I attended AISTech in Atlanta last month. For those that don’t know this is the premier steel industry trade show in the US. It was much better than it has been in the last few years. I go for the presentations more than anything else and there were many more presentations given by operators this year. The last few years were mostly vendor presentations which are ok, but it is nice to hear what similar professionals are up to at their facilities.
I also enjoy the Town Hall Forum. Several industry executives are seated on a stage and asked various questions about the industry by a moderator. At the end of the forum they take write-in questions from the audience. I noted a few things:
- All of the executives felt like the economy was picking up and indicated this by noting the amount of capital expenditures by their respective companies.
- A student asked what non-technical skills were important for a successful career. All of the executives answered with the ability to communicate within all levels of the organization. I couldn’t agree more and tell students this all the time.