Over 120 volunteer leaders came together in San Diego September 6-8 during SME's midyear meeting representing SME’s standing and strategic committees, divisions and Board of Directors, to conduct the business of the society and report on the successes of the first half of 2013. The success of this society depends on the time and effort put forth by our volunteer leaders and members. Highlights of this meeting include the Board approving a new Education Sustainability committee of SME to focus on filling the Ph.D. pipeline at mining-related universities, providing a stable pool of research dollars and increasing the breadth of the SME scholarship programs. The Board also approved the FY 2014 budget that includes a redesign of the SME website and installation of an upgraded association management system to better serve the members. Preliminary indications are that the 2014 SME annual meeting in Salt Lake City will be a success. Eighty two percent of the available booth space has already been sold. Overall, your society is in sound financial shape and will continue to serve the members of the global mining community as the leading voice for the industry.
SME gives our members access to critical information, provides many networking opportunities, helps industry professionals advance their careers, gives them an opportunity to contribute to the success and future of the industry in which they have devoted their professional lives, and – more importantly – makes them a part of something larger: an important international organization with a global reach and expanding influence. I am proud to lead this organization in 2013 and report on the success of the many programs that our member volunteers lead on behalf of the mining industry.