Partnerships announced

The International Society of Automation (ISA) has announced the signing of four new partners to its Corporate Partnerships Program, after just one year on the market. The partners are: Fluke Corporation; GE Energy; Honeywell Process Solutions; and OSIsoft, LLC.

The ISA Corporate Partnerships Program offers companies a customized, tailored approach to sponsorship within the organization. Partnership packages include year-round promotion, prominent association-wide access and recognition, and turnkey service from a dedicated team of professionals. Companies can bundle ISA products and services with marketing opportunities, providing a more streamlined approach to corporate sponsorship.

“Integrating marketing tactics and campaigns across events, publications, face-to-face opportunities, and digital communications translates into increased efficiencies for companies,” said ISA Corporate Partnerships Manager Jennifer Infantino. “Our partners utilize their sponsorship programs to maintain consistent messages, leverage the power of frequency, and achieve top-of-mind awareness among a highly qualified group of professionals.”

The program has three levels of partnership opportunities: ISA Strategic Partners, ISA Corporate Partners, and ISA Automation Week Partners.
Fluke Corporation is an ISA Strategic Partner, the highest level of partnership within the program. Fluke’s 2011 partnership will focus on a test and measurement platform, with marketing and educational opportunities centered on Fluke’s line of electronic test tools and software.
GE Energy, Honeywell Process Solutions, and OSIsoft are ISA Corporate Partners. OSIsoft, an ISA Automation Week Partner in 2010, made the decision to renew its partnership at a higher level in 2011.

"Our partnership with ISA is an important part of our overall marketing strategy, and we have seen significant value in the first year of that partnership," said OSIsoft VP of Marketing Jon Peterson. “ISA connects us with the right audience, and the partnerships program allows us to focus and leverage our marketing outreach."

GE Energy also decided to renew its partnership at the ISA Corporate Partner level, with an increased focus on customized web seminars and technical resources that the company can share with its customers.

“We are proud to announce our 2011 partnerships with these key industry leaders,” said ISA Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin. “Each of our partners offers a distinct value proposition to the automation community. We look forward to working with each company to maximize their return on investment and further develop their relationship with ISA and the professionals we serve.”

Discussions are underway with several companies interested in ISA Automation Week partnerships, a three-month intensive marketing package focused around ISA’s annual event in October. In 2010, ARC Advisory Group, OSIsoft, Schneider Electric, and Wind River were ISA Automation Week Partners.
ISA works with world-renowned sponsorship organization IEG to analyse and evaluate sponsor needs and develop strategies for increasing sponsorship’s return on investment. IEG is a leading provider of consulting, valuation, measurement, research and training to the global sponsorship industry. IEG’s 5,000 clients include the NFL, UNICEF, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Credit Suisse, Diageo, and Subway. The organisation works to help properties and sponsors make the most of sponsorship dollars, and features a division focused on evaluating the true value of sponsorship packages.

In May of 2010, ISA rolled out a partnership dashboard web site to help partners stay up-to-date on their benefits and exposure opportunities. The dashboard is a 24/7, password protected, customized web site that provides partners with extensive information on contract terms, deliverables, opportunities, and upcoming action items.

The dashboards were recognized as an innovation in partner fulfillment and servicing by IEG in an internationally published article in August 2010. “Demonstrating that best practices don’t have to come from pro sports or other large, high profile properties, the International Society of Automation has launched an online dashboard as a servicing tool for partners…such tools can play an especially important role for partners who are not heavily involved in sponsorship and/or don’t have large marketing staffs,” the article reported.

2011 partnership opportunities will be limited to a small number of companies at each level in order to give the highest level of visibility to each of ISA’s partners.

#ISAwk Call for papers issued

The Program Committee of ISA Automation Week 2011: Technology and Solutions Event has issued a Call for Papers inviting authors, experts, innovators, thought leaders and automation professionals to submit abstracts for presentation consideration at the conference to be held at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center in Mobile (AL US) 17-20 October 2011.

The Call for Papers for the event solicits abstracts that cover topics for the following tracks, as they relate to automation:

Greg McMillan

The ISA Automation Week 2011 Program Committee represents ISA members, industry experts, academia, and published authors, across industry:
General Chair
Ken Baker, former ISA president
Program Chair
Greg McMillan, CDI Process & Industrial
Vice Program Chair
Dean Ford, MAVERICK Technologies
Program Committee Members
Jeff Arbogast, Air Liquide
Gerald Cockrell, Indiana State University
John Kuenzler, ARC Advisory Group
Greg Lehmann, URS Corporation
Dale Merriman, MerTech, Inc.
Russell Rhinehart, Oklahoma State University
Rick Zabel, Automation.com

Advanced Process Control Techniques
Analyzers
Automation and Control System Design
Energy and Environmental
Human Asset Optimization
Installation, Operations, & Maintenance
Networks and Use of Data
Safety and Security
Wireless Technology and Applications

"This is your chance to participate in the most pertinent and comprehensive technical conference for the automation profession. Essentially every aspect of process asset and human asset optimization is included. The scope of topics should help maximize loop and process performance and optimize the use of technology and resources,” said Greg McMillan with CDI Process & Industrial and ISA Automation Week 2011 program committee chair.

The ISA Automation Week 2011 technical program is building upon its initial success and will continue to be a knowledge-focused event that will bring top professionals in automation and control together for an intensive technical conference and networking opportunity with key industry suppliers. Sessions will be educational and applications-based, rich in content, and delivered by subject-matter experts in each field. Among new program features in 2011 is a dedicated Technician Day, that offers content relevant to this profession that ranges from basic to advanced topics.


“The range of topics starts with the development and justification of automation projects and continues to the use of the latest in measurement, valve, control system, and safety system technology. Other proposed topics cover selection of the best control strategy, enhancement of the power of the PID, addition of advanced control, installation and maintenance of the system, integration with the business and maintenance systems, use of data including data analytics, advances from the human design center for operator excellence, automation of loop tuning and metrics, education of automation professionals, operator training, improving operations and lowering total lifecycle costs,” McMillan continued. 

An integrated supplier showcase floor and increased supplier program participation will complement the technical program. Two 400-square-foot solutions swap theaters will be placed on the showcase floor and will integrate technical content via standards briefings, supplier solutions presentations, and more.


“We are encouraging engineers and technicians in plants and industry engineering centers, university professors and students, system integrators, architectural engineering firms, exhibitors, and suppliers to present how to improve project, system, operations, plant, and professional performance and advance our profession to the status it deserves," concluded McMillan.

The deadline for abstract submittals for consideration to present is 28 March 2011. More information about the Call for Papers, including a list of proposed topics, can be found on the Automation Week website.

Automation Week 2010 was held in Houston Texas. What did we and others think? See : Much done more to do! and Debacle or basis for development!

ISA Automation Week- Wrap-up!

"There are quite a few areas where we can improve our format and our execution, and we will."

Patrick Gouhin, ISA Executive Director

ISA Automation Week 2010: Technology and Solutions Event, held 4-7 October in Houston (TX US), wrapped up after an activity-packed week. The integrated conference-and-exhibit program and special events were focused around seven technical tracks with dozens of industry experts on hand to lead discussions, present papers, and answer questions about the hottest topics in each area. Nearly 1,700 people, from around the world, were present for the event.

“ISA Automation Week 2010, which was organized around a different model than past ISA EXPO events, introduced a new, innovative format to hundreds of dedicated conferees and exhibitors. It delivered first-class technical content, products and services on display by leading industry suppliers, and plenty of networking opportunities,” stated Gerald Cockrell, technical program co-chair.

“As a technical conference, ISA Automation Week met its goals and there are many success stories coming from this new event, including two outstanding keynote addresses, our PathFinder concept, the Online Community, and electronic proceedings, to name a few,” he continued.

Officially kicking off the conference, Dean Kamen, founder of DEKA Research and FIRST®, gave the opening keynote address. Kamen, who is an accomplished inventor, innovator, and engineer, strongly encouraged automation professionals to get involved with the future generation and to give back to the community through volunteering. Kamen’s speech rallied support for his proudest accomplishment, FIRST®, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. He also pointed out that many of his inventions and products were built on, or relied upon, automation, making the professionals behind those products his “idols.” See our comments: Technology as a sport, Dean Kamen enthuses #ISAwk.

The second keynote was delivered by David Cummings, global process safety management competency leader for DuPont Safety, Health & Environment (SHE). Cummings explored the key elements required to implement and maintain a consistent and highly reliable program to prevent process incidents, including risk management systems, safety culture, operational discipline, and organizational learning.

The ISA Automation Week technical program included 56 sessions which covered the latest topics within seven technical tracks: automation and control, energy, environmental, human asset optimization, safety, security, and wireless and networking.

The exhibition spotlighted more than 120 vendor exhibits, providing attendees the opportunity to meet and network with leading automation and instrumentation providers during scheduled breaks. Through these exhibits, attendees were able to get practical, real-world solutions to the theory presented during sessions.


“We made some excellent new business contacts, and were able to establish relationships with key industry professionals,” said Tim Donaldson, marketing director at ICONICS. "The ISA Automation Week format provides an opportunity to meet and network with decision makers as well as with those who influence, specify or recommend products for purchase. Our exhibit space for 2011 is already confirmed."

ISA Automation Week also introduced its successful new conference tool, PathFinder, which helped attendees select their own unique combination of sessions to create a customized learning experience suited to their individual job functions and professional goals. PathFinder does this by identifying the best conference path for each of five professional groups: technicians, engineers, management, marketing, and academia/R&D/scientists.

Another popular tool was the new ISA Automation Week Online Community. This social networking site allowed registered attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers to communicate with each other, create personal schedules, set up meetings, and link to their LinkedIn and Twitter accounts before and during the conference.

Also, participation in ISA’s 2010 Fall Training Institute, which ran concurrently with ISA Automation Week, exceeded last year's registrations, with 120 students served in 16 technical training course areas.


"To me, this new, conference-centered event is certainly different from what ISA has done in the past. It’s a step in a new direction and it shows that ISA is making progress toward evolving in today’s economy, while still working towards meeting the needs of the changing marketplace of exhibitions and conferences," summarized Ian Verhappen, director at Industrial Automation Networks, Inc.

Patrick Gouhin, ISA executive director and CEO, explained, “Hosting a new type of conference is always exciting, yet it can be very challenging too. Early indications show support for this new type of event, with a flow and functionality that would be different from past events. And though ISA has been hosting both large and small conferences for more than 45 years, we found that an all-new format like this one, can indeed present some struggles. There are quite a few areas where we can improve our format and our execution, and we will.”

See you in Mobile!

Ken Baker, general chair for next year’s ISA Automation Week, commented, “As we begin planning for ISA Automation Week 2011, we’ll build upon the strengths of this year’s event and adjust to the dynamic environment in which we operate. We’ll review the format and what we’ve learned, and we’ll look at ways to optimize all aspects of the experience for everyone.”

ISA Automation Week 2011 will be held in Mobile (AL US), 17-20 October 2011 “The facility there will give us more flexibility and options, especially on the exhibition side. It will offer a traditional conference and exhibition layout with all exhibits in one spot, a designated registration area, and dedicated session rooms, all conveniently located in a beautiful, waterfront site,” continued Baker.


“ISA Automation Week fulfills an important role in the automation field and as the premier automation conference in industry. We will continue to build the technical repository that is known as the automation body of knowledge,” concluded Gouhin.

Our other blogs on this event: Much done more to do!

New partner announced for technology event

Wind River is an ISA Automation Week partner
Wind River has become an ISA Automation Week 2010 Partner. ISA Automation Week 2010 will be held 4-7 October 2010 in Houston (TX US).

“ISA’s members and customers attend ISA Automation Week to immerse themselves in comprehensive technical information, and to see the latest trends in the design, deployment, and integration of complex manufacturing systems and processes,” said Jennifer Infantino, ISA Corporate Partnerships manager. “Our partners represent top companies in the industry, and through this program, they can engage in meaningful dialogue with current and future customers and offer solutions for the challenges they’re facing in their plants. Wind River is a key partner to ISA, and their innovations will greatly benefit ISA members and customers attending our upcoming show.”

Wind River is uniquely positioned within the embedded industry with its comprehensive software portfolio, which includes industry-leading operating systems, runtime technologies, development tools and an embedded test management solution, as well as industry-specific solutions. As the trends of machine-to-machine connectivity and tighter security regulations amplify across industries, their solutions enable companies to meet stringent real-time determinism requirements while taking advantage of the flexibility and cost benefits of open standards. For developers exploring technologies such as multi-core and embedded virtualization for the next generation of industrial devices, the company offers a broad set of integrated multi-core software solutions for multiple hardware architectures serving specific vertical industry needs. Additionally, Wind River’s solutions are supported by global support and services and a rich partner ecosystem.

“Understanding how to embrace rapidly evolving machine-to-machine connectivity as well as managing new safety and security requirements emerging globally are now critical elements to the control and process automation market segments,” said Jens Wiegand, general manager of industrial and medical solutions at Wind River. “Wind River is honored to engage with ISA Automation Week conference attendees in order to help them master the challenges of building secure, connected devices.”