By Todd Stucke, Chair of AEM’s Board of Directors —
Insightful education… valuable networking… great entertainment. There’s no shortage of reasons why AEM’s Annual Conference is the place for equipment manufacturing executives to examine what’s ahead for their organizations, their industry, and the customers they serve.
I’ve long considered the AEM Annual Conference to be the “must-attend” event for the equipment manufacturing industry's most accomplished and impactful leaders. Nowhere else can AEM member executive peers come together in a dynamic conference atmosphere and discover new growth opportunities, prepare for pressing challenges, and celebrate the industry that manufactures the products that build, power, and feed our world.
I encourage AEM member leaders to join me at this year’s AEM Annual Conference, as it celebrates the music and artistic expression of the Coachella Valley and places attendees’ fingers firmly on the “Pulse of the Industry.” Set to take place in the picturesque desertscape home of the iconic Coachella music festival, this year’s AEM Annual Conference will take place from Nov. 13-15 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California.
Interested in keeping up with the accelerated pace of our industry’s innovation? The AEM Annual Conference is the place to do exactly that. On tap for this year’s event is a full schedule of insightful discussions, where AEM members will have countless opportunities to examine the latest data from construction and agriculture customers and discuss the latest industry trends – the explosion of artificial intelligence, leadership, workforce development, sustainability, geopolitics, economics, and more. Taken together, the insights shared on these trends allow us as attendees to walk away equipped with the necessary knowledge and tools to create more value for ourselves, our organizations, and our customers.
Given the rapid level of change we’re seeing in the industry today, it’s simply not enough for us as leaders to try and learn about cutting-edge trends and technologies on our own. We need to connect with one another and collaborate on how these trends can be leveraged for the good of us all. And there’s no better place to make those connections and build momentum for equipment manufacturing than the AEM Annual Conference.
For me, the best part of this yearly event is the valuable networking and direct conversations I engage in with peers, suppliers, and subject matter experts, all of whom are critical to shaping our industry’s future. This year in particular, conversations will be heavily focused on AI and its influence on how consumers think, use, and are motivated by this technology.
The challenges and opportunities we are dealing with as an industry today are significant. We’re seeing new and developing technology to implement in our organizations. Customer expectations have never been higher. Social demands are at front and center of just about everything. These are the drivers of tomorrow (and the tomorrow after tomorrow).
Accessing information, ideation and looking into research on these industry trends are all worthy endeavors. But they’re also just the first of many steps we need to take to ensure a bright future for our industry. In fact, the secret to fostering disruptive change and overcoming adversity is rooted in ideas and implementing them effectively and efficiently so customers’ challenges can be addressed and overcome.
All told, the AEM Annual Conference is not just an education opportunity. It’s more than a networking event with great food and top-notch entertainment. It’s designed to be a company-changing experience that arms organizational leaders with the tools and strategies they need to stay in tune with the “Pulse of the Industry” today, tomorrow, and in the years ahead.
I can’t wait to make my way to the Coachella Valley this November, and I hope to see you there!
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