President's Message | January 2020

President's Message

Happy New Year to our cherished WiM member community! This month has flown by and I am astonished that we are already welcoming in February. Here in Cleveland, where WiM is headquartered, February means frigid temperatures and a longing for spring.

I often reflect on the wisdom that was given to me in my younger years to cherish time and live in the present. Wishing that winter would end already is one of those instances where we hope to speed up time to get to the next thing—the next season, the next quarter, the next vacation. I find myself doing this far too often, and as my two pre-teens are rapidly growing and making their way into high school, I finally understand the adage of cherishing time. I don’t want to rush the remaining years that I have my son and daughter at home; I don’t want to rush the years I have with my two living parents; and most importantly, I don’t want to rush through the remaining days I am blessed to have on this earth.

As we continue through this new year I hope that you also reflect on appreciating each day, even if it is 10 degrees outside, a rotten day marred with disasters, or even one when we aren’t mentally or physically feeling our best.

I am so looking forward to this year personally and professionally. 2020 marks a milestone for the Women in Manufacturing Association as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of our SUMMIT and the birth of our group. This year we also induct our first class of women into the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame and launch a new Leadership Consortium to continue efforts to equip women leaders with the tools they need to be successful.

I am excited to work with all of you in 2020 to support, promote and inspire current and future generations of women in manufacturing!

Allison Grealis
Founder and President 
Women in Manufacturing (WiM)