VE Conference Invites Local Business Owners, Project Managers

DAYTON, Ohio, March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Businessmen, managers, and engineers in the Greater Portland area have an unprecedented opportunity to learn about Value Engineering (VE) and the Value Methodology as a way to improve their competitive edge. SAVE International is hosting a reception that will focus on information and education.

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VE has never been more crucial to the success of a business project, product, or process than now. SAVE board member John E. Sloggy described the essence of VE: "With the continuous pressure on organizations to compete on a global basis, and a new era of constrained public resources we need a method to wring out maximum value from our products and projects. That method is looking at the project through the lens of functionality, which generates innovative ideas that both improve the value of a project, and leapfrog the competition's products. That method is Value Engineering."

Initially developed in manufacturing for product applications, today VE is commonly applied to construction projects in both the private and public sectors. Since 1988, the federal government has specified that VE must be applied to government contracts exceeding $1 million. State and local government projects often require value engineering to insure that taxpayers are receiving the most value for their tax dollars. "SAVE receives several inquiries every week from contractors seeking certification to be eligible for government contracts," said association executive Karen Smith.

As with the earlier focus on Quality and Continuous Improvement, support for VE in Japan and Korea is growing tremendously and a key component to their success. In 2009, the SAVE International Annual Conference had a program track dedicated to strictly Japanese Value Engineering. "This year the SAVE conference features an entire track of presentations focusing on the application of VE in Korea," said board member Richard L. Johnson. "Household names like Samsung and Hyundai learned VE from the USA and used it to become industry giants. Some of those Korean VE success stories will be showcased at this year's conference in Portland."

As part of the 2011 conference, the vendor reception will serve as a friendly introduction to value engineering. The reception will be held in the exhibit hall of the Downtown Marriott Waterfront in Portland, Oregon on Tuesday, June 7, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. "We'll have experts stationed around the exhibit hall to answer questions," Johnson added.

Conference exhibitors each receive admission to the reception and five reception tickets to distribute to colleagues, suppliers, and clients. Vendor reception tickets are also available for sale for $25 per person. To purchase an exhibit space or reception ticket, go to SAVE International's website: www.value-eng.org.

About SAVE International

Founded in 1959, SAVE International is North America's founding professional association for promotion, advocacy, certification, and education related to the Value Engineering methodology and the men and women who practice it. SAVE has a worldwide membership and operates a certification program globally recognized as the industry standard for competence in the application of value engineering. The association's conference is its major annual event and is typically attended by delegates from every continent.

SOURCE SAVE International