TN Council Chair's Report (submitted Oct 25, 2001) TO: Region 3 Excom FR: David Bower, TN Council Chair ( d.bower@ieee.org ) I regret that I'm unable to attend the Region 3 Meeting in Jamaica October 26-28, 2001 for medical reasons. My wife was just released from the hospital following a number of seizures, and is now improving at home. At this stage, everything appears normal. I'm providing my report for use at the meeting. TN Council: There are seven (7) sections in the Tennessee Council. They are: 1. Tri Cities Section. Chair is Hugh Blanton 2. Oak Ridge Section. Chair is Brian Swail 3. East Tennessee Section. Chair is Al Akerman 4. Chattanooga Section. Craig McClure 5. Nashville Section. Andy Dozier 6. Middle Tennessee Section. Bobby Smith 7. Memphis Section. David Russomanno TN Council Officers: Chair: David Bower (member of East TN Section) Vice Chair: Jim Duke (member of Nashville Section) Secretary/Treasurer: Philip Lim (member of memphis Section) The Tri Cities, Oak Ridge, East TN, Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis sections have all been active with regular meetings. The Tri- Cities Section has become active again within the past two years, and is having regular meetings. We are working with this section to get their Financial Report submitted to headquarters (the only problem now remaining). Because of the declining job market in the Tullahoma, TN area (ie NASA, military, etc employment), there has been minimal activity in the Middle TN Section. There are only two officers; a Chair and Secretary/Treasurer. Dick Riddle has been instrumental in moving forward with an initiative to possibly combine the Middle Tennessee and Nashville sections because of their proximity. Dick Riddle and I attended the 50th anniversary celebration in Nashville on September 21 and 22. We attended an excellent dinner organized by the Nashville Chair Andy Dozier on Friday evening September 21 and had an opportunity to discuss section activities. On Saturday morning, September 22, we attended an Excom representing the officers of the section. On Saturday evening, we attended a reception and dinner program at the Renaissance Center in Dickson, Tennessee (35 miles west of Nashville) where Director Dick Riddle presented the 50th Year Banner to the Nashville Section (Chair Andy Dozier participating). Saturday dinner activities were organized by Nashville Section member Mike Puckett. Nashville Section members Art Brodersen and Jim Duke gave a historical overview of the Nashville Section. We also had an opportunity to attend a special laser presentation in the Cyber Theatre. Pictures were made of the activities and forwarded to Dick Riddle, including the presentation of the banner. Pictures will also be sent to the Nashville section. The new Tennessee Engineering Center project (to be located at the Cumberland Science Museum in Nashville, TN) has approached IEEE concerning financial support. The individual organizing the fund raising effort is Bill Sims, an IEEE member from Brentwood, TN. Bill Sims has talked briefy with Dick Riddle and David Bower about the project, and sent a letter to Joel Snyder on September 28, 2001 asking for support. East Tennessee Chair Al Akerman asked the following question at a recent local meeting: " What do other entities in IEEE (ie Region 3) see as local IEEE activities relevant to the membership?" The first issue of the Tennessee Council Newsletter is scheduled for distribution this fall to the officers of the different sections. The newsletter will have information on the various TN sections including programs and other activities. A feature article (with pictures) will be included on the 50th Anniversary function regarding the Nashville Section. Information will also be included concerning various contacts at IEEE Headquarters for local section support, etc. The purpose of this newsletter is to share information on program ideas and communicate other information regarding the sections (such as officers, special activities, etc) and IEEE. The distribution will be limited (approximately 50 copies) for use by the section officers as appropriate. Another initiative will be to encourage sections which are relatively close to have occasional joint meetings. Submitted October 25, 2001 David Bower, TN Council Chair d.bower@ieee.org 512 Elkmont Raod Knoxville, TN 37922-3694 865-670-1503