Forming Our Future 2023 Recap and Highlights
Friday, March 10, 2023
By: Drew Gutierrez
More than 200 PMA members headed to Huntington Beach, CA, for Forming Our Future 2023! Members enjoyed the keynote presentations and educational sessions as well the numerous opportunities to see old friends and make new ones!
Day One
The conference started off with a special reception for first timers, where they mingled with one another and met PMA’s executive board members and their spouses. After the reception, the rest of the conference attendees joined the first timers for the early arrivals reception.
Day Two
Connie Podesta returned to FOF and once again was our opening keynote speaker. With her high-energy presentation, Connie made attendees understand how their personalities affect their work and leadership of others.
After Connie, Connor Lokar of ITR Economics gave an update on everything economics and ITR’s forecasting for 2023 and 2024. We finished up the day’s presentations with a Washington, D.C. update from our advocacy team.
Day two concluded with the Chairman’s Themed Reception and Dinner: Vintage California Dreamin’. Participants dressed in their favorite board shorts and beach shirts, and hanged 10 on a surf simulator and traveled back in time in a VW bus photo booth.
Day Three
Day three began with an update from PMA’s metal experts who provided a metals marketplace forecast for 2023 and 2024.
After the metals update, we moved into our breakout educational sessions that covered important topics in our industry: succession planning, OSHA updates, cybersecurity, workforce development and more.
Day three concluded with participants taking part in our annual golf shamble or a foodie tour of Newport Beach.
Day Four
The final day of the conference started with the PMA and PMAEF annual business session, followed by a celebration of our 2022 officers and welcoming our 2023 officers. PMA’s 2023 chair, Jeff Aznavorian of Clips & Clamps Industries, discussed his path to becoming chair and introduced his goals for the year.
We ended the conference presentations with Laurie Harbour, preparing for the next generation of manufacturing, and Bill Coughlin, making a business a force for good.
After the presentations ended, participants took in more of what Huntington Beach had to offer by kayaking around the harbor or taking a Duffy boat tour to see the coastline sights. The conference came to an end with the final group dinner, Old Hollywood Reception, Dinner and Dancing!
Forming Our Future 2023 was amazing and we enjoyed gathering our industry’s leaders in one place to continue driving the metalforming industry forward. Thank you to our sponsors, speakers and participants for making this a great conference!
Make sure to mark March 6-9, 2024 on your calendars for Forming Our Future 2024 in Orlando, FL.
Day One
The conference started off with a special reception for first timers, where they mingled with one another and met PMA’s executive board members and their spouses. After the reception, the rest of the conference attendees joined the first timers for the early arrivals reception.
Day Two
Connie Podesta returned to FOF and once again was our opening keynote speaker. With her high-energy presentation, Connie made attendees understand how their personalities affect their work and leadership of others.
After Connie, Connor Lokar of ITR Economics gave an update on everything economics and ITR’s forecasting for 2023 and 2024. We finished up the day’s presentations with a Washington, D.C. update from our advocacy team.
Day two concluded with the Chairman’s Themed Reception and Dinner: Vintage California Dreamin’. Participants dressed in their favorite board shorts and beach shirts, and hanged 10 on a surf simulator and traveled back in time in a VW bus photo booth.
Day Three
Day three began with an update from PMA’s metal experts who provided a metals marketplace forecast for 2023 and 2024.
After the metals update, we moved into our breakout educational sessions that covered important topics in our industry: succession planning, OSHA updates, cybersecurity, workforce development and more.
Day three concluded with participants taking part in our annual golf shamble or a foodie tour of Newport Beach.
Day Four
The final day of the conference started with the PMA and PMAEF annual business session, followed by a celebration of our 2022 officers and welcoming our 2023 officers. PMA’s 2023 chair, Jeff Aznavorian of Clips & Clamps Industries, discussed his path to becoming chair and introduced his goals for the year.
We ended the conference presentations with Laurie Harbour, preparing for the next generation of manufacturing, and Bill Coughlin, making a business a force for good.
After the presentations ended, participants took in more of what Huntington Beach had to offer by kayaking around the harbor or taking a Duffy boat tour to see the coastline sights. The conference came to an end with the final group dinner, Old Hollywood Reception, Dinner and Dancing!
Forming Our Future 2023 was amazing and we enjoyed gathering our industry’s leaders in one place to continue driving the metalforming industry forward. Thank you to our sponsors
Make sure to mark March 6-9, 2024 on your calendars for Forming Our Future 2024 in Orlando, FL.