Our keynote speaker for NEDME 2024 will be Angela Wilhelms of Oregon Business & Industry (OBI), a membership association advocating for businesses and a healthy economy. Angela’s keynote will focus on the state of manufacturing in Oregon, and will be of interest to our entire electronics community in the Pacific Northwest. Angela took some time out of her very busy schedule to sit down with us to share her observations about OBI, changes on their way for the electronics industry, and on the ways in which NEDME brings value to its exhibitors and attendees.
What has been one of your favorite work projects of the last few years?
In 2022 we launched a new multi-pronged manufacturing initiative aimed at raising awareness of and support for Oregon’s diverse and impactful manufacturing sector. The initiative has three signature features, with others added in as opportunities arise. Those three features are: (1) Economic impact reports highlighting the contributions of manufacturing to the state’s economy; (2) an annual Manufacturing and Innovation Roadshow where we drive a giant, wrapped bus around to various manufacturing companies (and some related entities, like training centers) to get legislators and local elected officials out of their offices and into these innovative facilities; and (3) the annual Coolest Thing Made in Oregon competition, a bracket-style competition where the public can nominate and then vote for their favorite Oregon made products. All of these culminate in October to coincide with National Manufacturing Month.
Tell us about a change you see coming in the industry, and a way in which companies should be positioned to meet it.
Manufacturers, designers, innovators and all of the businesses that support them are facing a dramatic rise in regulatory complexity, scope and cost at both the state and federal levels (sometimes the local level, too!). It is imperative that companies engage in policymaking. This is not where owners, operators and managers want to spend their time, but it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to tell their story, provide examples and anecdotes, and play a role in the work to educate policymakers about the direct and indirect consequences of certain laws and regulations. Companies can do this directly, through associations and organizations, or both.
What is one thing that you hope people will take away from your presentation?
Oregon has long been a state known for manufacturing and innovation. It is critical that policymakers do not take this history for granted and, instead, take necessary strides in economic development, regulatory modernization, and updating laws and policies that could stymie growth. If they do, Oregon can remain a manufacturing powerhouse, punching far above its weight in the national and global landscape.
Why should folks attend NEDME 2024?
NEDME is a tremendous opportunity for connectivity and education. From the breakouts to the exhibit hall, this is a must-do event for folks in the industry.