Calling All Maintenance & Reliability Professionals

Tom Byerley, Chair, Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP)

This year’s SMRP Conference takes place October 7-10, in Louisville, KY. You have two very important reasons for attending this event—staying current and networking!

In today’s environment of ever-increasing competition, we constantly must move forward and keep up-to-date on the latest technical and/or managerial innovations of our particular professions. “Stay current, move forward or die,” (metaphorically) is pretty much the way it is throughout industry these days.

The 2007 SMRP Conference features a multitude of outstanding workshops, speakers, panels, exhibitors and plant tours that can help you do just that with regard to almost every facet of maintenance and reliability. In fact, when it comes to the types of ideas and insights that are helping fuel our profession, it wouldn’t be too much of an overstatement to say that if you can’t find it at the 2007 SMRP Conference, it probably doesn’t exist. That said, you actually might find it difficult to decide exactly which workshops or presentations to attend once you arrive; there are just so many from which to choose. This conference is a true plethora of opportunities—all in one place, at one time.

In addition to the technical and managerial know-how you can find and embrace at an annual SMRP Conference, the networking is outstanding. Today, none of us are smart enough to keep up with all the new developments within our areas of interest and/or responsibility, or to do everything ourselves. We must rely on others. Therefore, the more resources we can engage and have access to in our daily activities, the better chance we have for success.

Typically attracting approximately 1000 attendees, annual SMRP Conferences are the perfect place to create new contacts, re-establish old contacts and reinforce your personal and corporate support system of resources. My experience is that I learn just as much from the informal conversations and meetings as I do from the formal presentations. Again, these conferences seem to offer far more networking opportunities than any one person can take full advantage of. My advice is to simply do the best you can—go into the conference with the express intent to maximize your networking.

There is any number of other good reasons to attend the 2007 SMRP Conference. You can contribute to the growing professionalism of the organization and to the growing organization of the profession. You also can sit for the SMRPCO exam to become a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP). There also will be great entertainment on tap, not to mention great food and beverage, even a great reception at the legendary Louisville Slugger bat factory. When you couple these reasons with your strong desire to stay current as a knowledgeable maintenance and reliability person and enlarge and strengthen your network of resources, you will see why it’s so important to register now for this year’s event. It’s quick and easy. Please go to http://www.smrp. org/Conference/2007/index.htm for complete conference details and online registration.

Without a doubt, the 2007 SMRP Conference will be an outstanding event. You and your associates should consider it as one of those “must attend” best bets for your professional development!

I look forward to seeing you in Louisville