SP’s Q2 2026 Membership Meeting Held at Bridgestone
SP’s second quarterly membership meeting of 2026 was hosted by Bridgestone Americas on April 28–29 in Nashville, Tennessee, bringing together representatives from across the automotive value chain to share best practices, explore emerging sustainability challenges, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
April 28 – Pre-Event Activities
The event began with a volunteer community river cleanup in partnership with Living Lands & Waters, led by Chad Pregracke, where SP members participated in hands-on environmental stewardship efforts along the Cumberland river. Volunteers collected over 3,000 pounds of trash from along the river during the afternoon event.
The day concluded with a networking reception in downtown Nashville, providing attendees an opportunity to connect and exchange insights ahead of the main meeting.
April 29 – Q2 Membership Meeting
The membership meeting opened with welcome remarks from Erik Seidel (Bridgestone), highlighting the company’s journey toward value creation through sustainability.
Kellen Mahoney and Kevin Butt then provided an update on the development of SP’s next five-year strategy, Alignment for Growth, outlining priorities and opportunities for increased member impact.
The morning program featured a range of perspectives on circularity, materials, and environmental innovation. Chad Pregracke (Living Lands & Waters) discussed opportunities for automotive engagement in environmental cleanup efforts. Missy Brudzynsky (Lear) and Xi Chen (Dow) shared a case study on advancing circular seating, while Vickie Lewis (VMX International) highlighted approaches to repurposing automotive waste materials for social impact. Thomas Wenning (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) introduced resources available through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program to support energy efficiency in manufacturing.
Afternoon sessions focused on evolving regulatory and market dynamics. Savannah Rodrigue (Arcadis) provided an overview of the US and global climate disclosure landscape, and Emily Beck (Schneider Electric) shared updates on clean energy tax credit transfer mechanisms. Dawn New presented an update on an ongoing dealership and service center EV battery management project SP is conducting in collaboration with VCU, while Mary Kate Francis (Trio) highlighted progress and upcoming opportunities within the Transform: Auto supply chain renewable energy program. Terri Sharp (Magna) also shared an update on an upcoming charity fundraiser supporting Mend on the Move.
The meeting concluded with an interactive member roundtable discussion, where participants shared perspectives on emerging challenges, priorities, and opportunities for collaboration across the industry.
Additional information on the membership meeting discussions, presentations and next steps is available to current SP member companies. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about SP and opportunities to participate as a member.
Looking ahead, SP’s next quarterly event, the 2026 Innovation Summit, will take place in July, and registration is now open.