I hope this writing finds you and your company doing well.  You’ve begun to see noticeable changes in the volume, content and method of communication to you from the SAMA staff.  The weekly tidbits distributed by the SAMA President, is a great way to stay current on many of the national, state and local issues concerning manufacturing. These also can be found on the new SAMA website www.sama-tx.org.   With the new revised website and the additional activities of our membership committee along with our revamped marketing communication committee, new and good things are happening for our members.

This first time writing from the SAMA Chair is another one of those new approaches being used to help our membership stay in tune with all the activities of the association.  The SAMA chairman will be generating a newsletter periodically to be posted on the website for membership review.  This news letter will be focused on the highlights of SAMA events and activities.  The association is here to serve its membership and we want to share with you how this is being accomplished.  Also, we would love to hear your feedback of your thoughts and additional interest at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

One of the big SAMA initiatives during the past several years has been in the area of education to address the declining skilled labor workforce that all manufacturing companies are dependent upon.  We are making progress.  The Dream It Do It campaign of ads, brochures, presentations at area schools etc. have made inroads into educating students and parents about the importance and availability of manufacturing careers.  The Alamo Technology Manufacturing Academies (ATMA), providing manufacturing technology classes and internships, has achieved significant acceptance and growth during the past several years.  The program has grown from seven (7) entering students four years ago to eighty-three (83) entering students this year.  Essentially all of the past graduates have either continued their education, been hired by local industry or they’ve joined the military.

The academies are doing their job to provide technologically trained students to the workplace, it’s our job as manufacturers to take these students on as interns when available and also be able to provide jobs for the graduates when that time comes.  Next summer we will need right at fifty (50) intern placements, so please be thinking now and making plans in your manufacturing companies to provide these students an opportunity to work and learn advanced manufacturing skills in your shop.  You may contact the SAMA office for applicable paperwork to sign up for an intern and it will be sent to you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this news letter and I hope to see you at some of the SAMA functions soon.  Any and all feedback always appreciated.