My Take: All Fired Up About Phoenix

By Jane Alexander, Deputy Editor

Here it is, the first week of October and I’ve already packed my bags for a trip out to Phoenix in early November.

No, this unusual degree (at least for me) of early-bird/non-11th-hour prep isn’t related to the recent weather forecast that Chicagoland can expect to have the worst winter in the country. (Who, though, could blame me for hustling if it were? As a transplanted Texan, I’m convinced that “winter” actually kicks off in these parts on Halloween…) I’m just very excited about attending SKF’s Asset Management 2011 Conference—“asset management” being the operative term. That’s one of my passions and, if you’re reading this magazine, I know it has to be one of yours.

According to SKF, its Phoenix event (November 14-16, at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass facilities) will showcase the latest thinking, concepts, trends and innovations in asset management, as well industry-by-industry mega-trends and implications. Content will be delivered through presentations by leading industrial asset management practitioners from across North America, along with facilitated discussion panels, networking and one-on-one consultations with SKF’s asset management experts.

Among those aforementioned “leading industrial asset management practitioners” taking the podium will be our own contributing editor Bob Williamson. He’ll be speaking on a topic near and dear to his heart (one he’s tackled in his “Uptime” columns multiple times): “In Pursuit of 100% Reliability.” Based on his work with NASCAR racing teams, it’s a spot-on focus for the type of cutting-edge asset management event SKF is sponsoring.

Bob will be the first to tell you that motorsports racing is more than a fan event. As he points out, “Competing NASCAR racing teams depend on high-performing, 100%-reliable equipment to accomplish their business goals. And flawless human performance is the goal of their leadership, teams and individual employees.” He contends that maintenance and reliability professionals in industry can—and should—learn what will work in their plants from top NASCAR teams. “After all,” he wryly observes, “isn’t human performance and equipment reliability critical to OUR [YOUR] business?”

Speaking of NASCAR, as part of their paid conference registrations, attendees are invited to be guests of SKF for the Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday, November 13. Need I remind any of you racing fans out there that this race is the ninth—i.e., next-to-last—in The Chase? (Shouldn’t things be getting rather interesting about that time?) In addition to enjoying the race with SKF, conference registrants will, among other things, also be able to tour the pits and visit with members of the Richard Childress racing team. Doesn’t sound like too bad of a way for maintenance and reliability aficionados to while away a a few hours, does it? Given the fact I love fast cars and have enormous respect for the professionals who drive and maintain them, I’m really fired up about this opportunity (and hope you are, too).

Why don’t you make plans to join us at Asset Management 2011? If you haven’t already, go here immediately to register. Then, start your packing. SKF, Bob Williamson and I are looking forward to seeing you in Phoenix this November!

jalexander@atpnetwork.com