Education And Networking—Hawaiian Style

Combine PMPA’s 71st Annual Meeting, October 16-20, 2004, at the Westin Maui, Lahaina, Hawaii, with a structured business program, and you have the ultimate senior management retreat!

This fall, business owners and senior managers from across the United States and Canada will gather in Maui for the PMPA Annual Meeting. Two key components of the conference are networking opportunities and business sessions addressing the challenges facing the precision machined products industry.

The executive committee filled out its “line-up card” of speakers for the annual meeting. This list includes speakers evaluated by members of the PMPA for applicability to the industry, as well as for the quality of the information they will deliver.

Leading off the annual meeting is Ned Hill, a distinguished scholar and professor at Cleveland State University’s Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and the Brookings Institute. Dr. Hill edits the journal Economic Quarterly, and he has authored numerous books on manufacturing productivity, American finance and economic development. He is a frequent lecturer and speaker for various private and public organizations, including the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Dr. Hill holds a doctorate and Master of Arts from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pennsylvania.

The title of Dr. Hill’s presentation is “Enough Defense; It’s Time To Take Offense: The Role of Manufacturing In The American Economy.” As a keen observer of economic trends and U.S. trade policies, Dr. Hill will supply not only opinions, but also facts to support his ideas, which are said to both educate and enlighten.

Joseph Perkins is a national affairs columnist for the San Diego Union Tribune and a member of the newspaper’s editorial board, specializing in national issues and politics. Mr. Perkins previously worked on the White House staff of Vice President Dan Quayle as deputy assistant for domestic policy. Before that, he was an editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Perkins has appeared on a number of network news programs, including “Good Morning America,” the CBS “Morning Show,” ABC’s “This Week,” PBS’ “News Hour,” and CNN, C-SPAN, CNBC and MSNBC. Mr. Perkins’ column is syndicated nationally by the Newspaper Enterprise Association, appearing in more than 200 newspapers nationwide and reaching more than 7 million readers.

In his presentation “How the Outcome Of The November Election Will Affect American Manufacturing The Next Four Years And Beyond,” Mr. Perkins will offer an analysis of upcoming U.S. presidential election and its impact on manufacturing.

Having covered both the Democratic and Republican conventions during the summer months and keeping up with the latest developments on a national scale, Mr. Perkins will offer his perspective as a seasoned political commentator.

Dana Barfield has helped dozens of business owners and entrepreneurs plan and implement strategies to best allocate their resources for a successful business transition. Whether you’re planning a transition now or in the future, this session will provide useful information to begin the process. Given Mr. Barfield’s vast knowledge of this subject, you are encouraged to bring your questions and have him provide suggestions on the next step in this evolutionary process.

Mr. Barfield holds a master’s degree in financial services from the American College, as well as the Certified Financial Planner (CFP), the Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations. He is also a Registered Investment Advisor.

Mr. Barfield was named one of the best financial planners in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in December 2002 by a regional magazine. He was also recently nominated as one of Worth Magazine’s best financial planners.

Following Mr. Barfield’s presentation, there will be a “Raw Material Panel Discussion” moderated by Miles Free, PMPA director of technology services. The discussion will feature PMPA Technical Members, each representing various types of raw materials, fielding questions from the audience. With an increased global demand for raw materials, there is a range of issues to discuss in this open forum.

Dennis Basler, PMPA’s incoming president and president of E.J. Basler Company (Schiller Park, Illinois) will discuss his impressions of the industry during the “New President’s Breakfast.”

He will be followed by Dr. Terry Hunt, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii, who will close out the conference on a lighter note. Dr. Hunt will present “Solving The Mysteries Of Easter Island.” In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Hunt is the project director of the University of Hawaii’s Archaeological Field School on the Polynesian island of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island. During the past four years, Dr. Hunt has headed up an extensive research program on the island. His research will provide some insight into Polynesian culture.

For more information about the PMPA Annual Meeting, visit www.pmpa.org or call (440) 526-0300.