Amelia Compton Wolff and I are editors of Insight and Insight on Manufacturing, respectively. But both Amelia’s and my touches are on every one of the 18 magazines you receive from Insight Publications each year.
Amelia penned the wonderful September IOM cover story on refugees in manufacturing, so I was reticent to assign her another heavy lift for November. But she happily tackled my hulking fullback of an idea to cover the U.S. semiconductor chip shortage. And she deserves an MVP award for the results. I learned so much reading her cover story, which starts on page 8. She says she learned volumes more writing the story. Not only did we both gain a better appreciation for what a semiconductor chip even is — and how prevalent they are in our daily lives — but how much more than a platitude “Made in America” should be.
This message was also a major takeaway for me Oct. 26 when I attended my first Manufacturing First Expo & Conference. Just spending a day absorbing the magnitude of the industry in our region and what it means to so many people — not just manufacturers but also bankers, contractors, marketers and even the ATW ice-cream truck — makes me very proud to serve as IOM editor. As I prepare to celebrate not only Thanksgiving but also my one-year anniversary with Insight, I find myself filled with gratitude.
You can find my short recap of Manufacturing First on page 14 of this issue, but I am also happy to save you some time: If you haven’t been involved, you’re missing out. As I write this today from a desk piled with business cards, I implore you to circle Oct. 25, 2023 on your calendar. Thank you to everyone whose dedication this year reinforced that this annual event is a “must-attend” — especially A-Mazing Events, Resch Expo, Ann Franz and everyone at the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, Rick Hearden and all my friends at First Business Bank, and of course my rock-star colleagues at Insight.
Speaking of Insight rock stars, it wouldn’t be Manufacturing First without Brian Rasmussen taking the stage to Toby Keith’s “Made in America.” This year was especially memorable because the music cut early, and he found himself doing a brief a cappella rendition in front of 1,000 of his closest friends. As we laughed about it over a beer that evening, I thought about how Brian has been the face of Insight. He has grown Insight into more than just magazines, and last month he successfully sold the business and set himself on a path to retirement. I’m so happy for him, but also happy that he’s sticking around for a while as my fellow employee of Woodward Communications. I look forward to more memorable Brian moments in the new year!
Thanks for a great 2022,
Kate Bruns
