IEEE Central Virginia Section Report
                     April, 2002 Region 3 Meeting
 
The Central VA Section's Executive Committee extends beyond the
Charlottesville area for the first time in several years.  To
eliminate time and travel for a monthly, in-person ExCom meeting we
are experimenting with use of a dial-in teleconference service.  We
are using email as well as newsletters to deliver meeting information
to the Section's far flung members.  Also, the Section web site is
finally worth a visit!

This year the Section is placing emphasis on PACE sponsored meetings
and seminars in addition to our traditional technical meetings and
tours.  In particular, a PACE seminar on time management is being
planned for the fall.  This seminar requires considerable planning and
advertisement because of the steep costs for a Franklin Covey Saturday
seminar.  Augusta County Chamber of Commerce is enthusiastic about the
endeavor, so hopefully the combined Section and COC resources can
bring it off.

Two Section members will attend the IEEE-USA Workshop in Dallas.  The
information that the IEEE Employment and Career Services Committee
will present is of particular interest.  The Section has contacted the
Committee because of the declining employment opportunities in the
area.  Several of the largest engineering employers in Charlottesville
and Lynchburg have essentially shut down their operations.  We are
interested in whatever the Committee's Rapid Response Team can do for
us.  A job fair would be of real value.

The Central VA Section has an established GOLD Affinity Group.  The
GOLD meetings are usually GOLD happy hours.  A petition is in
circulation for formation of a Computer Society Chapter.  An
Engineer's Week banquet was again held this year after being snowed
out in February 2001.  The Section is pleased to renew its efforts to
make the banquet a success and ongoing event.

Central VA Section Officers and Committee Heads:

   Grace Giras (g.e.giras@ieee.org) - Section Chair
   Joe Berman (j.a.berman@ieee.org) - Immediate Past Chair,
                                      Membership Dev. Chair
   Carlos Whaley (carlos.whaley@whaleytech.com) - Section Vice Chair,
                                      PACE Chair
   Larry Heine (l.heine@ieee.org) - Section Secretary/Treasurer
   Sean Haynes (s.a.Haynes@ieee.org) - Newsletter Editor