FMA CEO receives CMA Leadership Award from NAM

Ed Youdell, president and CEO of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association International today received the annual CMA Leadership Award from the Council of Manufacturing Associations of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). The award recognized Youdell's leadership in creating the concept of a national Manufacturing Day and bringing together other industry-leading organizations including NAM, The Manufacturing Institute, and the U.S. Commerce Department's Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to collaborate as co-producers.

The Leadership Award was unveiled by the CMA Board of Directors in 2001 and is given annually to the association chief staff officer who has done the most to further the CMA's mission. The recipient is selected by the Chairman of the Council and is honored at the annual Winter Leadership Conference, held this year in Annapolis, Md.

"I am humbled that an idea which started as what seemed like a bit of a pipe dream about how to bolster the image of manufacturing in America and draw attention to its great career opportunities led to this recognition," said Youdell. "The event will continue to grow and prosper because of the dozens of organizations that now support it and the hundreds of participating companies." Manufacturing Day 2013 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4. More information is available at mfgday.com.

Youdell also was elected to a three-year term on the CMA Board of Directors at today's conference.

Based in Rockford, Ill., FMA is a professional organization with nearly 2,500 members working together to improve the metal processing, forming, and fabricating industry. Founded in 1970, FMA brings metal fabricators and fabricating equipment manufacturers together through technology councils, educational programs, networking events, and the FABTECH® tradeshow. FMA publishes seven industry magazines and also has two technology affiliates, the Tube & Pipe Association, Intl. (TPA), which focuses on the unique needs of companies engaged in tube and pipe producing and fabricating; and Green Manufacturer Network, a professional organization of individual members dedicated to working toward environmentally-friendly manufacturing.