Page 34 - MetalForming April 2015

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected
cross-fertilization,” Smith shares, “pair- ing senior executives with the next gen- eration of industry leaders. What I’ve learned from others has made me a different person today than when I entered the metalforming industry, and it’s helped to fortify my company. Men- torship is a core belief of mine, and I want PMA to get involved.”
Similarly, Smith believes strongly that he and his company, PMA and the metalforming industry in general should direct some of the industry’s recently earned profits to help support the next generation of metalforming companies. The ideal vehicle for such an investment: The PMA Educational Foundation (PMAEF).
“Next year marks PMAEF’s 20th anniversary,” says Smith. “Since 1996, it has been helping to develop a trained and motivated metalforming-industry workforce. Through its programs and funding, national skill standards have been developed for skilled metalform- ing jobs; performance measures and
written tests have been developed to support a national credentialing sys- tem; and curriculum and training materials have been developed that allow companies to train their employ- ees at various levels.
“None of this could have been pos- sible without the generosity of several companies and individuals who con- tributed more than $2 million to the PMAEF Endowment Fund,” Smith con- tinues. “Now I’d like to see another round of contributions, to ensure that the next generation of metalforming companies has the support it needs.”
As evidence of the positive impact PMAEF programs can have on the industry, Smith describes the founda- tion’s latest project—the ECHO (employ- ee, contractor and hospitality orienta- tion) Onboarding Program. Once completed, the self-administered com- petency-based program will use a mul- timedia approach (PowerPoints, videos, etc.) to support companies as they ini- tiate new employees into the fold. Top-
ics included in the orientation: per- sonal-protective equipment, workplace behaviors, career opportunities, and health and wellness.
An Advocate for Advocacy
The third core belief anchoring Smith’s theme centers on advocating at the government level on behalf of manufacturing.
“We’ve been given so much,” he says, “and I feel that a great way to give back is to continue to make our voice louder and stronger in Washington, D.C., and with our local government officials.”
Since 2004, Smith has participated in PMA’s annual visits to Capitol Hill to meet with congressmen—a core under- taking of the PMA/NTMA One Voice combined federal-government advo- cacy program. The One Voice joint advocacy program, which represents small and medium-sized manufactur- ers, gives a voice to the millions of mid- dle-market manufacturing companies
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32 MetalForming/April 2015
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