AEM Member Conference Set for November

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) says its 2010 annual conference of member companies will be held Nov. 7-9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas, at the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country. “Critical Ignition” is the theme of the conference, designed to bring together industry leaders to discuss market strategies.

The yearly event is billed by AEM as an educational and networking gathering for senior executives in the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. The AEM says the goal of this year’s conference is for attendees to “improve profit and loss balance sheets by providing critical ‘sparks’ to ‘ignite’ business to the next level with the right products, in the right markets, at the right time.”

The program agenda also includes leadership, innovation, politics, the transatlantic economy, global regulatory issues, customer service, energy opportunities and sustainable development. Panel discussions on construction and agriculture, with a focus on geographic areas and rental patterns, will also help attendees better understand changing trends and develop new growth strategies, according to the AEM.

Speakers include Douglas Oberhelman, CEO and chairman-elect of Caterpillar Inc.; Dr. J. Don Brock, chairman and CEO of Astec Industries; Dr. Georg Sick, president and CEO of Wacker Neuson; and Peter Holt, a fourth-generation leader of the HOLT CAT dealership and owner of the San Antonio Spurs.

Also on the agenda are John Hofmeister, former president of Shell Oil Co. and founder of Citizens for Affordable Energy; A.G. Lafley, former chairman, CEO and president of Procter & Gamble; John Bruton, former European Union Ambassador to the U.S. and former Prime Minister of Ireland; and Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of “The Hotline,” a daily briefing on American politics.

The association will conduct its annual business meeting during the conference, with election of directors, recognition of longtime “milestone member” companies and progress reports on AEM’s business development and advocacy programs that benefit members and the industry. The AEM will also hold several board-level committee meetings in conjunction with the conference.

Details and online registration are available in the “Education” section of the AEM website at www.aem.org.