Industry 4.0 & Digital Transformation Enthusiast | Business Strategist | Avid Storyteller | Tech Geek | Public Speaker

My passion is helping manufacturers digitally transform in innovative ways through Industry 4.0 technologies.  Doing so requires a unique ability to bridge the gap between business strategy, industry trends, technology implementation, and change management.  

I enjoy building collaborative relationships with clients, partners, coworkers, and industry evangelists to help empower manufacturers to achieve more.  

I am very active within the industry as a thought leader to help inspire companies, professionals, and students to be excited about the future created by the fourth industrial revolution.  I write, speak, and share content on LinkedIn to foster a conversational environment and build meaningful connections. 

Where do I spend my time?
• Driving customer success through deep industry and technical expertise
• Developing senior-level industry and client relationships
• Defining and shaping business and go-to-market strategies
• Acting as a company ambassador, technology evangelist, and industry influencer
• Challenging the status quo and continually driving innovation
• Developing & implementing sales enablement strategies
• Finding innovative ways to leverage new technology to provide unique value
• Building, mentoring, and inspiring high-power teams

Jeff Winter

It snowed today in Chicago! And snow is a great way to see progress in action.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝟏.𝟎 & 𝟐.𝟎 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐬
Snow removal started as pure manual labor. When it snowed, you grabbed a shovel and went to work. It was slow, physical, and unavoidable. The major breakthrough between Industry 1.0 and 2.0? Getting your kids to help. Same tools, slightly more labor, and a lot more bargaining. 🤣 

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝟑.𝟎 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐫𝐚
Mechanization changed the game. Snow blowers replaced brute force with power. What once took hours could be done in minutes. Humans still operated the system, but machines delivered speed, consistency, and efficiency.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝟒.𝟎 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐄𝐫𝐚
Today, snow removal can be fully automated. Autonomous machines use sensors, software, and algorithms to clear driveways with precision, often without anyone watching. No frostbitten fingers or early mornings required, just a cozy cup of coffee as the job gets done.

This isn’t really a story about snow.

It’s a story about how work evolves. Manual effort becomes mechanized. Mechanized work becomes automated. And automation shifts humans away from execution and toward higher-value activities.

The snow hasn’t changed.
Our response to it has.
That’s progress.

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• Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends
• Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

Jeff Winter 

Industry 4.0 isn’t a light switch. It’s a dimmer dial, and most of us are still fumbling for the right setting.

Too many manufacturers see Industry 4.0 as a massive leap they’re either “doing” or not. That kind of thinking leads to analysis paralysis. Or worse… nothing at all.

That’s why I created the 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝟒.𝟎 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬.
Not as a maturity model. 
Not as a framework, but as a way to break the journey into tangible, bite-sized initiatives. Each with its own value, technical requirements, and business implications.
 
Yes, they generally build on each other.
No, you don’t have to follow them in order.
And no, they’re not exhaustive.

The point? You don’t need to transform everything all at once. Start somewhere. Learn fast. Advance with purpose.
 
Because every baby step you take gets you closer to your vision of Industry 4.0.
 
𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝟓,𝟒𝟎𝟎+ 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥? 😀 👇 
https://lnkd.in/exdQ7W2z

Originally written June 2025, updated January 2nd, 2026 (Version 2.1)

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• Visit www.jeffwinterinsights.com for access to all my content and to stay current on Industry 4.0 and other cool tech trends
• Ring the 🔔 for notifications!

Industry 3.0 to 4.0 in Baby Steps v2.1

IIoT & Industry 4.0 Edge/Cloud AI & SW Solutions

Ryan Treece is the head of ISA’s Edge & Cloud Technical Committee under the SMIIoT division. He brings 15 years of manufacturing and factory automation experience to his role as the Global Business Development Manager at FreeWave Technologies, where he leads IIoT solutions in edge intelligence and remote connectivity cloud. 

In addition to his leadership at FreeWave Technologies & ISA, he is a Co-Founder of the Industry 4.0 Club, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the technological future of manufacturing. 

With an extensive background in machine vision, Industrial IoT Software, and sensor technologies, Ryan has been instrumental in driving technological innovation at industry-leading companies like Telit Cinterion, Keyence, Cognex, and Banner Engineering. His expertise is centered on leveraging the latest technologies to create unique solutions addressing complex challenges in the manufacturing sector.

When he's not leading teams or speaking at industry events, you can find him working on DIY home automation projects or spending quality time with his dog, Leo.

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