Helping Others Thrive
Randy Wolken, President & CEO

This week at MACNY’s Annual Dinner we celebrated 106 years of service to the manufacturing community. Wow. Over a century of service to others. Over a century of manufacturing excellence in our region. We have been a part of the challenges and successes of so many great individuals and companies. But, we are far from finished. We’ve still got real work to do.

Helping our members – both individuals and their organizations – is our mission. It matters. It drives us each day. Missions driven from timeless values is how a person and an organization thrive. We have witnessed it as an organization. We have felt it as members of the team that serves.

Each of us needs to determine our own mission. It’s what gets us going each day. It’s the energy we bring to this moment – the only moment that matters is right now. When a person strings together moment after moment of passionate mission they are making a difference. One great way to do this is to focus on serving others. Serving others is great for them – and us.

We have learned a lot in the last decade about what is good for us. Not surprising to many of us is just how good it is to be focused on others. We truly do get more when we give. It is counterintuitive – but science has shown us this is the case. Who lives the longest? Those with intimate relationships. Who is happiest during their life? Those who have great relationships. How do we have great relationships? Serve others. To get we must give. We have affirmed through science what we have known for a very long time.

MACNY has stayed relevant and is thriving because we are still serving others –  our members – 106 years after our founding. Each year we find new ways, along with maintaining our effective ways of the past, to serve. We love to do it. It gives us meaning. It has been our mission from the very beginning in 1913.  This year we have served thousands of individuals, hundreds of companies, hosted over 300 events, and helped members thrive. We are humbled by this opportunity.

As an individual, do you find ways to serve others? Have you noted how good it makes you feel? Have you identified how it makes you more effective? What new ways can you serve others? How can you help those you lead better serve others? In asking these questions, you too can assist others in making a difference – and making their lives happier, healthier, and more productive.

Finally, thanks for allowing us to serve you this past year. It has added so much to what we have been, what we are, and what we are becoming. We look forward to it each and every day!