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SNAME - GOOD for BUSINESS

By Joe Comer posted 02-28-2015 10:07 AM

  

Many of you growing up dreamed of having your own business.  If you dreamed of having a maritime related business, SNAME is the place for you!  Even if you are in a corporate leadership role or a job that supports the various maritime businesses, SNAME has something to offer you.

SNAME offers the greatest library of content that addresses most disciplines and interests in the maritime world.  I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to design propellers after college, and SNAME publications was the only place that offered information on how to draw a propeller.

I went to Section meetings early in my career and met many people that helped me solve my day-to-day problems at work.  Your access as a member to the experts in the maritime industry at SNAME is renown!

I spent over thirty years in shipbuilding and the ideas that were shared by SNAME members at Section and Annual meetings were immensely helpful to me as I gained experience.

When I decided to start a naval architecture and marine engineering firm, those contacts of old rallied, whenever asked, to help me navigate my way through the 'business' process.  They shared business plans and methods of managing a NA&ME business.  Our business would not have grown and been as successful as it has been without an intimate association with SNAME, for which I am very appreciative.

I encourage you to share your SNAME business benefit on this blog to help young and old see the value for your business in being a member of SNAME.

7 comments
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Comments

William Cowardin
06-10-2015 09:53 PM

I was recruited into SNAME at the end of my Sophomore year in College. A Student leader called me and said "Of course you want to be a member of SNAME...it is *the* professional organization for people in this degree field" (or words to that effect).
I have had five jobs in my career. All were because of personal connections. Four of the five were because of SNAME connections. And there were other job offers (not accepted) because of SNAME. Numerous times in my career, my fellow SNAME members have always been willing to sit for a few minutes or a few hours to discuss business. I have benefited from their advice, technical knowledge, professional mentorship, and in many cases, friendship.
My constant advice to graduating members of our profession is stay involved in SNAME. Find a role and contribute. When I was a junior engineer, a leader of our industry gave a presentation on "professionalism." He told us that we were members of a profession. He said that being a member of a profession meant that you were benefiting for the labors of all those before you. And he said that being a "professional" meant contributing back to your profession for the benefit of those who will follow in your footsteps.
SNAME is not just good for business... SNAME is good for YOU!

Tom Mackey
06-04-2015 06:45 PM

I have been a SNAME member for more than 50 years, from the time I was an undergrad student at the Univ of Michigan. SNAME was exremely helpful to me professionally while a student member. It exposed me to much more of the marine industry than I would otherwise have expereince. My first job after graduate school was in Cleveland OH working primarily with the Great Lakes marine industry. Attending Great Lakes section meetings greatly accelerated the development of relations in this industry. When I became President of Hyde Marine I continued to benefit from SNAME as a source of contacts around North America and eventually worldwide. SNAME was helpful in finding experienced emloyees and helping unexpereinced ones learn about the industry. Even after I sold the company several years ago, I continued to benefit from SNAME and other professional societies.
SNAME is good for business for any company in the marine market. A good example is SNAME's international activities such as the World Maritime Conference, WMTC 2015, sponsored for the second time by SNAME this year in Providence RI in November.

John Richards
06-03-2015 11:38 AM

Ideas and knowledge are good, but sometimes, it is not 'what' you know, but 'who' you know! SNAME is great for building career long relationships and support, and also for navigating SAFELY, the thin line between innovation and time-honored tradition - one can run the clever 'new' way of doing a thing by peers and mentor figures and get some considered responses.
No other organization I have run across has so much openness by so many peers AND seasoned 'wise ones'. Take advantage. Life is good here!

Kenneth Lane
06-02-2015 09:12 PM

It is hard to overestimate the value of SNAME in building and maintaining a maritime business and career. As Joe states, the business connections are invaluable. From gaining a better understanding of our industry and its many aspects, to networking with other industry professionals for recruitment, education, or business development. SNAME is an enormous contributor to a maritime career. SNAME involvement and meeting attendance is at the top of the 2 or 3 domestic industry networking opportunities. And the international opportunities are expanding continuously.

Hendrik Van Hemmen
06-02-2015 08:06 AM

Participating in SNAME is first and foremost good for your own business; your individual career. Interaction, joint research and development, and joint resources are the fastest way to enhance your knowledge and status.Most of all, it is vital to be involved in SNAME during the beginning of your career. My early involvement in SNAME very rapidly pushed me past the "minion" into the "creator" phase of my career.
Possibly SNAME has benefited my company, but not on the business development side. Instead SNAME has allowed me to rapidly evaluate young engineers and make solid selections as far as personnel is concerned. Those young engineers who have the enthusiasm and discipline to contribute to our profession are the ones I think are most deserving of joining our industry in the "creator" rather than "minion" role and those are the engineers I want to work and lead in my company. The creators are the ones that allowed my company to survive for 140 years. Minions are a dime a dozen, but creators are rare commodities that can only be created by involvement in SNAME.

Stefan Wolczko
05-19-2015 05:03 PM

Participating in SNAME activities at the regional and worldwide level is one of the best ways I gain up-to-date insight regarding the state of the industry, new activities that might be relevant to my firm, and maintain the relationships and network that provide that information. I have great friends across the industry because of that participation, and it is very important that I maintain and grow that group with SNAME's help.

Richard Mueller
03-16-2015 09:30 AM

I was introduced to SNAME at the very beginning of my career, literally within days of starting my employment at a marine equipment supplier. This early involvement was instrumental in my ability to ramp up faster in my career; by allowing me to meet and to network with key people in the maritime industry. When I branched out to form my own business, these same contacts were the ones that provided me with both knowledge and encouragement about the process, and about how to find qualified naval architects, marine engineers, and designers.
In return, I have found that SNAME is a wonderful place for me to give back to the industry, now that I am in a position to do so. Mentoring students and young professionals is a great way to maintain and grow your connections in the industry, and to further the goal of SNAME, to spread the knowledge of our industry with those who need to use it. SNAME is good for business!