Laurie received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Packaging Engineering from Michigan State University in 1982. She has held various sales and management positions with several Fortune 500 companies. Laurie joined her father’s company, Schmald Tool & Die, as Sales Manager in 1995. She purchased the business in 1997 to become the third-generation owner. In 2007 Laurie established Adaptive Manufacturing Solutions LLC; a vertically integrated collaborative of Michigan based companies. In 2011 she established ReSET, Restructuring Skills Through Education & Technology, and the Manufacturing Innovation Technology Institute (MITI). ReSET works with students and educational institutions from K-12, Community Colleges, and Universities to provide hands on experiential learning in the MITI, a fully operating facility focusing on advanced manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She is currently the Executive Director of the Doolittle Institute.