Our next Section Meeting will be on December 7, 2006 at 6:00PM at the HESS Club.

The speaker for the September Section Meeting will be “yours truly” and I will present the topic “IEEE – Recent Benefits/Offerings for Members”.  Take the time to come join us!

On behalf of the Executive Committee, I want to extend our congratulations to two individuals from the Houston Section who were elected to the IEEE Grade of Fellow (Robert Nevels and Zixiang Xiong). As it stands today, the IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. A brief citation is issued to new Fellows describing their accomplishments and the total number selected in any one year does not exceed one-tenth percent of the total voting Institute membership. 

In addition, on behalf of the Executive Committee, I want to extend our congratulations to several individuals from the Houston Section who were recently elected to the IEEE Senior Member Grade (Samuel Terry, Robert Spiewak, Steven Wright, Jim Xiuquan Ji, Ashutosh Sabharwal, and George Zouridakis).

The Houston Section 2006-2007 CED Seminar Schedule is posted online and has had numerous well attended courses covering excellent topics. All seminars are located at Jacobs Engineering, 5995 Rogerdale Road, Houston, Texas, 77072. 

I am not going to again state “This is my last Chair Message”, as many of you are aware, I was chair in 2001-2002 and again this year.  Beginning in 2007 Polo Gutierrez will become your new chairman. The Houston Section is recognized throughout the IEEE as a leader in providing value to its members.  I have had the opportunity to hold many volunteer leadership positions within the IEEE and the many accomplishments that we have made here in the Houston Section have been the most rewarding.  In 2007, I will have the opportunity to serve in several leadership positions within Region 5, Industry Application Society and Board of Directors Standing Committee’s.  As always, I try to bring to each position the same mentality of “adding value to being a member in IEEE”.  In addition, I have been asked to consider running for Region 5 Director in 2007, stay tuned.

I would like to thank the entire Houston Section Executive Committee, who devote many volunteer hours to the local section.  This group has been tireless in their efforts and it has been through these efforts we have been able to achieve so much.  It has been a personal and professional growth experience serving you the members and I am honored to have had this opportunity. 

The Executive Committee and I would like to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday and a prosperous New Year. We are always looking for your feedback and comments. If you have suggestions and/or are interested in becoming active within the section or a local society chapter, contact one of us.  I encourage you to become more active within the IEEE and see the rewards and benefits your membership will yield.  Networking with professionals within our technical community will be of great personal benefit. Take the time, join us at one of the upcoming meetings; we look forward to meeting you.  Without the active participation and feedback from you the members, the programs and content of the IEEE would be lacking.  Take some time!!! Become involved!!!

Again, thanks to all within the IEEE Houston Section for their support it has been sincerely appreciated.