President's Message
Dennis S. Bray, PhD, FSME SME President Member Since 1985
smeSpeaks Making the future. Together. F
or more than 80 years, the Society of Manufacturing En- gineers (SME) has been a steadfast source of manufac- turing knowledge and resource for manufacturing stake- holders. Much has changed since that first meeting when a handful of engineers met to discuss more efficient ways of making automobiles. Those same engineers would marvel at today’s achievements in motorized vehicles, aerospace and defense, energy and medical technologies, and the quality of the workforce associated with each of these industries. And they would surely recognize that SME has grown beyond anything they could have imagined and would be very proud of what has been accomplished. Because, as we all know, time does not stand still, the SME Board of Directors, staff, members and various con- sultants have been working diligently since 2011 to review SME’s role and its brand identity. In addition, the board was simultaneously retooling SME's strategic direction, as well as our vision, mission and purpose. Much of this work has culminated in the SME 2017 Strategic Plan and ultimately the evolution of the SME brand, which was an integral part of the 2012 SME Strategic Plan—to “Change SME’s brand image.” Although SME’s purpose remains steadfast—to advance manufacturing and attract future generations—its scope, reach and scale have grown exponentially in that pursuit. We know that “manufacturing engineers” now com- prise only a small fraction of the audience that benefit from SME and what we do. And, although membership remains a vital core component of SME, today’s audiences interact with SME on a meaningful basis, in a number of ways de- pending on their needs.
As indicated in my January 2013 SME Speaks, SME and all of its activities are making it possible for manufacturing to move forward and be a strong foundation for our country and the
SM
world to prosper. Changing our brand and associated messag- ing will allow SME to connect to an even wider group of people in manufacturing as well as to continue to address critical needs, such as the shortage of engineers, technologists and technicians already impacting most manufacturing industries. As a credible, nonprofit authority, SME is the “solutions engine” that serves the manufacturing industry. Through professional development, we solve the industry’s need for knowledge, training and education that propel careers and companies forward. Through our events and media business units, we showcase innovation, enable knowledge transfer and foster vibrant marketplace interaction. Through membership, we promote the need for community, collaboration and cama- raderie. Through our Education Foundation, we address one of our industry’s greatest challenges—filling the gap with fu- ture generations of manufacturing practitioners whose passion exceeds our own. SME is a sum greater than its parts—we are the manufacturing industry’s official sponsor of solutions that advance manufacturing.
Because of the impact we are having, SME can no longer be defined as narrowly as the Society of Manufacturing Engi- neers. It has a greater mission, and a broader role. Freed from the limitations of the words they represent, the SME initials will now represent the brand name. The SME name and new logo retains its full familiarity, yet the brand will be repositioned within new context that reflects a vibrant, multifaceted organi- zation that is shaping the future. In addition, SME’s new tagline—Making the future. To-
gether.—is our way of stressing how vital “making things” is to the economy and way of living, and “together” emphasizing the importance of how we work with individuals, companies, communities, government and other organizations to meet the needs of those impacted by manufacturing.
June 2013 |
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