YPN Spotlight: Eric Miller
Learn about Eric Miller’s impact on the future of Material Handling through YPN.
In the material handling industry, a rising wave of young professionals is making their mark, infusing fresh energy and innovation.
At MHI’s Young Professionals Network (YPN), we believe in nurturing the future leaders of the material handling industry, and it’s people like Eric Miller who make it happen. Eric, a Key Account Development Manager at Murrelektronik, joined YPN in May 2022. Encouraged by his colleagues at a new job, Eric found YPN to be a natural fit due to his previous familiarity with MHI. His involvement has been driven by a desire to engage in thought-provoking discussions and build valuable relationships within the industry.
YPN, under the guidance of an advisory board and committees, serves to engage and develop young professionals in the material handling industry. The network offers a range of initiatives to its members, including webinars, coffee chats, book clubs, YPN Awards, and several more virtual/in-person events.
YPN Spotlight Q&A
Eric Miller, Key Account Development Manager at Murrelektronik
How long have you been a part of YPN?
Since May 2022
What motivated you to get involved in YPN?
Encouragement from colleagues at a new job – I had been vaguely familiar with MHI from a previous job, but not involved. The new role got me involved in MHI and the YPN group felt like a natural fit.
What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting involved in YPN?
If you’re interested in thought provoking discussions from a group of like-minded people, then YPN is a great place for you. On top of the things you’ll learn or be reminded of, you’ll also be able to develop valuable relationships with industry colleagues!
What is special about the material handling industry that gets you excited about your future career?
Who among us hasn’t recently seen an Amazon package show up on their doorstep, or at least someone in the neighborhood? With the consumer expectations that Amazon has been setting over the last few years, there are a ton of other players working to provide that same level of support to their customers – not to mention the variety of items that can be (or will be able i.e. grocery) purchased online, there is still so much growth and new applications coming that it’s difficult to not be excited about the future!
Which topics – pertaining to our industry – are you especially passionate about and do you think we will all need to focus on in the future?
Being on the Industrial Automation side of Material Handling, I am interested to see upcoming technological developments and adoption of more cloud connectivity. With that, one of the first things you hear about is security, so this is certainly something that will require focus and attention to make sure that it is done correctly, with the customer in mind.
What challenges has YPN faced? How could YPN improve your experience in the future?
I think YPN is heading in the right direction, with the new Book Club, well attended Coffee Chats, and increased communication via LinkedIn – it’s hard to imagine much more value out of it, other than spending more in person time together!
If Eric’s story has sparked your interest in joining YPN or exploring its offerings further, don’t hesitate to reach out to Chelsea Liston. Start your journey towards professional growth and networking today.
