Automation interests explored at Far East meeting

Underscoring the International Society of Automation’s (ISA) commitment to global partnership-building, ISA’s Executive Director and CEO Patrick Gouhin participated last week at a meeting in Hong Kong exploring collaborative initiatives among industry associations throughout all areas of the world, including the rapidly growing Asia-Pacific region.

ISA's Pat Gouhin

Gouhin and other chief executive officers of international industry associations attended the event as members of the Key Global Association Committee (KGAC), a committee established in 2011 by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) to examine the multi-national opportunities and challenges facing global industry associations and societies whose primary headquarters are located in the US.

KGAC membership is composed exclusively of chief executive officers of global, US-based associations with revenue of at least $10 million, out of which at least 10 percent comes from international activities.

KGAC’s gathering in Hong Kong, held16-23 February, represented the committee’s third meeting, and came at the invitation of Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK) and the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Significant attention at the meeting was given to the positive business environment and strong economic activity in Hong Kong and neighboring China.

“I want to thank MEHK and the Hong Kong Tourism Board for their hospitality and generosity in hosting our KGAC meeting. My participation as a KGAC committee member underlines ISA’s continuing interest in forging new international relationships, and building on our already significant multi-national presence and involvement,” Gouhin says. “We feel strongly that our resources, expertise and leadership in automation and control can be of great value in addressing many global manufacturing and industry challenges.”

KGAC meetings, Gouhin says, “bring into sharper focus that most global associations and societies share similar strategic interests and difficulties, and that there is a compelling need for greater collaboration among them.”

In fact, as a result of several meeting discussions this week, ISA is considering partnership arrangements with other international industry associations.

“All of the industry associations participating in KGAC recognize the importance of partnering in order to leverage the collective resources and strengths for the betterment of the professions and industry sectors we represent,” Gouhin says.