Greater Smoky Mountain Chapter 107
$6000.
What is significant about that amount of money? Sure, we would all like to have an extra $6000 laying around for us to spend, put in our savings, or to invest. It is also the amount of money that our Chapter will need to host the 2nd annual Manufacturing Summit in November of this year. Last year, we along with 3 other sponsors spent more than $4000 to host the event at the Hilton Knoxville-Airport. It was very good event; we had an attendance of approximately 50 people and we received some media exposure. State Senator Tim Burchett was the keynote speaker.
This year, we have more in store for this summit:
Location: Hilton Knoxville-Airport
Date: November 18
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 P.M. (Dinner included)
Opening Speaker: Jack Helmbolt, Vice-President, Denso Manufacturing Tennessee, Inc. - Instrumentation Cluster Division
Keynote Speaker: Bob Parsons, Assistant Commissioner, Dept. of Economic and Business Development, State of Tennessee
We will be sending out requests for sponsorships to area companies and other organizations by June. I would also make this request to you, our membership, to help us sponsor this event. Each sponsor (personal or organization) will be recognized at the meeting and in our meeting program.
We are hosting this type of event for two main reasons: First, it gives our membership the opportunity to network with other groups and organizations. Secondly, since I have been chair, I have strived to bring SME to the forefront of the manufacturing/business culture in the East Tennessee area. With the topic of outsourcing fresh on everyone's mind, SME will lead the way to bring technological based manufacturing to our area. Without a strong engineering base, companies will not want to locate to this area. This is why I feel so strongly about opening discussions such as this.
Please consider giving a donation. Any amount will be appreciated and acknowledged. Please make checks payable to SME Chapter 107; in the memo, please state the Manufacturing Summit for our tracking purposes. Please send checks to:
Soceity of Manufacturing Engineers
Attn.: Manufacturing Summit
Chapter 107
PO Box 50792
Knoxville, TN 37950-0792
I will update you monthly on where we are as far as our fundraising goal for this event.
Thank you for your help,
Ralton B. Emory
Chair - Chapter 107
Greater Smoky Mountain
Society of Manufacturing Engineers