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Nolan’s Notes: The Rise of the EMS Summit

A summit is defined as “a meeting or conference of heads of state, especially to conduct diplomatic negotiations and ease international tensions. Or, any meeting or conference of top-level officials, executives, etc.” With that in mind, I believe the EMS Leadership Summit at IPC APEX EXPO was well named.

I spent the entire day at the summit, listening to the speakers and talking to attendees. I found a high level of engagement from both speakers and guests, and rightly so; there was plenty to talk about. What surprised me was the relatively low attendance. “This is information that everyone needs to hear,” I thought to myself.

More than at any time in the past 20 years—more than ever, perhaps—there are myriad simultaneous dynamics in motion. In early 2020, as the world temporarily shut down in reaction to the outbreak of COVID, some business organizations (IPC among them) created forums where business leaders in that industry could get the latest updates, compare notes, and generally help each other navigate all the uncertainty. Here at I-Connect007, we took a similar tack, opening our publications to industry leaders. Anyone who had an update to share got an interview. We kept it short (five minutes or so), on topic, and up-to-the-minute whenever possible. We were all trying to get the word out about the rapidly changing pandemic situation.

Personally, I see parallels between those COVID crisis management sessions, and events such as the EMS Leadership Summit, the Pan Pacific Conference hosted by SMTA, and the conferences hosted in Europe by EIPC. Sure, changing market dynamics may move more slowly and methodically than the flash flood of a viral pandemic, but the slow drip-drip of water can move the earth just as dramatically as a flood. It’s just a matter of pacing; the impact can be just as significant.

To that end, the April 2023 issue of SMT007 Magazine allows the presenters of the EMS Leadership Forum a wider stage, an opportunity to reach more of the industry with their findings. We reached out to all the presenters on the agenda, and quite a few chose to participate. Attend next year’s session if you want to get all the insight. I’m reminded of Mark Wolfe’s piece in this issue, in which he both qualifies and quantifies the effect these sessions had on his 30-year career in EMS.

Industry CEOs widely stated that the COVID leadership briefings were a critical channel for updates and information specific to our industry. Participants shared in an open forum and helped each other navigate a rapidly unfolding situation, for the survival of us all. That need to hang together continues; our industry is better for us all when there are more companies specializing in a wider range of capabilities, complementing each other. Why wouldn’t we continue with that spirit? If not at the EMS Leadership Summit at IPC APEX EXPO, then somewhere else. We’re much stronger when we support each other.

We’re always on the lookout for challenges, topics, and opportunities in EMS. Let us know what’s on your mind.

This column originally appears in the April 2023 issue of SMT007 Magazine.