Report

To:  Region 3 Sections
       Executive Committee
From:  Dale Caston
Subject:  Director's Report - April, 1998

     The Southcon Exhibits and Conference held at the spacious Orange County
Convention Center in Orlando on March 23-26 had many interesting and
informative booths and technical sessions.  On the opening day, Ron VanDell,
VP & GM of Harris Semiconductor, Communications Products gave a very intense
keynote address on the emerging markets of wireless communications.  This
regional event is co-sponsored by Region 3 IEEE and the ERA.  Thanks go out to
Jim Howard, Jim Beall, Debbie Powers and the others who worked to make this
event a success.

     Southeastcon '98 has over 100 technical papers to be presented and a
large number of students are expected to participate in the car, paper and web
site competitions.  I trust that the majority of our sections will be
representated at the Region 3 Meeting that is held annually at the same time
as Southeastcon.  To my knowledge this is the first time that there will be a
training session held by the Membership Development Committee for the sections
benefit.  Bill Harrison and his committee has organized this session that will
provide help for the sections membership efforts.  At the last Board of
Directors meeting, a proposal passed that deleted the requirement for a IEEE
member having to sign a membership application for a prospective member.  This
will benefit people who want to join the IEEE, but may not know a member.  

       Our Sections in Region 3 need to review their bylaws, policy and
procedures.  If these documents have not been updated in a long time, changes
may be required.   Upon request, IEEE Staff will send out suggested bylaws
that could be used as a guide for updates.   Also, let me encourage the
Sections to support the Student Branches in their locality in membership
drives and to include the students or student officers in section activities.
There is a great opportunity now to enlist more students in the IEEE with
reduced student dues and with the many technical and financial advantage
programs available to not only students but to graduates as they become
regular members.

       At the February series of IEEE Board meetings, our Regional Activities
Board (RAB) acted on over two dozen items and accepted a dozen reports.  Among
these were the approval of the 2nd draft of the RAB Operation Manual, the
selection of the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington DC as the site of the
Sections Congress in 2002 and referred to the MDC a consideration to give
members with certain restrictions  access to the IEEE Member Directory that is
on the Web,                                                                 

       We are happy to welcome the IEEE - USA Operations Committee and its
President Dr. John Rienert.  They will have a committee meeting on Saturday,
April 25th.  Also, Dan Benigni, Chair of the Regional Activities Board is
planning to be at the Orlando Region 3 meeting.  The Region 3 meeting will
climax with the Awards Luncheon on Sunday when the four Region Awards and many
Student Awards are presented.   

Dale Caston