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Welcome to the Piedmont-Carolina Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
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Message from the Chairperson
May I take this opportunity to thank those who have preceded me in this position. Down through the history of this Senior Section many people have served as the Section Chair and performed excellently in that particular era. Special thanks to the most recent “Diehards” who refused to let the Section become inactive; Son Nguyen, Charles Favor, Lee Davis, David Ethington.
Having served at the request of our former Chair on the Focus Committee, I gained insight to the challenges of this Section and other Engineering societies in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties. The challenges are many however not insurmountable. Some facts: There are approximately 26 Engineering Societies in the Charlotte area. Memberships range from a low of 50 to a high of 900+. Our Section covers 18 counties, with a membership of approximately 850, one of the largest. Mecklenburg County and surrounding counties have many corporations, industries where the Engineering profession (all disciplines) is practiced. There are Engineers employed in those same industries who are not members of any Engineering Section ASME or otherwise. If a structure, highway, park is designed, a widget designed and manufactured there is an Engineer involved in the process.
Mechanical Engineering is represented in everything regardless. If it moves, it’s Mechanical. Our bodies, our homes, our workplace, how we get from one to the other is Mechanical. A plant which produces plastic parts, chemicals, electronic components has Mechanical moving machines under the roof somewhere, Mechanical. When one of my body parts wears out and has to be replaced (been there, done that) it’s Mechanical.
Engineering is a Profession just as a Professional in the Medical, Accounting, Legal, Education, Government, Information Technology worlds are Professionals. Many of those are working for a corporation, organization, etc. just as many of you are. Many are in business for themselves just as many of you who are members of ASME. The Profession is where I plan on being involved with my time spent serving as your Section Chair in ASME. An Engineer in the Mecklenburg County area needs to be elevated to the same level as some of the other Professionals. Being a native Charlottean my history with the area at one time knew Charlotte to be the “Transportation Hub”, then the “Sales and Marketing Hub” now the “Banking Hub”. Time for Engineers to make their presence known and take their place at the table.
In the
1990’s I served as the Section Chairperson of the Eastern Carolina Section
based out of Raleigh, N.C. Today I sit in on conference calls with the District
Leaders and Section Leadership of various Sections in our District. One thing
is very apparent. A successful Engineering Society cannot function the same
today as they did 10-20 years ago. The membership has changed just as the work
place, technology has changed. We must adapt or be left behind, not meet the
needs of our members. As I begin this journey, I welcome your thoughts,
comments, suggestions, even push back.
Bob Simril
Piedmont Carolina Senior Section
Chairperson
(252) 675-8500
http://sections.asme.org/piedmont_carolina/
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