Contact: Stacy K. Nelson
Marketing Communications
SMC³
770.486.5853 phone
770.486.0928 fax snelson@smc3.com
SMC³ Announces 48th Annual Winter Meeting
Attendees to gain insight on the Economy and Homeland Security
October 30, 2002- Peachtree City, Georgia - SMC³, the leading provider of Technology Tools for Transportation®, announced today the dates and location for it's 48th Annual Winter Meeting. The conference, entitled Investigating Today's Critical Issues: the Economy, Homeland Security and Your Business, will be held at the Renaissance Concourse Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, January 21-22, 2003.
The forum agenda, designed for executive/corporate management, technical professionals, analysts and other transportation professionals, features expert speakers and provides attendees with the latest issues and trends affecting their day-to-day business.
"The transportation industry grows and thrives upon quality information exchange," said Jack E. Middleton, President & CEO, SMC³. "With every SMC³ Annual Meeting, we strive to design the agenda to give attendees valuable and useful information for their business needs. This year's meeting really hits the mark since there is no doubt that the economy and homeland security are at the forefront of everyone's mind as we enter 2003."
Scheduled guest speakers are:
§ Bob Barr, U.S. Congressman, is scheduled to provide attendees with the latest news about the implementation of the USA Patriot Act and other security legislation currently underway, as well as the legislation's implications for U.S. business, the economy and the transportation industry.§ Dr. James R. Giermanski, Professor and Director of International Business Studies at Belmont Abbey College, will moderate the "Doing Business in Mexico" panel and provide his point of view on the distribution infrastructure and economics of operating in Mexico.
§ Dr. Donald Ratajczak, acknowledged by the Wall Street Journal as one of the 20 most quoted economists in the world, will focus on the global, national and regional economic forecasts for 2003. He will also review his predictions from last year and explain how 'real world' influences affected the way things really played out.
§ John Bagileo, nationally recognized transportation attorney, will provide an analysis of the latest Washington legislative news. He will analyze and interpret the most recent legislative actions and laws that directly affect the transportation industry. He will also provide an update on the rulemaking proceedings of the STB.
§ Jerry Cooper, Field Administrator, Southern Service Center for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, will discuss the Agency's role in implementation and regulation of the TSA's standards, changes in their operations since 9/11/01 and what the FMSCA anticipates for the future of homeland security.
§ Satish Jindel, Principal of SJ Consulting Group, will summarize the differences between the package and motor carrier segments of the transportation industry, analyzing the impact of the UPS labor agreement and any strategic changes it may necessitate in the future, and forecasting the impact a similar labor agreement would have on the motor carrier industry.
§ Mark H. Johnson, Deputy Associate Under Secretary for Maritime and Land Security for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will explore the TSA's role in establishing homeland security benchmarks, including a description of existing and planned standards for the different modes of transportation that impact the supply chain.
§ Carolyn Scott, founding partner of McCoy, Scott & Company, will address attendees on the state of the retail industry for 2003. She will also discuss the rise and fall in consumer spending and confidence and recap her forecast from 2002 to examine the way things really unfolded.
§ Esteban Zimbrón, Consultant on Mexican Markets for SMC³, will be participating in a panel discussion on "Doing Business in Mexico." His focus will be on the cultural differences in operations between Mexico and the U.S.
Please click here to explore detailed conference information and to register or call 770.486.5878.
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About SMC³
Founded in 1935, SMC³ is a leading nationwide provider of Technology Tools for Transportation. SMC³'s mission is to enable its customers to achieve greater success in the marketplace by supplying advanced technology tools, superior data management services and smart processes to ensure the accurate and timely availability of pricing information throughout the transportation community.
SMC3 presently serves more than 5,000 customers throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The company is headquartered in Peachtree City, Georgia, and has a satellite office in Lou