Armen dons mantle of presidency

Emily M. Smith
ASME NEWS

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Noting that change has defined and redefined the services and programs offered by ASME since its beginning nearly 125 years ago, Harry Armen, P.E., reminded the approximately 200 people attending the President's Dinner last month during the Summer Annual Meeting that the Society has a simple choice to make when considering the future.

As the membership moves into the next chapter of the Society's development, Armen, who began his term last month as ASME's 123rd president, asked, "Do we wait for the future to come to us? Or, do we create the future?"

ASME President Harry Armen (center) is flanked by President-Nominee Richard E. Feigel (left) and Past President Reginald I. Vachon (right).

Creating the future, Armen said, will involve ASME's ability to conquer at least three challenges, beginning in the next 12 months: attracting more members, particularly in the United States, where fewer than one-third of the 300,000 mechanical engineers are members; retaining a majority of the 87 percent of student members who drop their membership after six years; and better conveying the rewards of ASME involvement to members' employers, be they industry, government agencies or academic institutions.

"These three problems go to the heart of who we are," Armen said. "Like the movie, 'It's a Wonderful Life,' I ask you to imagine a world without ASME." After describing a life without access to technical information, ideas, discussions of technical issues, and the Codes and Standards that assure safety, he asked the audience "to awaken from this world and realize that ASME is a wonderful place. I ask you to dream, not of the past, but of the future."

In keeping its eyes on the future and working on ways to meet those challenges, Armen stressed that ASME "will build into our processes the freedom to grow and to improve. We will let go of those things that are not aligned with our new strategies to make room for new ideas, enterprises and projects."

In taking the reins of the ASME presidency, Armen said, "Nothing could be more rewarding and exhilarating than to help the Society move forward with these plans."

Armen reminded members in the audience that the most precious, lasting quality they acquire through their ASME experience "is that intangible thing that you cannot weigh; you cannot measure; you cannot duplicate. And that is the spirit of ASME.

"As important as they are, it is not the journal, the research paper or the presentation that will remain with you," Armen said. "Like yesterday's newspapers, they will fade from your memory. But the spirit that you carry away, the personal influence instilled in your consciousness from your colleagues, your contact with intelligent minds and inspiring personalities will be an immeasurable gift that you can carry with you and use throughout your life.

"Better yet," he added, "it is a gift you can bestow on the next generation."

For the full text of President Harry Armen's inaugural address, go to www.asme.org/publicaffairs.

 

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