Member Meeting - Virtual

August 13 Thursday (Virtual Lunch & Learn): Tariffs and Negotiations - Leadership Jim Boldrey

Subject: Tariffs Are Back in the Conversation — Leadership and Negotiations - Are You Ready?

Date: August 13, 2026

Title: Tariffs, Supplier Increases & Leadership: How to Negotiate Without Giving Away Margin

Purpose: Help CWIMA members think through tariffs and supplier price increases as a leadership issue — not just a purchasing problem. This session will focus on how manufacturers can ask better questions, negotiate smarter, protect margins, and communicate clearly with customers and internal teams.

Who is going to love this: Owners, presidents, CFOs, purchasing leaders, supply chain leaders, operations leaders, sales leaders, and anyone involved in pricing, supplier negotiations, or customer cost conversations.

Why: When tariffs hit, small and mid-sized manufacturers feel it fast. Supplier letters show up, material costs move, customers push back, and leaders have to decide what to absorb, what to pass through, and what to challenge. This session will help members avoid simply accepting increases at face value and give them a practical way to lead through cost pressure with more confidence.

Summary: Jim Boldrey will lead a practical conversation on tariffs, sourcing negotiations, and the leadership decisions manufacturers face when supplier costs rise. The session will cover how to evaluate whether an increase is justified, what information to request from suppliers, how to avoid permanent increases tied to temporary conditions, and how to align purchasing, finance, operations, and sales before responding. CWIMA members will walk away with better questions to ask suppliers, a clearer framework for protecting margin, and a stronger approach to communicating cost changes with customers and their own teams.

Speaker: Jim Boldrey, Managing Director, Maverick Sourcing & Procurement