Three eras of association
My long association with ISA can be divided into three eras: As a regular member who joined in 1974, as Society president in 1993, and as past-president.
Before I became president in 1993, I delivered an ISA paper that predicted the use of microprocessors to do process control. I founded the Computer Technology Division of ISA, called COMPUTEC, to bring computer technology into ISA. I also developed the Bulletin Board System (BBS) for the executive board to use digital communications to conduct ISA business.
In those early days, I also developed Student Section involvement in ISA and encouraged us to technically compete with each other—in live competitions. I coordinated with universities in Illinois and Kentucky to support ISA and to form ISA sections—from which we received recognition from state governments.
While I was president, ISA membership grew to 45,000 with an objective to bring ISA from basically a national organization to truly an international one. The goal that year (1993) was “Remember the Member.” I visited many countries to bring the ISA message directly to members around the world. I also visited ISA student sections to get them involved with ISA, as well as protected ISA members from personal attacks.
Accomplishments after being president included forming the Globalization Development Council (GDC) to allow international ISA members to share their ISA values with the organization.
Howard P. Zinschlag, PE, ISA Fellow (1986), 1993 Society President, member since 1974
