Reliability‑Centered Maintenance in the Age of Automation

As maintenance and reliability challenges continue to grow more complex, manufacturing leaders are under increasing pressure to do more with less—less downtime, fewer failures, tighter budgets, and aging assets. The Automation, Maintenance & Reliability Summit on January 29 brings together industry leaders and practical solutions to tackle these exact pressures.

Meet our Featured Speaker: Ricky Smith

Ricky Smith, CMRP, CMRT is Vice President of World Class Maintenance and a globally respected maintenance and reliability consultant with more than 35 years of experience helping organizations improve asset reliability and performance.

This premier event brings together plant managers, production leaders, maintenance professionals, automation specialist and safety engineers, to explore how Industry 4.0 is reshaping maintenance strategies. From smart connectivity to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), attendees will gain practical insights into how modern tools can improve asset reliability, reduce risk, and drive operational excellence.

One of the most anticipated sessions of the day comes from our featured speaker, Ricky Smith, Vice President of World Class Maintenance and one of the most respected voices in maintenance and reliability worldwide.

Practical Expertise that Bridges Strategy and the Shop Floor

With over 35 years of hands-on experience, Ricky Smith doesn’t speak in theory—he speaks from real-world execution. His career spans work with global manufacturers including Coca-Cola, Honda, and Georgia-Pacific, delivering maintenance and reliability solutions across 30 countries.

Ricky holds both Certified Maintenance & Reliability Professional (CMRP) and Certified Maintenance & Reliability Technician (CMRT) credentials, a rare combination that reflects his ability to bridge strategy with shop-floor reality. His background includes service in the U.S. Army, where he advanced into leadership roles, ultimately serving as a Facility Investigator at the Pentagon for the Secretary of Defense, an experience that shaped his disciplined, repeatable approach to maintenance systems.

He is also the co-author of Rules of Thumb for Maintenance and Reliability Engineers and Lean Maintenance: Reduce Costs, Improve Quality, and Increase Market Share, widely used resources for organizations seeking sustainable maintenance improvement.

From Reactive to Reliable: What Attendees Will Learn

Ricky is widely known for his emphasis on standardization, repeatability, and discipline—the foundations of reliable maintenance systems. In his work, he frequently highlights that equipment failures are rarely “random,” but instead the result of inconsistent processes and undocumented best practices.

As Ricky explains in his industry writing, repeatable procedures create predictable results, and predictable results are the backbone of reliability-driven organizations. Too often, maintenance teams rely on tribal knowledge rather than documented, standardized work. Ricky challenges leaders to rethink how procedures are created, trained, and executed.

At the summit, attendees can expect Ricky to address:

• Why many maintenance programs fail before technology is even applied;

• How detailed, repeatable procedures reduce human error and equipment failure;

• How to align maintenance strategy with condition-based and predictive technologies;

• The role of leadership discipline in sustaining reliability improvements.

This session is especially valuable for organizations investing in sensors, data, and automation, but struggling to see meaningful results.

Real-World Insight You Can Apply Immediately

What sets Ricky Smith apart is his ability to translate complex reliability concepts into clear, actionable steps. His approach helps organizations:

• Reduce unplanned downtime;

• Increase maintenance effectiveness without increasing headcount;

• Improve asset life cycles;

• Build systems that survive leadership and workforce changes.

Whether you’re just beginning your reliability journey or looking to elevate a mature maintenance program, Ricky’s insights provide a roadmap that works across industries and plant sizes.

More Than a Summit: A Hands-On Experience

In addition to expert-led sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in an optional post-event tour of DENSO in Athens, Tennessee. This exclusive tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at advanced manufacturing and maintenance practices in action, bringing the day’s concepts to life inside a world-class facility.

Secure Your Spot

The Automation, Maintenance & Reliability Summit is designed for leaders who are ready to move beyond reactive maintenance and build systems that last. This is a must-attend event for anyone responsible for reliability, uptime, and operational performance.

Register today to join industry peers, gain practical insight, and take the next step toward transforming your maintenance strategy: https://www.peakperformanceinc.com/copy-of-automation-maint-reliabi