Guest blog from Joe Kaulfersch of Pepperl+Fuchs, who is one of the leaders of ISA Cleveland Section. For a little history lesson, Cleveland Section was one of the sections that pre-date ISA.
From Joe:
I'd like to report something that happened last night at our local ISA Section Meeting in Cleveland. Our program had set up a really interesting meeting with an expert in solar cells from NASA. The program chair also set up with the local ICHE section to join us in the meeting. About 45 people showed up. We did everything right except maybe check and recheck that the speaker was going to show up. Well, she didn't! We called her at home. Her husband answered the phone. We found out that she had been out of town for several weeks and she didn't feel that the meeting and ISA was that important for her to come out and speak last night. There is probably more to the story. First I am very disappointed with NASA and this person, but more importantly it is obvious the disrespect engineers have for ISA.
I was totally embarrassed for our section and ISA.
Thank GOD we were lucky enough with a group this size that two salesmen from the local "Endress and Hauser" Rep organization "Forberg Scientific" and the Regional Manager from E&H gave a little talk about Nuclear Level detection that E&H has just released. It was a great way for them to launch their product. In fact it was very interesting. I have not seen a presentation on Nuclear Level since someone from "Texas Nuclear" gave me a presentation in 1977 when I was working at Dow. They said they did six months worth of sales calls last night since many of the influencers of process controls were there last night.
Case in point: We the Cleveland Section did everything right. Within reason. If we can't trust that speakers will show up any more we are finished as an organization! People talk. I'm not sure what damage has been done because of this. I guess we have to do some damage control as soon as possible. At the International level our board of directors are doing everything they have done for the last sixty years only better, but the organization is totally disrespected. What is wrong with this picture?
Joe
