I received over the weekend, another letter from Kim Miller Dunn, the 2008 ISA President:
Dear Member:Congratulations! You've reached a significant professional milestone--thirty years of continuous membership in ISA. The Society thrives because of the dedication of Members like you.Thank you for your many years of involvement in ISA. It is long-term Members like you who have provided the leadership and vision to keep the Society growing and expanding its services. We look forward to many more years of collaboration with you to address the needs of instrumentation, systems, and automation professionals around the world.Sincerely,Kim Miller Dunn, ISA President
Yes, I've been an ISA member for 30 years. During that time, automation has gone from a performance enhancer in manufacturing to being required for corporate survival. I estimate that there are close to 800,000 individuals working as automation professionals in industry globally. Fewer than 30,000 of them are ISA members. As I begin my 31st year as an ISA member, and my 34th year as an automation professional, I have to stop and ask myself why this is.
