As we embark on the next chapter of our AME journey, it’s important to acknowledge the balance between our history, what’s happening today and what lies ahead. In fact, in my very first letter to the AME members in January 2020, “Five questions with AME’s new president and CEO,” I committed to “honoring the past, celebrating the present and embracing the future.”
Our organization’s past is rich with achievements, growth, and yes, many lessons learned — each step taken has shaped our foundation. Looking ahead, we are excited for the future and the opportunity to continue to drive meaningful change. While respecting the values that have guided us, our 40th birthday this year is an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been and where we are going. While blending the best of the past and present, we must be bold enough to welcome change and embrace the future.
In the spirit of embracing the future, I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new management team volunteer leaders who will play a pivotal role in driving our continued success and growth well into the future. These individuals bring a wealth of experience, innovation and leadership, ensuring we remain competitive and forward-thinking in our industry. They are true leaders, and it has been my honor to collaborate with them over the past few years.
Please join us in welcoming Joshua Buchanan, volunteer director of AME Programs, and Rebecca Jenkins, volunteer director of the Emerging Leaders Program.
Josh Buchanan is an industrial engineering manager at Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII. He oversees process improvement, lean implementation, and direct engineering support for the Columbia Class Submarine Program and Enterprise Continuous Improvement team.
Buchanan, a member of AME since 2018, has a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering technology from Old Dominion University and a master of business administration from the College of William & Mary. He is also a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
He recently concluded his volunteer role as the AME Management Team Emerging Leaders director, a position he’s held since 2020. Buchanan developed a world-class Emerging Leaders Program, graduating AME’s next generation of industry leaders.
In this new role, Buchanan will be responsible for working alongside Barb Clayton, AME home team director of membership & operations, overseeing the planning, development and successful execution of AME’s key programs, ensuring alignment with our organizational goals and delivering exceptional results.
Buchanan is passionate about professional development, mentorship and team building. He enjoys playing video games, working on cars and driving his Corvette on the weekends. He lives in Yorktown, VA, with his wife, Maria, and their dog, Dexter.
Joshua (Josh) Buchanan
We are also excited to welcome Becca Jenkins as our new AME Management Team Emerging Leaders director. In this vital role, Jenkins will lead the development of AME’s next generation of leaders, overseeing the design and implementation of initiatives aimed at cultivating leadership talent across the organization.
Jenkins is the project manager of technical training at Cambridge Air Solutions in Chesterfield, Missouri. She started her career at Cambridge, working on second shift as a CNC operator. Her associate of science degree in pre-engineering, coupled with her coachable nature and tenacious spirit, earned her a spot in operations engineering. As a member of this team, Jenkins spent four years working with multiple departments at all levels of the business to solve problems, teach scientific thinking and set up systems to sustain positive change. She is now working to design a sustainable Training Within Industry program at Cambridge.
Jenkins is a graduate of the Association of Manufacturing Excellence’s 2023 Emerging Leaders cohort. She is also co-chairing the AME 2025 St. Louis International Conference tours team and has been working alongside Buchanan in the AME Emerging Leaders Program to continuously improve the cohorts’ experience. Jenkins is known for fostering people-centric leadership and empowering teams to achieve excellence.
Jenkins is a mother to three children: Elizabeth, James and Jeremiah. In her free time, she enjoys competing in trivia nights, going to concerts and being the biggest cheerleader for her children.
Rebecca (Becca) Jenkins
Please join me in congratulating Josh Buchanan and Becca Jenkins. I am so proud of what they have accomplished and genuinely excited to see the positive influence they will have on these key areas of growth. Please thank them in person at the AME Atlanta 2024 International Conference. It is not too late to register! And while there, make sure you add the AME Emerging Leaders capstone presentation to your schedule. AME is accepting applications for the 2025 Emerging Leaders cohort, which starts in November 2024.
As always, please stay safe and keep looking out for one another.
