News

July 12, 2022 News

This update notifies all that the SMART website will be fully updated this month.

This update will address our major activities that have continued despite the pandemic; of course within applicable State and Federal guidelines. Beyond the below summary, please call me at 609-304-2904 or e-mail at [email protected] for any further details and/or other topics.

Our top priorities that we have continued working throughout the pandemic are currently

    1. SMART’s 21st Annual SMART PROC GOVCON; Fall 2022 TBD, Frederick MD
      Chaired by SMART BoD Exec Committee’s Maryland Member and past CoS for Congressman Roscoe Bartlett, then SMART Congressional Caucus Chair, Debbie Burrell; this successful 21-year annual government procurement series took the place of the 5 year series of TechTrends, the founding activity of SMART. After two years of a virtual event, Debbie is currently working through the details of re-establishing it as a live, major event.We will provide updates as Debbie progresses. See https://www.smartprocgovcon.com/ for the successful 2021 virtual event.
    2. The Drive Across America Program
      Supporting STEM Educ/Workforce Development for Automotive, Motorsports & Aviation Communities and Charity component for Veterans Unfunded Health CareKey Notes:

      1. The primary purpose of the annual Drives is to gather real-time, nation-wide, grass-roots data on the above primary topics and below paragraph C related topics to present on Capitol Hill to the Gov’t and Private Sectors as source data for their independent and coordinated actions.
        1. Thus the DAA is primarily a “Data” program; not just a “Drive” program.
        2. The DAA adds a charity component to raise local funds for local Veterans Unfunded Health Care at each major stop; selected by local VAA/VSO chapters.
        3. Given the pandemic and the varying State-wide regulations (and National), we will plan the DAA #1 for the late Spring/early Summer of 2023. In 2022 we will conduct multiple “Demo Drives” of portions of the route to build awareness and support. Demo Drive #1 was completed in June of 2021 from Wildwood NJ to Malvern Prep, SE PA with a major stop at the Battleship NJ, Camden NJ. The Battleship NJ Museum is the National HQ of the DAA Program.
      2. Multiple other Groups and Special Committees are engaged; thus the #1 rank:
          1. IT Group (again, program is a grass-roots data program, not just a “Drive”)
          2. Transportation/Infrastructure Group
          3. Advanced Manufacturing Group
          4. Energy Group (led by Electric Vehicle impacts).
          5. Health Care Group
          6. International Group
          7. Global Diversity & Inclusion Special Committee
          8. Major Businesses Special Committee
      3. Further note that the DAA will expand to Drive Around the World
        1. 6 Allied Countries are planning Drives to support their Workforce and Veterans efforts.
        2. The Annual Capitol Hill events will add an International component as this develops.
      4. While this is a Malvern Prep Alumni and Virginia Tech Alumni led program, we welcome all to join us.
        1. For Further Details and 2022 Summer/Fall Status contact Pgr’m Mgr, Founder Gordy Bryan at [email protected] or 484-802-4063 or Dep Program Mgr. Bob Carullo at [email protected] or 609-304-2904.
        2. We expect to have the SMART website fully updated w/ DAA planning and status by early August 2022.
    3. The 2nd Annual Italian American Medical Awards; Oct 13, 2022 at the Simeone Automobile Museum, Phila PA.
      Following up the successful 1st event last Fall, this series founded by the Hon Amato Berardi, Member of the Italian Parliament 2008-2013 and current Italian Senate candidate, will return to the Simeone Museum, an outstanding venue. Awardees from last year are now formed into an Italian American Medical Awards Academy to forward 2 candidates for the 2022 Awards to the IAMA Executive Committee led by Amato.Detailed planning is progressing; visit us for updates as we finalize details. For immediate sponsorships, contact Robert Carullo at [email protected] or 609-304-2904.
    4. International Group
      Besides Italian collaboration and participation in above, the very active International Group’s top priority by George Kearns, SMART BoD, is his MCC’s efforts in establishing a Trade Center in Botswana. Besides great progress on the ground in Botswana, George recently facilitated a visit by Botswana Cabinet-level members to Nasdaq in Times Square NYC. We will provide more information in the very near term; summarized in this News menu tab and then details in the Group menu tab.
    5. Advanced Manufacturing Technology Group
      SMART Founder from the State of Maryland, now the US House Leader, founded the “Make It In America” initiative in 2010; a program of the US DoC’s National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST). NIST manages its’ national efforts in Manufacturing via Manufacturing Extension Programs (MEPs) in each State. The SMART Advanced Manufacturing Group collaborates with this program via SMART’s Economic Development Group Chair, Robert Mazzuca, who is now an official at the NJ Mg Extension Program. We are planning an executive session this summer among the Mid-Atlantic MEPs and SMART principals of the Advanced Manufacturing Group. We are working with the DE MEP to host this initial session.Contact Robert Mazzuca for further status at [email protected]
    6. Other Groups / Topics
      While above are our top priorities, SMART continues to support other multiple topics via our total of the 15 Focus Groups and 4 Special Committees. Many of the efforts of others are integrated into the above.As needed, contact SMART Executive Director, Robert Carullo at 609-304-2904.

May 27, 2021 News

The SMART Joint Group Program, Emergency Management Rapid Reaction & Recovery (EM R3) has added a Global Supplier membership component to this long standing and successful Program. Visit the Programs menu tab for further details.

May 25, 2021 News

This update will list our top priorities as we climb out of the global pandemic; contact SMART Executive Director Robert Carullo as needed at [email protected] or 609-304-2904.

First, administratively; we are in the process of updating our domain from smartstates.com to smart-states.org to better represent our NFP status and eliminate issues related to .com. The website has been changed and we are in the process of updating our e-mail addresses.

Rob Mazzuca, our Economic Development Group Chair is leading the SMART Emergency Management Rapid Reaction & Recovery Program team to support our federal agencies in acquisition of their PPE requirements, led by the VA. For further information and/or participation in the program, contact the team’s Business Development Director, Brian Hakan at [email protected]

Rob is adding a Global Supplier Membership for the EM R3 Team; details will be available on this website soon. For early info/application contact [email protected]

Debbie Burrell, SMART BoD and Health Care Group Chair, is leading our efforts to address the opioid crisis. She primarily focuses on needed, new State legislation and coordination with any related Federal efforts. She has also continued her role as the Chair of our annual convention, SMART PROC GOVCON, which was conducted this past January as a successful virtual event. Contact Debbie at [email protected]

Gordy Bryant is the Founder & Program Manager of the “Drive Across America” program. Driving from Wildwood NJ to San Diego CA in the spring of 2022, this program, has two major purposes that focus on gathering national, grass-roots data. First to support and identify the STEM Education/Workforce Development needs of the related and highly technical automotive, motorsports and aviation communities; second, conduct a charity benefit for Veterans Unfunded Health Care projects at each major stop. The data gathered will be presented on Capitol Hill to Congress, the Federal Executive Branch and Major Business as source data for public and private actions. There are multiple secondary topics that will add to the scope of the program; Transportation Infrastructure, Electric Vehicles, Energy/Environment, etc.

During 2021, as local regulations allow, we will conduct short Demo Drives of the full route to build support for the full Drive in 2022. Contact Gordy at [email protected]

The Hon Amato Berardi, Member of Italian Parliament (2008-2013) and SMART International Group Dep Chair, Italy, is chairing the 1st Annual Mid-Atlantic Italian Medical Awards Dinner in Philadelphia. The event is a fund raiser for the National Kidney Foundation. We have slipped the date to Oct 14, 2021. Please contact [email protected] to get on our distribution list further info and updates.

Victor Webb, SMART International Group Dep Chair, will conduct a working session in NYC in the near term.

Carla Caulk, Sheraton Atlantic City, will host our Women In Science & Technology Conference #3 this Oct TBD. We expect an exec session in Aug or Sept to prep.