At the recent Power Transmission Distributors Association annual Industry Summit last week in Miami, I, a member of the next generation,” participated in the association’s first-ever reception for attendees under the age of 40. The event was part of an overall effort by the association to “assist the next generation of leaders in the power transmission/motion control industry as they begin to take over the reins at their companies.”
 
The reception I attended -“Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” after the traditional welcome reception the first night -featured a game in the spirit of Halloween to break the ice and facilitate more effective networking. The association split us into groups (which congregated around numbered tables) and challenged us to create the best Halloween costume on one of our group members using an assortment of goods, including toilet paper, aluminum foil, construction paper, feathers and so on. A panel of judges then awarded top prizes for the most creative get-ups.
 
Though one could argue the competition was a little out-there for an association event, it worked precisely for that reason. Everyone who attended had a great time, it forced people to interact in a relaxed way, and I met more people in the next generation at a distribution association meeting than I ever have in the past. I heard great reviews the following evening from members who had attended.
 
Jeff Cloud, director of corporate affairs for IBT Inc., Shawnee Mission, KS, and a member of the PTDA Next Generation Task Force, says this in a press release: “Those of us who will be leading our companies in the future need to be able to connect with other distributors, with business partners and with industry professionals in order to meet the needs of our customers today and tomorrow.”
 
I applaud PTDA for making this effort. Involving the next generation in planning and implementing association events is vital to the future not only of the companies they will eventually lead but also of the associations themselves. Inviting younger members to participate on committees that deal not only with next-gen issues, but other aspects of the industry, will ensure a fresh perspective and that the future needs of the association and industry -populated by these younger members -will be met.