What is SME?
SME is a nonprofit association of professionals, educators and students committed to promoting and supporting the manufacturing industry. We help manufacturers innovate, grow and prosper by promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and connecting the manufacturing industry. If interested in volunteering, please contact membership@sme.org or sign-up here.

Volunteer Leaders

• SME Board of Directors — Elected by the entire voting membership of SME, the board is made up of leaders from industry, academia and research whose varied backgrounds represent years of experience from a wide array of manufacturing disciplines. Acting as the governing body of SME, the board has the power to establish business policy for SME, order and conduct professional meetings and guide its member units. It has absolute budget authority and complete responsibility for SME's property. Apply here by Feb. 15.
   
• SME Member Council — Comprised of leaders from industry, academia, research and government, the council leads the organization's member engagement activities in chapters, local communities and international Technical Communities. The council is responsible for assisting SME with recognizing and meeting the needs of its membership in a rapidly changing environment, building on its long-term strategic goals, strengthening member participation and formulating recommendations relative to SME membership recruitment, retention and engagement. Note: Applicants must be current voting members of SME in good standing for the year preceding nomination to be eligible for consideration. Apply by Feb. 15.
   
• Chapter Leaders — Consists of chapter chair, chair-elect, secretary and treasurer, who help motivate, organize, build enthusiasm and bring manufacturing together...locally. The chapter leaders oversee membership recruitment and retention endeavors, as well as coordinate the chapter's strategic planning efforts, helping guide the chapter through its short-term and long-term goals. 

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Member Council Committees

The Member Council annually appoints members to the Chapter Enhancement Committee and Student Relations Committee. It also confirms the appointments of members to the Technical Community Committee. 

• Chapter Enhancement Committee oversees the health of professional chapters, with an emphasis on assisting revitalization efforts; provides continuous improvement suggestions for volunteer leadership development; ensures the good work and best practices of the professional chapters are shared for all to benefit from; assures professional chapters are working collaboratively with student chapters and the Technical Communities to provide the ability to share knowledge and enhance the member experience. 
   
  • Emerging Professionals Work Group provides recruitment and retention strategies for emerging professionals (age 18-35) as well as creates project plans to further engage this segment of membership at the chapter level and elsewhere.
     
• Student Relations Committee works with the student chapters to align them with SME's Strategic Plan; ensures the good work and best practices of the professional chapters are shared for all to benefit from; assures student chapters are working collaboratively with the senior chapters and the Technical Communities to provide the ability to share knowledge and enhance the member experience. 
   
• Technical Community Committee completes comprehensive operation guides for the Technical Communities overall, and for each community to solidify common processes; completes a set of defined bylaws for TC policies and rules to ensure the TC is properly represented as a vital part of SME; continues development of a polished TC web presence through community webpages.
   
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Task Group was established in 2022 to help establish awareness of equity within the chapter structure.

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