Topic Abstract

Why and How to

Upgrade to IEEE Senior Member

• Introduction
• Provide current IEEE information on the IEEE SM Program
• Benefits to the Member
• Benefits to the Section
• Discussion of various methods to assist members in upgrading to SM
• Problems IEEE Members encounter during the SM Upgrade process
• Kansas City Section Plan of Action to assist IEEE Members upgrade to SM
• IEEE Region and Section SM Upgrade Goals.

Bio for

William T. (Bill) Ritter

Bill Ritter graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA in 1965 with a BS in Applied Math. He entered the US Army through the ROTC program, and was trained as a HAWK Missile Maintenance Platoon Leader. He served at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), NM, Vietnam, and Granite City Army Depot, IL. He worked as a contractor for RCA Service Company 1968-1973, where he helped install, operate, and maintain the first WSMR Air Surveillance System. In 1973 he joined the 46^th Test Group, Holloman AFB, NM as a USAF Civil Service Employee. During this very exciting 27 years, his duties included those of a Mathematician, Analyst, Computer Scientist, Electronic Engineer, Supervisory Electronic Engineer, Program Manager, and Supervisory Mechanical Engineer. Bill’s highly diverse technical and managerial ability helped the 46^th Test Group support the Department of Defense War-Fighter by providing highly technical test results of guidance/navigation systems, GPS receiver and jamming systems, aircraft ejection systems, material erosion effects, missile impact results (including Hit-to-kill), and a host of other related tests. After retiring with 31 years of Federal Service, he moved to Topeka, KS and became the Director of Information Technology for the City of Topeka for 15 months.

Bill joined IEEE in 1979 and was active in the local Alamogordo, NM Section eventually holding all Section Officer Chairs multiple times. He was active in Region-6 as their WESCON High School Scholarship Chair for a number of years. Bill received the IEEE Citation of Honor Award in 1998, IEEE Millennium Medal 2000, and IEEE Region-6 Community Service Award 2001. Recent IEEE support includes Senior Member Promotion Chair for the Kansas City Section.