Every New Year brings fresh hope, renewal and at least a little uncertainty. This year is no different for the manufacturing industry, which continues to rebound from the aftereffects of the COVID-19 shutdown and supplier disruptions, while facing an uncertain economic future, ongoing labor shortages and a new presidential administration.
At the same time, there’s plenty to be optimistic about. New products and technologies are being introduced at an astounding rate, collaboration is on the rise, and next-generation leaders are emerging with fresh ideas and enthusiasm.
In other words, it’s business as usual. And it’s up to companies, people and teams to create their own winning solutions. Being a glass-half-full type of a guy, I welcome the challenge.
In fact, SME has taken a significant step forward to solidify its future with the recent appointment of Jeannine Kunz as executive director and CEO. She succeeds Bob Willig, who is retiring at the end of December following a four-year stint in the top spot. Following senior executive roles at Stoneridge, Plasan Carbon Composites, GKN and Gates Corp., Bob brought a wealth of knowledge to SME and has had an impactful tenure that started in the middle of the pandemic. While Bob’s steady leadership and insight will be missed, he’s leaving the post in extremely capable hands.
Jeannine, who was selected from a comprehensive nationwide search, brings extensive experience and passion to her new position. She has been a tireless advocate and innovator for education, training and employee engagement throughout her SME career. This includes leading the 2010 acquisition of Tooling U, an online training organization that is now known as Tooling U-SME. In 2022, she was appointed to the newly created position of chief workforce development officer. She also is on the board of directors for the Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group and Coalition for Career Development, as well as co-chair with CESMII of the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council.
In addition to Jeannine’s appointment, Vincent Howell begins his one-year term as SME President in January, succeeding Winston Erevelles. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Vincent (see story on p. 8) and meeting him in person at FABTECH 2024 in Orlando.
I’m looking forward to working with Vincent and Jeannine in their new positions, as well as the rest of the executive team and SME staff, to make 2025 another successful year. I’m constantly amazed at the dedication and talent throughout SME and the greater manufacturing industry to build a better future.
On the media side of the business, we’ll continue to refine our efforts to bring readers the latest news and analysis to help you make informed decisions and excel in the workplace.
In this issue, for example, we highlight 10 new products that debuted earlier this year. Another feature story takes an in-depth look at what’s next for lean manufacturing—here’s a hint: digital is the new lean, and AI is the new digital. Other features highlight recent advances in workholding and milling technology, and no end-of-the-year issue is complete without an outlook story. We hope you enjoy ours!
