AIA | The Suppliers' Voice, November/December 2007

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THE SUPPLIERS' VOICE: November/December 2007 Volume 8, No. 2

Supplier Management Council Celebrates First Decade
SMC Chairs: A Decade of Strong Leadership
2008 Associate Member/SMC Events
SMC: 10 Years And Counting

Supplier Management Council Celebrates First Decade

Bill Lewandowski, now retired as AIA's Vice President of Supplier Management, told attendees at the Supplier Management Council anniversary dinner that "helping guide the amazing growth and development of the SMC over the past 10 years has meant a lot. Thanks to SMC initiatives, the supplier segment of the aerospace industry has advanced significantly in the past decade and will reach an even higher level under Dave Pauling's leadership." Lewandowski said he plans to continue working with small companies as a consultant.

AIA's Supplier Management Council (SMC) celebrated its 10th anniversary with a gala dinner in Atlanta in October at which past and present SMC leaders paid tribute to the Council and its accomplishments.

A strolling violinist provided ambiance for the evening, and plaques were awarded to charter members and two former SMC chairs, Judy Northup of Vought Aircraft Industries and Blair French of The Boeing Company, who spoke about their involvement with the Council.

Accepting an award from current SMC Chairman Vince Hrenak, retiring AIA Vice President of Supplier Management Bill Lewandowski thanked his family for pitching in to support the SMC over the past decade — wife Chris hosted the first SMC booth at the Paris Air Show, daughter Cheryl designed the Council's logo, and son Jim developed the first recruitment brochure.

10 Years of Action and Achievement
Founded in conjunction with AIA's new associate membership category in 1997, the SMC was formed with a small core of 30 companies. The group's first meeting took place in Long Beach, Calif., and featured a tour of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III assembly line. That meeting was followed by more than 20 other Council business gatherings at sites across the country.

A decade later, the Council is an influential force in the aerospace and defense industry, bolstered by its roster of 175 associate members.

The SMC has provided a voice for aerospace suppliers on numerous occasions. In August 2002, for example, four SMC leaders testified before the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry: Vought's Northup, Mike Grosso of Dynabil, Peter Rettaliata of Air Industries Machining Corporation, and Joe Murphy of The Ferco Group.

SMC members have taken their clout to Capitol Hill in a string of issue-focused "March to the Hill" campaigns in each of the past four years. Also, associate member presence at international air shows — including Paris, Farnborough, and Dubai — has flourished, providing suppliers with opportunities to engage with their industry colleagues and customers.

Looking Ahead
Suppliers continue to face a complex matrix of issues from the consequences of an expanding global marketplace to employee healthcare and professional development.

Along with new challenges comes a new leader. David Pauling, AIA's senior director of technical operations, is succeeding Lewandowski as AIA vice president of supplier management.

As the SMC embarks on its second decade, it will have successfully marked a milestone, a celebration, and a beginning.

Supplier Management Council Chairman Vince Hrenak (at podium) of Raytheon Company is joined by former chairs Blair French (second from right) of The Boeing Company and Judy Northup, now retired from Vought Aircraft Industries, in a tribute to retiring AIAVice President of Supplier Management Bill Lewandowski (center). With Lewandowski are members of his family: (from left) daughters Melissa and Cheryl, his wife Chris, and his son Jim. The Atlanta gathering celebrated the SMC's 10th anniversary and Lewandowski's retirement from AIA.

Hugh Quigley (at podium), president of DynaBil Industries, Inc., shares a chuckle with Pete Rettaliata (left),CEO of Air Industries Machining Corporation, and Bill Lewandowski, AIA vice president of supplier management, during the Supplier Management Council (SMC) anniversary dinner. Quigley and Rettaliata described how valuable the SMC has been to their companies over the past decade.

Incoming AIA Vice President of Supplier Management Dave Pauling displays an award he received at the Supplier Management Council's anniversary dinner in October. He succeeds Bill Lewandowski who has retired. Pauling joined AIA earlier this year after serving as assistant deputy undersecretary of defense for materiel readiness and maintenance policy. Before that, he spent several years at the Naval Air Systems Command.

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SMC Chairs: A Decade of Strong Leadership
1998-1999
Fred Finley, Raytheon Company

2000-2001
Blair French, The Boeing Company

2002-2003
Judy Northup, Vought Aircraft Industries

2004-2007
Vince Hrenak, Raytheon Company

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2008 Associate Member/SMC Events

SMC Executive Committee Meeting, January 9, 2008, The Westin Horton Plaza, San Diego
Spring SMC Meeting, March 4-6, 2008, Renaissance Charleston, Charleston, S.C
Summer SMC Meeting, June 2-4, 2008, Key Bridge Marriott, Va.
Fall SMC Meeting, October 7-9, 2008, Marriott Manhattan Beach, Calif.

For more information, contact Karn Henderson at karn.henderson@aia-aerospace.org or Peggy Boyd at peggy.boyd@aia-aerospace.org.

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SMC: 10 Years and Counting
AIA's Supplier Management Council in 2007 is celebrating 10 years of leadership on behalf of America's aerospace suppliers.

Formed with 20 pioneering members, a decade later the council is a mature body of strength and influence in the aerospace and defense industry, bolstered by a dynamic roster of 172 AIA associate members.

Welcome to the newest associate members:

Ballistic Recovery Systems
Brookfield Atlantic

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