PITTSBURGH, PA – Longtime industry expert Tom Miller has been named chairman of the board for AIM Inc., the global trade association representing the automatic identification and data collection industry. Miller, executive vice president of Intermec Technologies Corp., succeeds Keith Bothmann to a two-year term.
As a not-for-profit industry organization, AIM's mission is to stimulate the understanding, adoption and use of technology by providing timely, unbiased and commercial-free news and information. In the last year Miller, along with other business leaders, has been instrumental in redirecting the organization to its current role as worldwide educator and representative of the AIDC industry.
"Because of the breadth of our industry technologies and the expertise of our members, AIM is involved in many of the world's most rapidly developing technologies, from wireless data collection to radio frequency identification," said AIM President Dan Muller. "Tom's executive leadership, combined with his expertise in these very technologies, will provide AIM with valuable strategic insight as we continue to grow as an organization."
Education is to be a primary AIM initiative in the year ahead, Mullen said. In addition to its ongoing mission to accurately explain the benefits and uses of automatic identification and data collection (AIDC) technologies, AIM is taking a leading role in educating companies worldwide about the potential of RFID. Interest in this AIDC technology exploded after Wal*Mart and the U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to require suppliers to begin using RFID on cases and pallets of goods by 2005.
"The application of AIDC technologies is changing, which in turn is affecting the direction of our industry," Miller said. "Our traditional technologies of bar coding, scanning and printing are being integrated with emerging technologies such as RFID, imaging, wireless systems, biometrics, security systems and even application software. These technologies are being applied across entire enterprises to improve enterprise mobility, increase supply chain and organizational efficiency.
"The convergence of enterprise computing with AIDC technologies calls for expanded education, advocacy for standards and a stronger voice to the public in response to consumer and industry action groups. AIM can fulfill this mission by providing complete, accurate and unbiased information capitalizing on the in-depth expertise of its varied membership."
Miller, who also is an officer of UNOVA Inc., Intermec's parent company, has responsibility for Intermec's global sales teams and global marketing operations. He previously held a number of senior leadership positions within Norand Inc.
AIM Inc. is the global trade association and recognized worldwide authority on automatic identification, data collection and networking in a mobile environment. AIM members are providers and users of technologies, systems and services that capture, manage and integrate accurate data into larger information management systems. As a not-for-profit industry organization, AIM's mission is to stimulate the understanding, adoption and use of technology by providing timely, unbiased and commercial-free news and information.