As I reported in my last letter, our Conference date is set, two major industry tours are finalized and we have booked a sunset Dinner Cruise on the Detroit Princess Riverboat. Our local Michigan planning team at Macomb CC in Warren, MI is now meeting every three weeks, putting together the many meeting details that will go into making our 3-day educational event flawless.

New location, new energy! The 4th annual HTEC CNC Educator's Conference 2010 promises to be the best conference yet and you can be a part of it as a presenter!

Each year our conference is an outstanding opportunity to share our educational experiences. This year's Conference theme is Innovations in CNC Technology Education. I would like to ask you to contribute your expertise and become a presenter at our July conference and tell us about innovations in your CNC program that are working to grow your program and promote your fight to keep a manufacturing career exciting, relevant and up-to-date.

We are looking for six technical presenters and six educational presenters. Submit a brief narrative of your proposed topic directly to Gary Walters at waltersg@macomb.edu. by March 1, 2010. Presentations will be 40 minutes. We hope to finalize our presenters/presentations before April 1. Again, any HTEC Educator that would like to present and profile a Best CNC Educational Practice from their program is encouraged to submit your ideas for selection to our final agenda. You may also include how you work together with one or more of your HTEC Partners to make your program better. I have also posted an outline of suggested topics for speakers on our 2010 HTEC Conference page for consideration.

Our 2010 Regional HTEC Conference Program also continues to grow. Five 2010 Regional Conferences, with a set date, are: Southern California, Southern Region (NC, SC & VA) Tennessee, New York-Capital Region & New England. There are 7 additional regions that are currently in the planning or discussion phase for a regional HTEC Conference in 2010. Watch our HTEC website for details and plan to attend and participate in your local regional HTEC conference.

We hope you've marked the dates, July 13-15, 2010 on your calendar, and are making plans to attend. I look forward to seeing you at Macomb Community College-South Campus in Warren, Michigan.