The AEM Board of Directors met on Wednesday, March 25, in Washington, D.C., for its first meeting of the year to discuss priorities for 2026 and key issues impacting the non-road equipment manufacturing industry.
AEM Board Chair Phil Kelliher, senior vice president at Caterpillar, opened the meeting and welcomed Erica Baird, executive director of global sales and service at Cummins, to the Board. Baird also serves on AEM’s CE Sector Board as its 2026 Chair.
Kelliher noted that AEM is off to a strong start in 2026, highlighting the success of the Year in Review meeting held on Feb. 5. That meeting provided all three boards with a comprehensive look at AEM’s actions and accomplishments in 2025, along with a preview of priorities for 2026.
AEM President and CEO Megan Tanel delivered her President’s Report, sharing updates on strategic plan initiatives currently underway and outlining how the association is tracking progress against its goals. She highlighted the Information, Systems & Data Strategy work underway to modernize and integrate AEM’s technology ecosystem to enable the organization to operate more efficiently, deliver better digital experiences, and make data-driven decisions.
Strategic Planning Progress
Chair Kelliher and Megan Tanel led a discussion on the association’s nine priorities for the year, organized around the three pillars of the AEM Strategic Plan—Voice, Value, and Vision—which will guide the association through 2027. They highlighted meaningful progress across all areas and noted that several initiatives are already underway to inform and support the development of the next Strategic Plan.
Trade Shows
AEM Senior Vice President of Exhibitions & Marketing, Nicole Hallada presented a preliminary review of CONEXPOCON/AGG results. The update highlighted strong attendance and outlined the expanded strategy to attract and retain attendees. She emphasized the impact of new initiatives—including the Ground Breakers stage, the partnership with POLITICO, and other enhanced offerings—along with robust media coverage that amplified the industry’s voice among both existing and new stakeholders.
AEM CONEXPOCON/AGG Show Director and Vice President Dana Weusthoff provided additional details on early show metrics and shared that planning for the 2029 event is already well underway.
The AEM Board also approved two action items: the 2027 Utility Expo budget and the appointment of the 2029 CONEXPOCON/AGG Management Committee Chair (to be announced).
Advocacy
Brian Bieller of BOMAG Americas, 2026 Chair of the AEM Government and Public Affairs Committee, and Kip Eideberg, AEM senior vice president, delivered an update on the progress of the association’s expanded advocacy capabilities and efforts in Canada, including recent visits by Members of Parliament to equipment manufacturers in Ontario and Quebec, as well as an upcoming “Queen’s Park Day.” They also provided a report on the recent meeting and actions by the Government and Public Affairs Committee, and the current state of AEMPAC.
Treasurer’s Report
AEM Treasurer Melvin Porter, Link-Belt Cranes, and AEM Chief Financial Officer Kathy Barke led a review of AEM’s finances and projections through 2026, including discussions related to our financial risks and opportunities, pension funds, and 2025 audit recap. The Board voted and approved the AEM 2025 audited financial statements.
Open Forum
The meeting concluded after an open forum and a discussion highlighting the success of CONEXPO-CON/AGG and Commodity Classic, as well as the current challenges impacting the membership and outlook for the year.
The next meeting of the AEM Board will be held in Milwaukee on Thursday, Aug. 6. For more information, contact AEM’s Megan Tanel at mtanel@aem.org.