NEWS & EVENTS

What a year it has been…. From the Desk of LIFT CEO and Executive Director Nigel Francis

December 10, 2018

What a year this has been!

We have been through a major evolution here at LIFT in 2018 and we will continue to evolve and grow as we head into 2019 and beyond.

Since taking the reins of the institute back in June, we have worked very hard to ensure that the institute is well positioned for the future with our eyes on achieving our goal of being the global resource for lightweighting across manufacturing sectors.

Among the things we have accomplished in the nearly six months I have been here are:

  • Expanding the in-house LIFT team, bringing in additional engineering, sales and financial support to help guide our growth;
  • Adding new members to our executive team, including a new Chief Technology Officer and Chief Financial Officer, with decades of experience in building manufacturing organizations from the ground up;
  • Deepening relationships with our federal stakeholders, including our elected officials and the U.S. Department of Defense;
  • Working with the Department of Defense to secure plans for future federal funding support for the operations and technology development work at LIFT;
  • Finally, and most importantly, we have begun to hit the road to visit our members and partners to learn more about how we can continue to support their lightweighting needs during the next phase of LIFT.

This year has been eye-opening for me. Since coming in to manage the day-to-day operations of the institute – after being a part of its formation while at the State of Michigan five years ago – I have been amazed and humbled by the number of people who are committed to the cause and success of LIFT. Not only our staff in Detroit, but our broader team of members and partners from around the country, believe in the mission we are on to advance manufacturing in the United States, and are very passionate about it and our success.

As we turn the calendar to 2019, I hope each of you are able to take time to relax and spend with family and friends. I hope each of you has a healthy and happy holiday season, and I look forward to what we can accomplish together in 2019.

Thank you!