I welcome the opportunity and the challenge of serving as Chair of the Washington Section in 2013, just as I feel a deep commitment toward the members, the technical chapters, affinity groups, and student branches.

IEEE is celebrating the 50-year anniversary of serving the engineering and scientific community. On January 1, 1963, the Institute of Radio Engineers (IRE) and the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) merged to become IEEE.  This anniversary year arrives at a very exciting time, with the news that Washington has been awarded IEEE GLOBECOM 2016.  We in the IEEE National Capital Area know how teamwork is done, and our dedicated volunteers will show the world in 2016 when we host this flagship conference.  In 2013, we will also celebrate the Scanner’s 30th anniversary.  The Scanner itself is a tribute to the ability of its two founding Sections to put aside their differences – a daunting task – and work together to put out the very best local newsletter in IEEE.  In 30 years, the Scanner has been through some hard times and has reinvented itself, but it has never faltered.  Indeed, it may be part of the glue that binds the two Sections in harmony and cooperation.

I am fortunate to have the support of very enthusiastic leaders who will continue to dedicate their time to Washington Section:  Richard Hill as the Vice Chair, Christopher Magnan as Treasurer, and Carolyn Carroll as Secretary. Also, I am pleased to have the counsel of the Section’s Directors: Dr. Paul Cotae, Harry Sauberman, Dr. Mary Tobin, Dr. George Simonis, Dr. Brian Riely, Dr. Raul Cruz-Cano, James Christian, and Wally Lee.  On behalf of the Washington Section, I welcome each of you to the second 50 years of IEEE.