Good morning…
    I consider myself very honored to be in China at this moment in time. Around the world China is being recognized for its major accomplishment of hosting the 29th Summer Olympics in Beijing. These Olympic Games were historic; both from the accomplishments of some of the major competitors and from the record setting global audience that viewed these games from all parts of the world. My congratulations go to the people of China for putting together an excellent Olympic games and to the spirit of the games, simply stated as: “One World One Dream”.
   Sport is an excellent way for all countries to share in the same goals and opportunities on the same stage. It is appropriate that we stand here today, for now the world comes together for another purpose, to share in the technology and experience of our global superhard materials industry. When I look at the countries where we all do business I cannot help but think of us as a “Global Village”. Now, I look out over this audience and I see the many different nationalities and countries that have come to China to learn, to share, to listen and to take advantage of the new ideas being presented.
    I grew up in this industry and I have seen the many new ideas become reality. When I started some 40 years ago synthesized diamond had already made tremendous advancements in the grinding of glass and carbide. I was fortunate to have been a part of many significant events, from the introduction of cubic boron nitride in 1969 to the recent development of CVD Diamond.
    The products that came along in the decades of the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and into the new millennium have taken this industry beyond where those early scientists could have ever imagined. Within the last year we have lost Francis Bundy who was 97 years old and Tracy Hall who was 88 from the original diamond synthesis team. Now, others take their place and China will help lead the way because great ideas and new technology have no borders, boundaries or limitations. Each generation learns from the last. We must never stop searching, learning and growing. The scientists of today link us to the future and to the next generation. New materials, new applications or new technology, no one knows what will be the next great discovery. We are all curious and
inquisitive, will it be a new abrasive harder than diamond or a new workpiece material that is stronger and lighter than anything used today in the aerospace industry… who knows? Whether it’s that new abrasive or that new material that needs diamond to cut or shape it, Global Conferences like this one is where we will first discover or learn about it.
    On behalf of all the members of the Industrial Diamond Association of America I would like to congratulate our colleagues in the Industrial Diamond Association of China for organizing and hosting this conference and it is my hope that all of you who have worked so hard, will have a successful and rewarding experience at the 5th Zhengzhou International Superhard Materials Conference. It is an honor and a privledge for me to be here in China and like those athletes of the recent Olympics, let us all share in the same spirit for this conference, “One World One Dream”.

Thank you.