for Caterpillar-designed valves. The scope of her role eventually grew to include the entire valve portfolio and oversight of hydraulics labs. She has also served as a category manager for Resource Industries hydraulics; and a hydraulic systems engineering manager. Mandi was raised in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, and earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. In her free time, she plays hockey.

Berend Bracht holds a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Berend Bracht is Vice President and President - Motion Systems Group of Parker Hannifin Corporation in Cleveland, OH. He is responsible for all fiscal and strategic aspects of the group's global operations. Mr. Bracht joined Parker in 2018 as Vice President of Operations - Engineered Materials Group where he has been responsibility for the global operations of Parker LORD since its acquisition in 2019. Before joining Parker, from 2015 to 2018, Mr. Bracht was President and CEO of Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC, a leader in the development and manufacture of leading-edge active safety and braking system technologies. Prior to joining Bendix, he had an accomplished 24-year career at Bosch Rexroth, a drive and control technology company, including serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bosch Rexroth Americas.

Scott Schuh graduated in Mechanical Engineering from South Dakota School of Mines followed by receiving a Masters degree in Business Administration from University of South Dakota. He is responsible for product development, product safety and international standards. Joining Doosan Bobcat in 1998, Scott has made significant contributions to our engineering and technology areas, conducting various roles and projects including compact wheel loader, all-wheel-steer loader, embedded software, and hydraulics. He served as an engineering director from 2012 and was promoted to vice president of engineering in North America in 2021. 

Steffen Haack holds a doctorate degree in the field of fluid technology, began his career at Bosch in 1996. Since 2001, he has taken on various tasks at Bosch Rexroth, related both to factory automation and hydraulics. From 2015 to 2017, he had already been a member of the board of management. From 2017 to the end of 2021, Haack led the Industrial Hydraulics business unit and rejoined the board of management in January 2021. Since then, he has been responsible for the entire development activities of Bosch Rexroth and the New Business product area. In addition to his professional activities, Haack is chairman of the Fluid Power trade association within the VDMA (German Association of Mechanical and Plant Engineering) and a member of the advisory board of “Deutscher Maschinenbau-Gipfel”, the German Mechanical Engineering Summit.

Francesca Protano With more than 18 years of international experience, she has held various roles in the R&D, Finance, Marketing, Corporate Development (M&A, Business Development and Strategy) sectors. She was most recently Ventures Managing Director for CNH. She began her professional career at the Fiat Research Center. After graduating in Computer Science, she obtained a Master's degree in Mechatronics and Innovation & Technology Management (Alma Graduate School, Bologna Business School International). Always passionate about technology, today she holds the role of Head of Technology Strategy & Competence Centers in CNH.