Tom Swip
Tom Swip is President/CEO of Swip Systems and the founder of the Midwest Manufacturing Leaders. Tom has been an entrepreneur since a young age. He started his first company when he was 9 years old, running a crew of window washers for local businesses on Main Street. At 12, he started a bicycle shop. At 16, he started a business repairing and painting cars and boats.
Tom holds a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. At SIUE, he taught in the robotics lab. During and after college, Tom worked for United Parcel Service as an Industrial Engineer. His responsibilities included establishing the first ever: national wireless system in UPS trucks, national implementation of the delivery tablets that UPS drivers still carry today and the national barcoding system.
In 1995, Tom established Swip Systems, a software application consultancy. Swip works in many vertical industries with established corporations, closely held companies and startups. Tom is a also mentor to several different startups. Tom is a partner in Guard911, an app company with a mission to stop active shooters in schools and other locations.
Tom is an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Entrepreneur’s Organization, the Association for Corporate Growth and The Entrepreneurship Institute. Tom’s mission in life is to help others.

Dave SkaggsDave Skaggs is a co-owner and President of MDS Manufacturing, a plastic injection and silicone molder primarily of infant care bottles and nipples. Dave has over 40 years of experience in the plastics molding industry.
MDS opened in March of 2010, with 3 injection machines and 4 employees. It operated five days a week, 24 hours a day and in its first nine months of operations had sales of $750,000. Today, MDS operates 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, with 34 full-time employees and expects revenues to be $7.2 million at the end of 2016. MDS has had continued double-digit growth for the past six years.
MDS operates 7 plastic injection machines, 3 stretch blow molding machines and 7 liquid silicone machines. It is the only liquid silicone manufacturer in the entire Midwest. MDS is a family owned operation. Dave works side-by-side with both his brothers and his wife.
MDS was named after his late father, Marvin D. Skaggs who instilled honesty, integrity, an unstoppable work ethic, and embodies everything the brothers were taught while growing up and working with their father.
“A tradition in custom plastics molding” is stamped on every business card and is the motto Dave and his brothers emulate every day.