Since becoming AME’s president and CEO earlier this year, I have been able to regularly speak with AME co-founder Robert “Doc” Hall. This is certainly one of the more unexpected but welcome opportunities of my career. An AME and Industry Week hall of famer, Doc is an early leader in the lean movement, a staunch advocate for manufacturing, a champion of agile thinking, and a true believer of people-centric leadership.
When we talk, you might think that we spend our time reminiscing about AME’s past. But truth be told, we talk more about the present and the future. When we discuss AME’s past, it is an opportunity to learn about where we’ve been so we can understand why we’re here and where we’re headed.
After calls with Doc, I often think about how lean’s past relates to our present-day world. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the general public more aware of the important role our supply chains play in how things are manufactured and how our economy functions.
The supply chain topic has always been part of AME conferences and events, but this year we are bringing the discussion to the forefront. Our conference program will include the Pathway to Excellence Supply Chain Forum with Drew Greenblatt, Jayson Myers, Harry Moser, and me along with our fantastic moderators Scott Luton and Greg White of Supply Chain Now.
We’re equally excited that our conference will include a supply chain special session with Lynn Torrel, chief procurement and supply chain officer for Flex, a 200,000-employee company that delivers technology innovation, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions to diverse industries and end markets.
We think these supply chain discussions are so important that we’ve set aside dedicated time during the conference for both the supply chain forum and the supply chain special session. Even if you’re not professionally involved in supply chain management, I highly recommend that every conference participant tunes in for these important sessions.
For those not yet registered for the virtual AME International Conference, please consider joining us for the virtual conference from Oct. 27-29. We know the world is challenging, but our team of volunteers and staff have worked tirelessly to assemble a program that will pay dividends for you and your organization, both now and in the future.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
