There’s no better place to discover the latest information and insights related to product liability, safety design standards, regulatory requirements, and potential risks to avoid than AEM’s Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar.
Featuring custom-crafted education tracks, innovative approaches to product stewardship, and valuable networking opportunities, this year’s conference is set for April 28-May 1, 2025, in Nashville.
As this year’s event draws near, AEM caught up with longtime conference attendee and Doosan Bobcat International Standards and Regulations Manager John Spomer to discuss why the AEM Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar are can't-miss opportunities for AEM members, how to get the most out of the attendee experience, and more.
AEM: Why do you feel it’s important for you and others in roles like yours to participate in the AEM Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar on an annual basis?
Spomer: It's such a unique event, because the session presenters at AEM's Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar are the ones who actually engage in the work. To me, this event provides an annual, valuable opportunity to hear from those who are directly engaged with the topics they are speaking about.
AEM: What are you looking forward to most about this year’s gathering?
Spomer: There are so many important topics to learn about at this year’s Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar. Aside from the ones we hear about every year, so much activity is happening in the areas of electrification, automation, autonomy, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. All of us in the industry are working diligently to learn how to navigate the challenges and opportunities around these cutting-edge technologies and trends. Ultimately, though, our goal is to become as efficient as we can at ensuring our industry remains as safe and productive as it’s always been.
AEM: How does your involvement in this conference help you more effectively tackle responsibilities related to your role?
Spomer: There’s really no overstating how valuable it is to engage with your industry peers to discuss how regulations throughout the world impact us all and how we can respond effectively. When these regulations are developed, sometimes they happen without a full understanding of the consequences or impacts. Sure, one problem or issue may get fixed, but advancing a regulation might also create another one. It’s something that’s not always considered, especially if those making the regulations don’t possess the requisite technical knowledge, particularly at the machine level.
The AEM Product Safety & Stewardship Conference is also so valuable, in my opinion, because it affords me and others a chance to meet so many new people. Whether it’s over coffee, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, these meetings provide a chance to not only connect names with faces, but they also provide an opportunity for me to thank people for contributing to the event and putting important information and insights forward.
AEM: Every year, a significant number of attendees at the Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar are first timers. With that fact in mind, from your perspective as a veteran attendee, what does it take to ensure you get the most out of your time spent at the event?
Spomer: The first and most important consideration for a first-time attendee is to determine exactly what they want to get out of the conference. Look through the agenda and program to find out what topics and sessions are of real interest to you, what has an impact on your job, and then find something that catches your eye that you wouldn’t normally consider attending.
Then be sure to sit up front, because it lets the presenters know you’re there, you’re attentive to what they’re sharing, and that the information they’re presenting matters to you.
Finally, if you’re there with your group or company, try breaking out and seeing if you can engage with someone new or different. Also, be sure to engage with the conference presenters and let them know you’re appreciative of their support of, and contributions to, the event.
AEM: Anything else to add?
Spomer: Along with the Joint Technical Liaison Meeting (JTLM), AEM’s Product Safety & Stewardship Conference and Liability Seminar is the most enlightening and informative events available to people in our industry. These events are not just a means to report what’s happening with standards or detailing a list of requirements that need to be done. The information shared comes from people who are true experts, and they know how to speak the language of the audience they are trying to reach. So, by going, you not only get timely and relevant updates on what’s happening in our industry, but you get to build relationships with other peers and leaders who are truly making a difference in equipment manufacturing.
