A PGA golf resort in sunny Florida, Dirty Jobs and the global supply chain. What do these disparate things have in common? The answer is simple: They all have to do with the 2015 MHI Executive Summit and Annual Conference, being held October 4-6, 2015 at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. MHI is the nation’s largest material handling, logistics and supply chain association – so it’s only logical that Outsource Equipment Company, which is headquartered just a couple of hours south in Oviedo, Florida – will be attending the event.
Okay, so you may be wondering where does Dirty Jobs fits into all this.
It’s because CNN Host Mike Rowe (originally made famous by his long-running series Dirty Jobs on the Discovery Channel) is a keynote presenter. You also might ask why Mike Rowe would be speaking at a material handling industry conference. If so, then read the official description of his presentation, titled “Why Dirty Jobs Matter”:
In this talk, Mike Rowe gives an illuminating account of the true nature of skilled labor, and why it’s being devalued by the media, advertising, and even the government. Why are people who do dirty jobs some of the happiest people you’ll ever meet? What lessons can we learn about teamwork, determination, efficiency and our definition of success? With conviction, humor and deep humanity, Mike Rowe reminds us of the enormous but forgotten benefits of hard, honest work and how it affects everything from our national identity to our infrastructure to the economy.
Sounds intriguing. Because while robotics and automation are sweeping the material handling industry, hard-working front-line employees remain the heart of businesses across the country – making this an immensely relevant topic.
Of course, as the MHI Annual Conference is a supply chain education platform for manufacturing and distribution companies, most of the three-day meeting will deal with global supply-chain topics, such as:
- Workforce Development – Building the future supply chain workforce.
- Inventory Optimization – Omni-channel fulfillment.
- Investment Strategy – Investing in material handling solutions for future success.
- Automation & Big Data – The impact of automation and big data on supply chains.
I’ll be there to represent Outsource Equipment Company and keep up on the latest trends in material handling and distribution. Personally, I’m especially looking forward to hearing Mike Rowe, as well as the panel discussion, “The Evolving Nature of Fulfillment”, with panelists from Tesla Motors, Michael Kors and David’s Bridal. Hope to see you in Ponte Vedra Beach.
