Do you ever feel like a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat?  In these crazy economic times, it can certainly seem like you are all alone in your recovery.  With members in 40 states and 8 countries, you are NOT alone.  The most powerful tool MTI offers to members is the ability to meet face to face with other heat treaters to network and discuss the crucial issues challenging your business.  We are excited that the attendance at the Midwest Chapter Meeting on March 17 and the Spring General Meeting on April 15-17 continues to grow.  Deadlines are fast approaching and you should take action now to register.  With an emphasis on new heat treating opportunities, building leadership and lean manufacturing, you will want to attend at least one of these two meetings.  Key topics being addressed at the Spring General Meeting in Carlsbad, CA are:

If you’ve never met with a financial planner before or if it’s been years since you’ve visited one, you need to find a planner and then prepare for your visit.
Generally, you should research individual financial advisers or firms, and you should look to trusted friends and family for advice. You should interview two or three advisers by phone before you sit down and understand their compensation structure.

Recently an Advisory Notice received by MTI members from Nadcap was forwarded to the corporate offices for review.  Upon seeing the potential negative impact of the advisory notice on members, MTI leadership took time to research the notice, communicate the important issues to MTI Nadcap members, pull together member feedback and construct a letter asking Nadcap to address the concerns MTI felt needed to be addressed.  For anyone wanting to see the details of the discussion including the Advisory Notice and MTI letter, you can visit the MyMTI Nadcap Group.  The online group helped MTI grasp the key issues from members around North America to formulate a response quickly.  If you have any questions on the Nadcap issue, you may contact Tom Morrison at the MTI Offices at 904-249-0448 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The following is the content of the letter sent this past week:

All details have been finalized for the MTI Spring Meeting hosted at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, CA.  Brochures are being mailed next week.  MTI took advantage of a buyer's market in 2009 for resorts and negotiated an incredible $149 rate for a destination that normally commands over $200 a night.  This incredible deal at one of the West Coast's top destinations promises to be very attractive to MTI member budgets.  With the business environment changing so rapidly in trends, technology and training, it is crucial you take the opportunity to attend this meeting.  It promises to deliver a high level of networking and training which will push your company and employees toward prosperity in 2010. 

MTI's educational program for the spring meeting is packed with the key topics that will help you through the 2010 year of recovery including: