Raymond D. Findlay

Raymond D. Findlay Candidate for 2001 IEEE President-Elect

Should you ever get a chance to visit the IEEE Operations Center you may still see the odd sign over a staff desk: Remember the Member. That used to be the motto of staff and volunteer. It was a good motto, something for all IEEE leaders to think about. It’s the key to my leadership in the many positions I have served in IEEE. As we see our technological world rapidly evolving, as we prepare for substantial change in every part of our lives from home to business to recreation, we need to be reminded, occasionally, that it is always the member who counts. Our IEEE leaders need to be fully cognizant of what these technological changes will mean to our members. Consequently, we need to be continually alert to what our members want.

We also need to remember that our members are very diverse in their needs, not only in their technological requirements, but also in their professional and educational needs. That is the challenge! To serve our members better, while ensuring the continuing good economic health of IEEE. For example, let us:

• Provide better service to our members
  *   Electronic communications: we need to help our members to develop and make better use of the new communications technologies in this new era?
  *   We need to make substantially greater provision for members and volunteers to access information.
  *   We need to make better use of the Web to allow Sections, Chapters and members to communicate with us.
  *   We need to keep improving our record to provide timely products and services for our members.

• Address Industry issues
  *   For several years we have tried to sell IEEE to the senior management of key corporations. This has not brought about significant buy-in. We need a better approach. We need to demonstrate the value of IEEE membership within our industries.
  *   Industries used to support memberships in IEEE. Middle managers used to counsel younger engineers to attend IEEE meetings. It doesn’t happen anymore. We should find out how to resurrect that trust we once enjoyed with our industries.
  *   We should assist our established industries to take better advantage of the global marketplace through our members’ contributions, not only to engineering practice, but also through new approaches to business practice. We can help our members to develop more effective approaches to business, for example, by implementing e-commerce.

• Improve our Members’ Image
  *   With our size of membership, as the largest technical society in the world, we have the resources to strengthen the image of engineers. Engineers are wealth generators. None of the other major professions can claim that status. We need to proclaim our position as the major contributors to the wealth of nations.

• Reverse the trend towards an aging US membership
  *   While we are attracting a younger, more technically oriented audience, particularly in Europe and Asia, the average age of US members in IEEE is growing older. Between 1977 and 1997 the average age of US members increased from 42 to 48. To maintain the vitality of IEEE we need to provide the products and services to attract younger members of the profession.
  *   We also need to determine and provide the services the older members of IEEE most need from us.

• Capitalize on IEEE as a technical society
  *  Our IEEE technical societies generate much of the wealth of the IEEE. Through their efforts, our dues are kept at a reasonable level. However, times are fraught with uncertainty due to the rapid changes in the ways we can do business. Our IEEE society leaders need a strong commitment
  *   Only 57% of US members belong to at least one technical society. However, 84% of Region 8 (European) members belong! Region 8 is growing, but the US is not. We need to find ways to promote interest in IEEE technical Societies in the US.
  *   Often our students join IEEE for professional or social reasons. After they graduate, we lose them. What do these members need most in order to help them to transition from Student through to full participating Members?

• Improve our business practices
  *   IEEE is a multimillion dollar business, yet we run it on an ad hoc basis. We need to help our entities to incorporate better business practices, including strategic and fiscal planning, organizational development and prudent management practices into their procedures.
  *   Especially, we need to encourage and persuade our dedicated volunteers to adapt to the new business environment. We can do this by providing the necessary information, assisting with appropriate software, and providing courses on the new techniques.

• Provide dynamic, focussed leadership
  *   We need to make better use of the leadership skills of our older members to help us develop leadership programs for the IEEE leaders of tomorrow.
  *   We should encourage our entities, both regional and technical, to welcome younger members into leadership roles and to provide development programs for those younger members to help them enhance their leadership and managerial skills.

• Capitalize on IEEE as an International Organization
  *   If we make the commitment that ours is an international organization, then we need to develop mechanisms to enhance the international nature of IEEE.
  *   For example, we need to do a better job of promoting IEEE Standards worldwide in all our technical fields.
  *   One factor in the globalization of IEEE is the cost of bringing international members to meetings and taking our major conferences abroad. Now is the time to make the commitment to make IEEE a truly global enterprise! By sharing best practices, everyone can benefit.

The Bottom Line

I believe that IEEE must continue to examine the way it does business, and to evolve to provide to its members the very best service that can be provided in this electronic era. I also believe that we should provide strong and able leadership at all levels for our members.

I am committed to helping IEEE members to achieve their scientific, educational and professional objectives.

I am committed to providing better service to our members. I am committed to work to improve IEEE for all its members. I will find answers to the problems above, and develop and implement solutions to those problems. My record is my leadership toward accomplishing these goals.

Ray Findlay can be reached at the Power Research Laboratory, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Phone: (905) 525-9140 Ext. 24874; Fax: (905) 525-1276; E-mail: r.findlay@ieee.org. He invites you to visit his website at http://power.eng.mcmaster.ca/findlay/RayFindlay/openpg.htm

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