Observations from the road…

July 3rd, 2008 at 03:57am Teresa Beach-Shelow

The month of June was spent in and out of Illinois at a fast pace….all good things planned months ago that seemed manageable….add a dose of some “travel illness” picked up the first time out…it’s been a great month! I’ll share travel observations in a minute but while here in town I missed some great events but I was able to catch some too….I came home early with the intent to catch the Rockford Chamber of Commerce Manufacturer’s Council Procurement event at Hamilton Sundstrand. The event itself was great. A nice group of regional companies came together to hear about how to do business with the Government. There were Government entities and local companies that do business with the Government on the Panel. This sounds like a great opportunity for companies that can wade through them and then the prints and specifications to quote. Once they are chosen as a supplier the Government sounds pretty good to work for. Our local PTAC or Procurement Technical Assistance Center is part of RVC at Eiger Lab. They are all set to get a local company signed up to bid and can coach a company along. There are millions of dollars procured each year the Rock River Valley deserves to get a piece of that pie! We are one of the top five Manufacturing Centers in the USA.
I beilieve the biggest benefit from attending an event like this is the networking with local manufacturing companies. We all need each other, we can learn from each other and we can encourage each other! For this reason I am always surprised that the Chamber events are not full to over flowing every time. They are often free. They are well run and the opportunity for you to get from the event is as close as a handshake and introduction to the first person you see at the event. Most companies mentioned how busy they are! Many saying, “We just don’t know what the news is talking” about when it discusses this down economy. I am hopeful we won’t soon find out. I have some opinions about why that is but one of them is this type of networking. We make each other better. We inspire ideas when we speak to each other. We help solve problems (I always hope that when someone is solving a manufacturing problem with someone my company is suggested as a solution!) Manufacturing people are great people and when we leave our many hours at the shop—it is refreshing and encouraging—especially when we can speak with each other! The next Manufacturing Council event is in the fall at Eclipse. Bring your business card!
Of course, any time you get to go through the door at our Hamilton Sundstrand it is a treat! I have been able to tour through out the building of the testing lab. To see it go from an idea, to huge electrical boxes to the state of the art testing lab has been really cool! The team that thought to put all the Boeing 787 Systems in one place and test parts from all over the world was really brain storming! My tour group was running a bit late so we were able to hear them start the engines and begin testing—exciting. I believe Congressman Manzullo had a hand in encouraging this facility to be built here in Rockford. We need to thank him personally! They are still hiring engineers weekly. Wish my far away Son-In-Law would apply for one of those positions. They told us to encourage applicants to apply. It’s manufacturing shoring up our local economy!
I also was here for the Fast Pitch event. Next year put it on your calendar—especially if you have ever started or wanted to start your own business. Not all of the companies were manufacturing related, but most were. The presenters were so excited about the ideas they had to “fast pitch” it was contagious. The Register Star covered the event really well so read about that if you are not familiar. I wish all of those who stepped out that day much success. Their ideas are going to bring economic development and jobs of our future. No doubt!
Neat stuff happening right here! On the road there were full planes but the roads were less traveled. I have never been in Nashville that I didn’t sit in traffic. It is one of those places where people going east and west or north and south pass through with a fury. They put eight lanes in front of the Opryland Hotel…not one time did I see it full…ironically it was the site of an Alternative Energy Conference. The Beltway in DC didn’t have a too busy time. Tour guides said that business was steady but light. Wherever I was people were starting to get cautious. The only benefit I see is maybe some of us will stay in the Region. Spend some of our dollars and participate in the great things we have to do here…..ENJOY!

Entry Filed under: Networking, Technology, Education & Training, Economy