The Best is Yet to Come

Capping off my year as president of ASME, my recent activities included participation in three great events: First, the incredible Offshore Technology Conference of our International Petroleum Technology Institute, in Houston — it drew nearly 60,000 participants to its many events and activities. Second was a highly successful Turbo Expo, in Montreal, which was highlighted by a near-record-breaking crowd. And third, the joint R&D Symposium held in Washington, D.C., which provided an opportunity for interactions with government leaders on issues relating to the critical areas of energy and water.

Terry Shoup

My sense is that ASME continues to grow in stature, achievement, and breadth of influence. Yet I also realize that there is much more that needs to happen as we encounter an ever-accelerating rate of technological change. Responding effectively to change is never easy, but the consequences of maintaining the status quo will only lead to obsolescence and eventual extinction. As I look at where we have come and the progress we have achieved since deploying the Continuity and Change initiative, I am led to the conclusion that the best really is yet to come. The five key market directions for ASME — industry, government, early career engineers, global leadership, and future markets — are being interwoven at every opportunity. On everyone's radar, at every corner of the world, the interactions I've had with engineers and related leaders focused on collaboration, innovation, global management, and continual learning.

After the Board of Governors endorsed "A Roadmap for ASME to Become Indispensable to Early Career Engineers," last June, ASME (through its Sector Management Committee, Sectors, and Services) began to set priorities and develop project plans. ECLIPSE (Early Career Leadership Intern Program to Serve Engineering), which selected its first interns this year, will help strengthen the opportunities for early career engineers to volunteer in ASME. ASME also has held a half-dozen Early Career Forums and for the first time paired them with career fairs at the annual meetings and Turbo Expo.

Keeping in mind all our major markets, we're improving ASME career development resources keyed into industry expectations. We've also focused on digital content and delivery, including expansion of the ASME digital library as well as special corporate libraries that package online courses and publications, mixing technical content and management, serving multicultural, multilingual needs. Every step of the way, I have seen progress. I encourage you to let this progress continue, particularly in the development of early career technical conferences and other cross-sector activities.

The 2007 International Mechanical Engineering Education Conference, held in Puerto Rico this past March, was a collaborative effort of ASME and the Institute for Mechanical Engineers (U.K.), and helped reinforce how global our interests are in developing the next generation of engineers and supporting workforce challenges. At this meeting, we talked about research on engineering education; attracting, retaining, and advancing broader student populations; cultivating corporate relationships; interdepartmental collaboration; and teaching creativity and innovation.

This was a year in which ASME's Strategic Initiative on Globalization drove expansion into China, Europe, India, and dozens of other countries across five continents. ASME Asia Pacific LLC was registered in China in February 2007, and we soon plan to open an office in Shanghai. ASME is establishing an on-the-ground presence in India through an agreement with Tecnova, a management consulting company specializing in exploring business opportunities and establishing start-up operations in India. ASME's Europe Office in Brussels continues to develop quality technical courses and provides conference support, while helping to raise the profile of ASME within the engineering community in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

During my year as president I have had the privilege of visiting with member sections in Australia, England, France, Puerto Rico, and across the United States. We are getting more comfortable with the new structure of ASME, working across the sectors to benefit from the new resources that our global, multidisciplinary membership brings us. We held training programs through webinars as well as the all-sector Leadership Training Conference (LTC), and we began to develop a Web-based best-practices resource for sections, under the auspices of the Strategic Issues, Opportunities and Knowledge (SIOK) Committee.

I began my year talking about FAIR (Financial Accounting and Information Reporting) and this task force's final report and recommendations have enabled us to shape the budget for our next fiscal year in a way that takes into account a more realistic sense of the costs of doing business. In addition, ASME's new merit funding program for sections has enabled us to use our resources wisely and to enhance unit operations by awarding funding based on achieving objectives through section programs and activities that add value to the membership experience. More work is yet to be done in revitalizing our sections and strengthening their support systems through district leadership, although we have made much progress in this area. Sam Zamrik has led an important initiative with the Knowledge & Community task force report that will enable us to address important issues that will enable the K&C Sector to be more vital and effective in the days ahead.

I believe we regained some footing in how we balance our organizational imperatives and the business of engineers, which is indispensable to resolving the major technological challenges we face today. While the world has had to deal with major social, economic, and environmental dilemmas, much public attention this year dealt with issues surrounding anti-corruption and ethics, the energy crisis, climate change, water management, and sustainability. We are, of course, always proponents of public safety and key players in the quest for designs that lighten our loads, enrich our lives, improve our environment, and enhance our knowledge and understanding.

At our core, ASME holds deeply rooted values as a professional standards-setting and world-class technological society, known for its culture based on lifetime relationships and knowledge exchange. Moving forward, ASME can also be recognized now for its capacity to embrace a more agile infrastructure that is more responsive, more efficient in its use of resources, and more visionary in the expression of its priorities. No longer are we characterized by being member-driven or staff-driven — rather we are rapidly moving toward being knowledge-driven. Our volunteer/staff partnership is emerging as one of the greatest strengths that a professional society like ours can bring to bear on the problems of the future.

I began my year knowing that these challenges would have to be given a strong voice. I have always been excited by the prospects of moving ahead and providing more opportunities to more members and others who look to ASME for solutions — and more than solutions — to those who look to become a part of the communities who share our vision. It's been a rewarding year. Let's keep the momentum going and continue working together for the success of our Society and its strategic initiatives. The best really is yet to come if we continue to innovate and to keep our eyes focused on the future.

— Terry Shoup
ASME President 2006–2007

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