OK, audience. I’m going to divide you into two groups. Everybody whose company is a member of AGMA, please move over to the left-hand side of the room, and everybody else, please move over to the right.

According to our latest surveys, that should put about half of you on the left and half of you on the right. To those of you on the non-AGMA side of the room: Do you ever wonder what you’re missing?

I’ve just returned from the AGMA/ABMA annual meeting in Napa, CA. Once per year, executives from the AGMA and ABMA gather to conduct the business of the association (see p. 52 for our follow-up article), but also to network, learn and have some fun.

This year’s program included seven speakers, ranging from motivational to educational, and nearly everyone I’ve spoken to walked away with new insights on the economy, supply chains, the electrification of the automotive industry, artificial intelligence, the upcoming presidential election and innovative approaches to workforce challenges.

In addition, the annual meeting is always a great opportunity to meet with peers across the entire power transmission supply chain. It’s just one of many association events where competitors, suppliers and colleagues can meet to advance the goals of the industry as a whole, conduct business, and—maybe most importantly—form lifelong friendships.

It makes me wonder why more of you don’t consider crossing the aisle to the other side of the room.

I recently had a discussion with the founder of a gear-industry company who has been watching from the outside for more than 10 years and is just now beginning the process of joining AGMA. For 10 years he was intimidated and didn’t know where to start.

But the AGMA is not like the high school cafeteria, where only the cool kids could sit at certain tables. In the gear industry, everyone’s cool. Long gone are the days of clandestine meetings in smoke-filled back rooms. When our industry gets together, it’s collegial, collaborative and inclusive. I’ve seen it up close and personal—not just at the annual meeting—but at every AGMA event I’ve attended.

Reach out to anyone who is involved with the association, and you’ll see.

Of course, joining an association comes with a price tag, and that is always a consideration. For many companies, access to the latest standards and participation in the standards-making process is enough to justify the cost. But most people (even among the membership) don’t know all the ways AGMA brings value to its members.

One example is the association’s focus on the emerging technologies that will shape our industry for decades to come. See page 36 for our “Frontiers” column, written by AGMA’s director of emerging technology, Mary Ellen Doran.

When you add in discounted educational opportunities, discounted exhibit space at MPT Expo and members-only events like the annual meeting, the value can add up quickly. There’s not nearly enough space here to cover it all.

So if you’re in the non-AGMA half of the room (or even if you’re not!), I encourage you to visit agma.org to learn more. Or just reach out to me at stott@agma.org. I’ll be happy to help you get involved.