WiM South is a regional conference for manufacturing professionals who are navigating the way through their careers—whether it be in production, the C-Suite, or anywhere in between.  This conference, produced by the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), offers attendees based in the southern US region:

• Unique and interactive opportunities, allowing participants to gain access to key industry content shared by regional thought leaders
• Opportunity to engage in professional and personal-based breakout tracks which include timely topics presented by knowledge experts
• Get a step ahead by participating in an optional and complimentary virtual one-on-one career coaching session (a value of $500!)
• Develop meaningful connections with peers in the southeastern states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and more!

Using promo code SAWF at check-out, receive 20% off of your WiM South registration now through November 1!

​The #1 Job Skill for Today and the Future

Lunch & Learn Webinar – November 10, 2021, Noon to 1 pm Central

Organizations around the world are rethinking the key job skills that ensure success for their companies. While hard skills are vital, more important are soft skills. In fact, empathy has been identified as the #1 job skill desired in employees. Talking about having empathy is easy but truly doing it and doing it well is more difficult. If you want to learn a Jedi Mind trick for developing effective empathy skills – tune in!! Webinar is free for members and students. $10.00 for non-members. Zoom link sent once registered.

Presenter: 
Gina Simpson, certified professional coach, Soluna Strategies. Combining her professional experience with her passion to help others, Gina founded Soluna Strategies, a firm that specializes in developing energetic, innovative successful individuals and organizations. She is a highly sought-after, charismatic keynote speaker and author that works with students, individual clients, and organizations moving them towards actualization of their goals Gina holds a M.S.Degree in Marketing and a B.S. Degree in Business Management with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Alabama where she is also a clinical instructor in entreprenuership.

 

This year's event takes place in Birmingham, AL.

SAC is in its 14th year of gathering together automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers from all over the world, with a special focus on those based in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. The conference has grown over the years to become the largest event of its kind in the South, attracting global participants.

SAC is expected to attract 1,200 attendees and feature 200+ exhibitors. This international event is the go-to place to get inspired by the industry’s best and brightest, gain valuable resources to amp up your game, and—of course—have fun!

For complete details visit southernautoconference.com.

 

Join us and learn how to:

·  Prioritize your tasks for maximum productivity; 

·  Schedule your work day to optimize your time; 

·  Eliminate distractions and overcome procrastination.

If you need some new strategies for how to get more done, faster, join our SAWF Meeting on May 21 from 12 pm to 1 pm Central. Free for members and students and $10 for nonmembers. Register here.

The discussion will be led by Sarah-Nell Walsh, a professional certified coach, former practicing attorney, and Founder of Wayfinders LLC. Equal parts big-hearted cheerleader and bold challenger, she works with ambitious professionals who want to perform at the top of their game. She helps her clients grow their businesses, hone their leadership skills, and make their desired impact on their organizations, their families, and the world.

Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (SAWF) brought All Girls Auto Know (AGAK) program to Spring Hill Middle School on March 23, 2021. Approximately 220 girls attended. This is the first AGAK in Tennessee. This was funded by the grant from General Motors Corporation.

Students took part in a virtual plant tour of the GM Spring Hill manufacturing facility, and attended a panel featuring GM employees discussing their career path into STEM related work.  The girls also participate in hands on activities and visited a display of GM vehicles from both the plant as well as Parks and Stan McNabb dealerships.

      

Lunch and Learn – Friday, March 26, 2021, Noon to 1 pm CT

Women in Leadership Series – The Road to the Top is Not on the Map

Carla Bailo President and CEO of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) will share insights from the book The Road to the Top is Not on the Map: Conversations with Top Women in the Automotive Industry. As one of the authors of this book, Carla will talk about some of the advice given from these women leaders on how they took charge of their careers and became leaders in the industry.

Free for members and $10.00 for non-members. To attend register here. Zoom link will be sent upon registration.

Bio on Carla Bailo

Lunch & Learn, February 12, 2021 at 12 to 1 pm Central

Women in Leadership Series – True Grit.

Learn from two leaders at FedEx on ways to grow from and overcome adversities you may face in your career and personally in order to excel.

Bobbi Wells , Vice President FedEx Express Air Operations Safety & Airworthiness, and Jane Amada, Vice President of Finance at FedEx Services, will share their experiences and those of others who shared them in the book "True Grit – Stories from FedEx female leaders."

Free for members and $10.00 for non-members. To attend register here. Zoom link will be sent upon registration. Attendees will be entered into drawing to receive the book "True Grit – Stories from FedEx female leaders."

Register Today!

About the Presenters

As Vice President for Safety & Airworthiness, Bobbi Wells is responsible for the Air and Ground Safety, Quality Assurance, Quality Control, and Airworthiness Records programs. Her departments ensure the safety, airworthiness, and regulatory compliance of the FedEx Express fleet and air operation worldwide. This includes efficacy in critical processes such as safety management, safety analytics, and human performance systems. Bobbi also leads capital planning, process and performance improvement analytics, strategy development, quality management, and fuel management across the airline.

Bobbi joined FedEx in 1993. Most recently, as Managing Director for Planning &  Analysis in Air Operations, she was responsible for creating the framework for the airline strategic plan and performance metrics. She also ensured effective execution and sustainment of Air Operation’s fuel efficiency program. In addition, she led an industrial engineering group focused on highly leveraged process improvement initiatives.  Prior to Air Operations, she served as Senior Manager for Global Operations Control (GOC), where she had responsibility for the command and control of the FedEx line-haul (aircraft) system worldwide. She started at FedEx as a Senior Manager in Domestic Ground Operations in New York and New Jersey. In 2000, 2006, 2013 and 2018, Bobbi received the Five Star Award, the highest recognition for achievement at FedEx. Bobbi was selected for the exclusive FedEx EXCEL DRIVE Program designed to develop targeted executives. In addition, she serves as president on the board of directors for the International Aviation Womens Association and as a member of the DOT’s Women in Aviation Advisory Board. Boobi is also a member of the Cargo Airline Association board of directors and the Flight Safety Foundation board of governors.

Before joining FedEx, she served 10 years as a U.S. Army Major in Logistics. Her assignments included command of the logistics and resupply company in the 3rd
Armored Division, located in Germany. Ms. Wells is the recipient of several awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal and Joint Service Commendation Medal. She was born and raised in Pinedale, Wyoming. Ms. Wells holds degrees from the University of Memphis (MBA) and University of Notre Dame (BA). She is married and has two sons.

 

Jane Amaba is a wife, mother and vice president of finance at FedEx Services. Her team provides analysis and actionable financial guidance to facilitate corporate prioritization of strategic projects.

Jane is the executive sponsor of the Women in Leadership Business Resource Team at FedEx Services with a mission to engage, enrich, empower and elevate women at FedEx. She is a three time FedEx Five star winner, the corporation’s highest honor, and an ASQ certified QDM Expert. 
She is a member of the National Leadership Council for CureJM.org, a non-profit organization founded to raise the awareness, and support for finding a cure, for juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare and life-threatening auto-immune disease.  

Jane previously served on the Board for Girls Inc. Memphis, inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold, and on the Foundation Board for LeBonheur Children’s hospital in Memphis, which is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by US News and World Reports. 
She served  as vice-chair of the United Way’s Women’s Leadership Giving program and is a member of the United Way’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society. She has served on the City of Doral Citizen’s Audit Board, during her tenure with FedEx Express in the Latin American and Caribbean Division, headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Jane holds an MBA from the University of Georgia and a bachelor’s of science in finance, from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She also holds a Certificate of Professional Development from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and a Certificate of Executive Women in Leadership from Cornell University.

Southern Automotive Women’s Forum celebrates its 10th Anniversary and this year’s scholarship recipients virtually on August 13th from 6 to 7:30 pm CT. Congratulatory remarks will be made from some of SAWF’s first supporters including Lyn St. James, race car driver and motivational speaker; Judith Iriarte-Gross, Ph.D. from Middle Tennessee State University; Ron Davis of Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association; and Kim Ziomek, Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation. The event will be by Zoom. Link will be sent upon registration.All are welcome. The event will be by Zoom. Link will be sent upon registration.

Join us on June 18 from 5 pm to 6 pm Central Time for our monthly SAWF Virtual Happy Hour. 

Connect with other women in automotive and share how you are adpating to the changes due to COVID-19 and learn how for others are adpating too. We will also share with you how SAWF can help your career. Invite a other colleagues in automotive. All are welcome to attend.

The meeting is taking place through Zoom. To attend you must register in advance.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.