Dec, 17, 2020 – Outgoing Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Board Chair Jeff Reed, president and CEO of Reed International/VSS Macropaver, addressed some of the critical issues AEM members will face this coming year. “The issue of COVID-19 isn’t behind us, and that will continue to be the case in 2021 and beyond,” he stated. “We’ve learned to be efficient while being apart from one another, largely thanks to technology. Certain applications have been exceptionally efficient. For example, this year’s virtual AEM Fly-In is an example of how to conduct an in-person event virtually. While it can’t – and shouldn’t – replace how we’ve done it in the past — as personal interactions are just so important – it was great to see us find a way to get faces in front of a lot of important people in an efficient and effective way. That brings me to trade shows. We’ve made so many modifications to how trade shows will be presented, and there’s no question in my mind that virtual trade shows and partially virtual trade shows are an area where we have to be on the cutting edge and the instigator of change. Lastly, with a new administration, there are challenges and opportunities associated with that change for our industry, and we need to make our political voice heard more strongly than ever before with a clarity of purpose.”