The Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) will hold its 2024 Annual Meeting, April 6-9, 2024, at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Coronado, California. The theme for this year’s meeting is “A Roadmap for the Future.”
The meeting marks the end of the two-year presidency of Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring, as he hands the gavel to incoming president Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring.
In a moving talk, featured speaker Eric LeMarque will detail his larger-than-life survival tale that became the inspiration for the captivating book, “Crystal Clear,” and was even adapted into the hit film, “6 Below-Miracle on the Mountain.”
Bianca Lager, a keynote speaker and virtual trainer, will share about leading teams. Through her company, Fundamentals at Work, Bianca has a global presence which has helped both organizations and teams enhance their professional visibility and boost their impact. Lager offers training, consulting and keynote presentations to help companies empower their staff, enabling them to achieve greater recognition, influence, and success.
SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant, Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, will update SMI members on the latest OSHA issues. In addition to her work with SMI, Rhodes is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes.
The educational portion of the meeting will conclude with a 90-minute presentation by William “Bill” F. Coughlin, director, Lippert Academy for Leadership in Elkhart, Indiana. In his presentation, “Leadership and Culture Development Partnership,” Coughlin will argue that business is well positioned to be a force for good in our world. “Leadership and culture are the anchoring roots for a positive, powerful, healthy, and sustainable high-performing organization,” says Coughlin. His presentation will focus on enhancing the vision and application of partnering with a flexible and generational workforce.
This year’s meeting will also include a new, two-day Avant-Garde Leadership Conference. Avant-Garde is a group of SMI members bringing innovative and experimental ideas to shape the future of SMI and the springmaking industry.
SMI’s Avant-Garde exists to serve the needs of the emerging and future generation members and ensure that content and conferences evolve to meet the needs of emerging leaders and non-owner participants. The Avant-Garde conference offers a shorter track for younger members to participate in the SMI annual meeting at a reduced cost.
“SMI’s annual meeting is an exclusive benefit for SMI members and a place to gather for education, board and committee meetings and unparalleled network opportunities,” said Gary McCoy, SMI executive director.
Complete registration details will be available to SMI members later this year. For more information about SMI and its annual meeting, visit www.smihq.org.