This exclusive event, organized by the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP) for Certified Reliability Leaders® from around the world, brought together dozens of certified professionals who shared experiences and insights on how the certification has enhanced their professional performance and brought them closer to achieving much greater goals.
Terrence O’Hanlon, Chief Executive Officer at the Reliability Leadership Institute, Executive Director at the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP) and creator of The Uptime® Elements, presented his latest book: “The Reliability Leadership Manifesto”.
On Thursday, May 7, the Certified Reliability Leader® Reconnect 2026 took place, an exclusive event organized by the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP) for Certified Reliability Leaders worldwide, with the aim of connecting with colleagues and sharing experiences on how obtaining this certification boosted their professional performance and the impact this had on their respective organizations.
This special gathering was hosted by Maura Abad, Chief Operating Officer at the Reliability Leadership Institute, Asset Management Global Chapter Director, and Founder and Global Director of Women in Reliability and Asset Management (WIRAM). Terrence O’Hanlon, Chief Executive Officer at the Reliability Leadership Institute, Executive Director at the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP), and creator of The Uptime® Elements, presented his latest book, “The Reliability Leadership Manifesto – A declaration for Rising Reliability Leaders”, a work that compiles and distills his experience in the world of asset management and reliability. “Leadership in reliability isn’t just what you do; it’s who you are. This book is a manifesto, a public declaration, a commitment to high performance standards and the culture that sustains this performance” -O’Hanlon stated while presenting this new work, in which he highlights the unifying value of the Uptime® Elements framework.
A landmark work: “The Reliability Leadership Manifesto – A declaration for Rising Reliability Leaders”
This book is aimed at reliability leaders who have moved beyond the view of maintenance as a cost center to focus on all the value that can be unlocked within an organization with the right vision. The book consists of 13 chapters, in which Terrence breaks down the impact of reliability on culture, strategy, leadership, financial, operational, and safety outcomes. “A Reliability Leader is one who helps another person, a machine, or a gadget to do a better job. It does not require a title, department, or permission. Being a Reliability Leader means realizing a future that was not going to happen anyway” -he stated during the presentation of this book, which is also available in audiobook format for a limited time.
I Am a Certified Reliability Leader. Now what?
The path to reliability is characterized by continuous improvement. Understanding this aspect is essential to succeeding as a Certified Reliability® Leader and continuing to advance professionally.
Jim Carrel, Chief Operating Officer of Forum Reliability, addressed this point while speaking about the impact of Certified Reliability® Leader certifications on operational and organizational excellence.
His presentation, “I Am a Certified Reliability Leader. Now what? Life After Certification,” addressed the changes that come with obtaining this certification, both in the workplace and from a deeper perspective. To better illustrate this, he discussed the three Rs of the CRL leader:
- Release (Projects, Culture, Outcomes)
- Retain (Recertification, Volunteer)
- Recognition (CRL Black Belt)
This approach reflects the certification pathway of the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP), which begins with the CRL certification and culminates in the CRL Black Belt, the highest distinction AMP awards to reliability leaders.
A Shared Commitment on a Global Scale
An important aspect of this event was the level of commitment shown by the attendees, as they are all Certified Reliability® Leaders with current certifications (a mandatory requirement for participating in this event), and all expressed their willingness to continue advancing along the Reliability Journey, which is perfectly articulated in the AMP certification pathway.
The shared vision is to achieve a sustainable future, and to that end, reliability leadership plays a fundamental role in organizations, industries, and companies. Here are some comments shared by both CRLs and Black Belts:
- “The CRL transformed my perspective on how to achieve sustainable performance. For me, the CRL is the beginning” – Engineer Jose De Sousa, from Angola.
- “The CRL workshops are very inspiring; it’s excellent to share a common language with everyone, even though you don’t need to have experience in industrial maintenance to become a Certified Reliability® Leader” -Kate Kerrigan, Instructor for the Certified Reliability® Leader Program.
- “It has been very important for me to be a CRL Black Belt, and to become a trainer for future Black Belts, because even when training others, you keep learning. It has been a great journey, and it continues” -Rey Marquez, CRL Black Belt, from Ohio.
- “The CRL Certification has been a turning point in my career because I understand that people, culture, and organizational change are practically the most important aspects, and I have continued to apply the principles I learned in the certification: the reliability framework, being part of a community to keep learning, and how this certification gives you a lot of confidence in what you already know, thereby helping your organization grow” -CRL Ben Carrol, from Indiana.
- “For me, the CRL has been a way to broaden my perspective on reliability, which encompasses not only the technical aspects but also the culture from which we make technical decisions” -Certified Reliability® Leader Manuel Belaochaga from Latin America.
- “I’ve been a CRL since 2013, and it changed my life in many ways; I learned the true impact of integrity, trust, and the speed with which we correct our mistakes. I’ve been guided by these principles for years, and I’m grateful for that” – Gail Petersen, CRL, author, and CEO of Fortig, Inc., from Canada.
As the final point of this event, Mike Meehan, a Certified Maintenance Manager® trainer, urged participants to pursue this certification (also part of the Association of Asset Management Professionals’ suite of certifications), since Maintenance is an essential part of Reliability, and this certification offers in-depth and comprehensive training to young professionals, which will lead to their strong performance and excellent results.
Maura Abad closed the session by inviting attendees to continue on the AMP Pathway, thanking them for their participation and the commitment they have demonstrated to progressive improvement.
