By Adam Keane
YEN Steering Committee Chairman
Sales Manager
Allied Body Works, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
By joining the NTEA’s Young Executives Network (YEN), your company can potentially earn hundreds of thousands of dollars! Okay, this may not be applicable to every company — but it certainly was with mine. As a sales manager for a regional truck equipment distributor, I utilized the knowledge of fellow YEN members in different parts of the country (non-competitors) to help win a large bid. So, in my case, YEN membership really did contribute to hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales.
So, how did I become involved with YEN? Wanting to grow within the truck equipment industry, I jumped at the chance to join a group that catered to my demographic. For the first couple of years, I filled out the member update form when it came in the mail, but that was the extent of my involvement — and my understanding. As such, I began to question the benefits of YEN membership.
However, one day, one of my manufacturer representatives was visiting and noticed the YEN member update form on my desk. Since he also had questions about the advantages of membership, we decided to find out how we could benefit from such a targeted group. We were invited to observe a YEN Steering Committee meeting and then made the decision to get involved. The following year, we were both nominated to fill seats on the Steering Committee. Now, three years later, Chad Fowler and I are co-chair and chair, respectively.
I am proud to be part of such an ambitious Steering Committee, and I feel that this group has taken great strides toward becoming a key resource for “young executives” in the work truck industry. To help you understand why, I need to address several pertinent questions about the YEN:
- What defines a "Young Executive"? Despite the name of this group, you don’t have to be an executive to join the YEN. YEN members come from all divisions within a company – including sales, engineering and operations. You simply have to be age 18–34 and employed by an NTEA member company. (Once you have joined the YEN, you can remain a member until age 40.) Plus, there is no cost to participate!
- What does it mean to be a part of the YEN? The YEN was formed to help connect and enhance the skills of future industry leaders. Through the YEN, young professionals gain the opportunity to further their growth and benefit from meeting new industry contacts.
- How can you get more involved? While the Steering Committee is one of the best ways to actively participate in the YEN, the group also holds educational sessions and networking receptions in conjunction with The Work Truck Show and the Truck Product Conference. By attending these events, you not only gain beneficial information on ways to attain your leadership goals, you also have the chance to forge new business relationships with industry peers.
- How can you stay up-to-date on YEN activities? The YEN publishes a monthly e-newsletter, The Exchange, which includes information on development tools, company initiatives and updates or articles submitted by members. The Steering Committee encourages all YEN members to utilize this media as a way to address topics relevant to young executives; promote products or services; or simply share general news. If you are not a writer and don’t employ a publicist, don’t worry! With your permission, the NTEA will make sure that your message is clearly communicated.
- What’s new for 2010? The YEN Steering Committee is planning several exciting initiatives, including possible webinars that can expand on the group’s educational workshops and address new topics as well. The Steering Committee also hopes to enhance the YEN Networking Directory on NTEA.com.
Join the YEN
I hope I was able to address some of the questions you may have about the benefits of YEN membership. If you are interested in joining, or know of anyone else who would benefit from the YEN, contact Jim Hamilton, NTEA support services manager, at 1-800-441-NTEA (6832), ext. 134, or jimh@ntea.com. To download an application, visit the “Member Resources” area of NTEA.com.
Also, feel free to contact any member of the YEN Steering Committee by visiting the “Young Executives Network” section of the “Member Resources” area of NTEA.com.