RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – The Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), the heavy-duty division of the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA), has announced that Rich Smith, vice president, ICT business division and product marketing of Komatsu, will speak at the third annual conference to be held Oct. 6 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. The conference is jointly presented by HDMA and SAE International, and immediately precedes SAE/COMVEC.
 
Smith will present his world view on key construction and mining trends – touching on the recent uptick in rental markets, the product lines Komatsu believes to be most critical to their success in the near term, and which regions around the globe Komatsu sees future growth potential.
 
Smith has been with Komatsu America for 24 years, beginning his career in 1990 in manufacturing. He has served in a variety of functions at Komatsu including manufacturing, product support, contract administration, technical support and product marketing. His wide range of experience has been of particular value in new product development and expanding business into new markets. Smith served on the National Mining Association Board of Directors, the National Mining Association Manufacturers and Services Board of Governors and has recently been named to the Board of Directors Energy Equipment and Infrastructure Alliance. He is a business administration and management, Summa Cum Laude graduate from the University of Illinois at Springfield and a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society for AACSB accredited business colleges.
 
Registration for this event is now open and available on HDMA’s website, www.hdma.org.