May 2021 Volume 3

MEMBERS SPEAK

Members Speak By Douglas McIntyre

OpeningThoughts Let me start with how proud I am to be a Forger! Throughout my 25-year career in forging, I have been fortunate enough to be on both the supplier and producer sides of our industry. When I reflect on these opportunities one thing stands out: the Forging Industry Association provides the link that connects us all. The relationships the FIA builds not only provide opportunities for you today, but for your future as well. I amhonored to be the 108th Board Chair of the Forging Industry Association. I plan to approach this year with the same “Let’s Go” attitude with whichWeber Metals opened 2021. I am sure many of us have experienced personal loss and setbacks due to COVID-19, and I would also guess many have experienced professional and business setbacks during this past year. Just as we all navigated our business through COVID, the FIA did the same for our industry. As members, we often build the strongest connections through the FIA’s various events, so a year without any in-person contact posed a real challenge. I am appreciative of the creativity shown by the FIA and its staff to keep us all connected. The FIA is designed to bring us together as forgers. As we open up more, we will balance this mission with the safety of our members. I was very pleased with the Board’s united decision to delay our annual meeting to the summer and give everyone an opportunity to get vaccinated and attend in person if desired. In the end, this all speaks to the strong foundation of support the FIA has built over its many years of existence. I am confident that this dedication of both the organization and its members will guide us to the 109th Chair and beyond. What Does FIA and FIERFMean toWeber? I wanted to see how our employees would describe the impact of the FIA and FIERF on Weber. Those who have been members for many years shared appreciation for the community of leaders and suppliers that the FIA creates. Due to our shared industry, we are able to spur ideas and insights with individuals experiencing similar challenges and opportunities. FIERF holds a special place for those of us at Weber, having had our team participate on the Board. The investment FIERF makes to education sprouts the talent we will all rely on as our industry moves forward. Even today, our next generation of forgers at Weber see the support the FIA provides through its many networking, educational, and advocacy initiatives.The FIA gives a voice to our forging community, bringing innovation and continued growth to our industry.

Strategic Planning for FIA and FIERF It’s time again to review and renew FIA & FIERF’s strategic plans. It’s been a short-not-quite three years since the plans were adopted, and much has been accomplished. Both boards worked together in 2018 and established an industry scan before developing their own plans. The heart of each plan is focused on current and future workforce development, which motivated both boards this time around to work on one single strategic plan going forward; makes sense as both organizations support each other. The work begins in a day-long session before our Annual Meeting. We’ll want all members’ input, so look for a survey coming from FIA staff soon. New Initiatives in 2021 • Get ready soon to get your first look at the newForgingUniversity. Staff has been busy converting our e-learning-based forging courses to our own platform. • With the aid of a workforce development grant from the Defense Logistics Agency administered by our Forging Defense Manufacturing Consortium (FDMC) partner ATI Inc., we’ll be able to develop new e-learning courses faster all the way thru 2025. • Our newLightweight Alloys Committee and soon-to-be-meeting HR Committee have been approved by the FIA board in response to evolving member needs. I’m pleased to announce our first ever Lightweight Alloys Conference for mid-February in the Raleigh- area. Contact FIA staff to get involved in these or anyFIAprograms. These are just a few to mention here. You are always welcome to contact me with your thoughts on how we can improve our association, and please be sure to complete your member interest survey as we head into strategic planning in June – coming to your inbox soon. Closing In closing, I would like to thank Mike Gill for his willingness to lead from behind the scenes over the past year as we locked down for COVID-19. I look forward to stepping through the door with him when we all meet again for the FIA Annual Meeting. Thank you to the FIA members for the opportunity to serve as your Chairman. I hope to see you soon, whether it is at the Annual Meeting, Forge Fair or other FIA activities that will connect us in the future. It’s 2021 – Let’s Go! ■

Douglas McIntyre President & CEO Weber Metals, Inc. Email: DouglasMcIntyre@webermetals.com

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FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2021