In the Meeting Workplace Challenges track, Marlene Kreidler of Columbia Union College discussed "Embracing Cultural Understanding." She reported that U.S. labor force statistics project that this country's population will be 52% white and 25% Hispanic by 2050, compared to the 1995 statistics of 73% white and 10% Hispanic. This poses an interesting challenge - how to promote cultural understanding in the workplace in light of a changing population. Kreidler suggested that companies review their policies and hiring practices to verify tolerance, and that they train administrators, managers, and employees to learn to observe, listen, and communicate. Companies must be tolerant of cultural differences in order to succeed, and this will become increasingly important as the population continues to change.

In the same track, Sam Berkowitz of H.M. Royal presented "Corporate Culture, Creativity and You," a thought-provoking examination of the differences between the Baby Boomers and Generation X, and how companies must reorganize and redefine themselves to be successful in the future. Look for more details and discussion on this topic in a future ASI Online Solutions web seminar with Berkowitz.

Patrick Cleary, senior vice president of Communications at the National Association of Manufacturers, was the keynote speaker at lunch on Oct. 10. He discussed the importance of manufacturing, the challenges that manufacturers face and what to do about it. Cleary urged manufacturing companies to contact their local representatives and inform them about the challenges they face, including raw-material, health-care, and natural-gas costs. The Association can't help manufacturers unless they know what their problems are, Cleary said, so let them know what's going on in the industry, and then follow up and ask them what they are doing for you. To locate and contact your local representatives, visit www.congress.org/congressorg/home/. View Cleary's Manufacturers' blog at www.blog.nam.com.

Along these same lines, I'm pleased to announce that we have a new columnist with ASI. John Mautner is the founder and senior partner of Advanced Profit Technologies and the Cycle of Success Institute, and writes the new "Success Strategies" column. Mautner's first column, "Don't Chase Sales - Chase Profits," explains how to make your company more profitable.