Northwest Aerospace News December 2018 | January 2019 Issue No. 6 | Page 51

PACIFIC NORTHWEST AEROSPACE ALLIANCE SPOTLIGHT
F
orbes doesn’t hold back when describing this, highlighting that “The energy
and inspiration you will take away with you is practically immeasurable.”
When it comes to learning and market intelligence, PNAA’s conference focuses
on providing the market outlooks and trends that set businesses up for success for
the year and beyond. Every year multiple industry experts fly in to provide their
latest perspectives on the industry, including Richard Aboulafia of Teal Group and
Dr. Kevin Michaels of Aerodynamic Advisory. This is complemented by sessions
hosted by large multinational companies, including Boeing, Airbus and numerous
Tier 1s, in addition to the expertise provided by multiple small and medium-sized
enterprises. Many attendees recognize the value to their business in planning out
the coming year, with Chris Schatz, director of programs and marketing at Exotic
Metals Forming in Kent, Washington, commenting, “This is a great conference
to understand and connect with industry activities, especially as it occurs at the
beginning of the year when many organizations are rolling out the year’s expecta-
tions. Being able to get copies of the presentations is also very beneficial to allow
us to share the information internally.”
Make the connections that make a difference
In an industry where delivery, quality and safety can make or break a company’s
reputation, a high level of understanding and trust between suppliers, customers
and partners is critical – hence relationships are as critical as the engineering
advances that pioneer us into the future. Conferences provide a fast way to make
a vast network of connections. Even for those of us who are a little more
reserved, being in an atmosphere where everyone is looking to network and can
connect over the content being provided, the opportunities to make new connec-
tions are significant. And for those conferences where people travel from across
the globe to be there, it provides a unique opportunity for you to meet people
from companies you may not otherwise have encountered. Johnny Tolbert,
director of business development at Enikon Aerospace USA, Bothell, Washing-
ton, finds this to be the case at the PNAA conference, describing the event as an
”Opportunity to meet several OEMs, suppliers, Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies –
opportunities that wouldn’t have been available without the conference.” New
connections can be made through both targeted networking and B2B meetings
— and don’t underestimate the value of the social events that take place around
the conference!
The benefits of networking come in many forms — potential new customers,
new suppliers, new perspectives, and new points of introduction to additional
networks. In some cases, people even leave conferences with new advisors and
mentors. At PNAA’s 2018 conference one of the expert presenters, Anthony
Nicoli, aerospace and defense director at Mentor (a Siemens business) in Wil-
sonville, Oregon, was approached by an industry veteran offering to support his
expansion into new markets. Anthony commented, “I wasn’t expecting a region-
al event to have so many large companies and great speakers. I was pleasantly
surprised by my first experience at this conference and even walked away with a
new mentor!” The irony of a mentor for Mentor was not lost on him.
Where locals make
global connections
PNAA’s Aerospace Conference
is a must-attend annual event
not just for the Pacific North-
west, but also for the glob-
al supply chain… for several
years, our company has been a
fervent supporter and sponsor
of this annual gathering for its
up-to-date industry content
and networking opportunities.
We hope to see everybody
there next February!
Jim Lee, General Manager,
Tool Gauge, Tacoma, WA
DECEMBER | JANUARY 2019 ISSUE NO. 6
51