Justin C. Abnee, Co-Editor
November 1999
NEWSLETTER OF THE NORTHEAST TENNESSEE SECTION OF AIChE
Science and Technology Policy: Why Your Input Is Important
he November AIChE Meeting will feature two esteemed guest speakers: Carolyn Nguyen, an electrical engineer who is interning with Senator BIll Frist, and Darlene Schuster, Manager of Government Relations at the Washington, DC AIChE office.
Don't miss this chance to hear about Senator Frist's leadership in Science and Technology Policy and what AIChE is doing to support the interests of chemical engineers in DC. You'll learn about some of the hot issues that interest the technology community and why it's important for you to make your opinions known both individually and as a profession.
Communicating your views to senators, representatives, and professional organizations is more important than ever, not to mention easier and quicker. Attend this exciting meeting to hear what you can do to leverage your opinions on the latest science and technology policy issues in Washington.
Date: Tuesday, November 30
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Place: B-150 Auditorium
Retirement Planning and Investing: Reach Your Financial Goals
The December AIChE meeting will feature Gary Kilgore, Regional Vice President with PRIMERICA a member of citigroup. The program will center around a generic discussion of retirement planning and portfolio management before and after retirement. The discussion will include financial planning issues and how they may be impacted by the new Eastman Retirement Benefits plan. Other investment strategies and tips will be presented. Come and find out if you can improve your investment planning to reach your financial goals!
Date: Thursday, December 9
Time: 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Place: B-150 Auditorium
AIChE October Social at the Martha Washington Inn and Barter Theatre
On Friday October 22, local AIChE members and their guests met at Camberley’s Martha Washington Inn at 6:00 PM for dinner. The eighteen participants enjoyed the highly acclaimed Martha Washington Inn Friday Evening Seafood Buffet. The dinner provided quite a selection of exquisite seafood and an excellent atmosphere for the group to socialize and get acquainted with each other.
After taking full advantage of the buffet and much pleasant conversation, the group adjourned across the street to the Barter Theatre to view Emily Bronte’s play, Wuthering Heights. Five other members and guests joined the Martha Washington group to see the play. Adapted by Richard Rose (creator of the Barter Theatre’s versions of Frankenstein and Dracula!), the play provided the perfect ending to a wonderful evening.
I would like to express my gratitude to those who participated in this year’s social. I enjoyed socializing with each of you and your guests. I hope I speak for each of you when I say that all who attended had a wonderful time.
Steve Kennedy
Local Section Response to Eastman Cost Reduction Program
By now, we have all become keenly aware of the recent labor and cost reduction program announced by Eastman Chemical Company and of its potential impact on chemical engineers in our local section area. We are also aware of the lingering impacts of other labor reductions in our region, such as occurred with the change in contract management of Holston Army Ammunition Plant. These new challenges provide opportunities for our local section, and for each of us as individuals, to pull together and help our friends and co-workers who are or may be affected. As a local section and as individuals, there are several things which we can proactively do in response. Some of these are as follows:
David L. Denton, Vice-Chair
Professional Engineering Exam Review Course
The Professional Engineering Exam for Chemical Engineers is offered twice annually: in the middle of April, and at the end of October. In the past, the East Tennessee Section of AIChE has offered a review course for those planning to sit for the exam. The winter months seem to be more conducive to studying for the exam, so the course has traditionally been offered in February and March. Many who do not plan to sit for the exam until October also attend the class, however, in order to refresh their memories about the topics they will be reviewing.
If you are interested in attending this course, please contact Joe Parker at 423-229-3850 (e-mail jlparker@eastman.com) so we can determine if there is sufficient interest to hold the course next year.
The class would meet one night a week for six weeks; each week, a different subject would be reviewed. The subjects that would be covered by the course are:
Mass and Energy Balances
Thermodynamics
Fluid Mechanics
Heat Transfer
Mass Transfer
Reaction Kinetics
Each session would last two to three hours. The course would begin around the first week in February, and the cost would be $25 per person.
EVEN IF YOU ALREADY HOLD AN ENGINEERING LICENSE, YOU MAY WISH TO ATTEND THIS COURSE! The State of Tennessee now requires each licensed engineer to obtain 24 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) over a two-year period in order to retain his or her engineering license. The East Tennessee Section of AIChE will award PDHs according to the number of class hours attended. Students who attended all sessions of the course in 1997 received 14 PDHs, more than enough to satisfy the requirement for one year.
Local Section Officer Elections
As 1999 closes, it is time to elect local AIChE section officers for the year 2000. The current slate of officers has served well and their efforts on behalf of the profession are greatly appreciated! The below section members have agreed to run for office as noted. Please take a moment to complete and return a hardcopy of the enclosed ballot to John Aycock by December 3rd. The ballot contains the appropriate return address on the reverse side. Simply complete, fold, and mail the ballot. To assist in your choice of officer candidates, a brief biography is included below:
Secretary Candidates
Brian Joyner worked for Eastman in Engineering from 1992 to 1997. While there, he helped designed PET plants built in Mexico, Spain, Rotterdam, and Argentina and helped lead the basic engineering effort for the Singapore Oxo Plant. Brian moved to Eastman’s Acid Development in 1997 where he is working to expand specialty ketones capacity. Brian has served on the AIChE program committee and coordinated speakers for several meetings.
Jim Johnson is an Associate Chemical Engineer for Eastman in the HSE & Facilities Support Department of Acid Division. He has a BS Degree in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University and has worked at Eastman for 24 years in various assignments, primarily associated with production support and/or management. Currently, Jim is serving as Division Representative for a major process automation project in Organic Chemicals Division. Jim has served as Executive Councilor and National President of the Tau Beta Pi Association.
Treasurer Candidates
Richard Colberg works for Eastman in Research to design and simulate flowsheets and evaluate economics for new processes and products. Previously, he was an instructor at Virginia Tech and a co-op student for DuPont. Richard has served two terms as AIChE local section secretary and one as local Engineering Week finance co-chair.
Jeff Smith has worked at Eastman for 14 years. He began his career in Research, where he worked one year in the pilot plant and three years in the Design Data Laboratory. He then worked eight years in Process Engineering before his current assignment as the Lab Head of the Design Data Laboratory in Research. Jeff is a registered professional engineer and has taught several Eastman in-house training courses on physical properties and vapor/liquid equilibria. He has also participated in various Engineers' Week activities, and has served on the local AIChE chapter's program committee.
Vice-Chair Candidates
David Hitch has been employed at Eastman for 13 years. He has spent most of his career as a Reaction Engineering expert in the Chemical Process Engineering Research Laboratory where he now serves as the Lab Head. David has also completed a one-year rotational assignment in the Process Engineering Department. Previously, David has served as AIChE local section Treasurer and has held the offices of President, Vice-President, and State Director in the Upper East Tennessee Chapter of TSPE.
Cheryl Miller began work in Eastman’s Acid Division in 1981 after graduating from Va. Tech. While in the Acid Division, she worked in process development and pilot plant operations. Cheryl was later transferred to the Polymers Division where she has held assignments in the DMT/Glycol Dept staff, polyester development, and quality assurance. Cheryl has served as AIChE local section Treasurer.
Director Candidates
Mark Harrison has worked for Eastman Chemical Company for 17 years. His first 8 years were spent in E&C Division's Process Engineering Department. He then transferred to Cellulose Esters and Specialty Plastics Division where he worked as Tech Staff Supervisor in Acid Concentration Department, Area Manager in Acid Concentration Department, and Tech Staff Supervisor in Film and Fiber Esters Department before his current assignment as Superintendent of Coating and Plastic Esters Department. Mark is a Registered Engineer, teaches a session of the annual AIChE-sponsored PE Review Course, and has served as Chairman of the local AIChE.
Rick Witt has been a member of AIChE since joining Eastman nearly 20 years ago. He began his career in the Process Engineering Department of the Engineering and Construction Division. He later became a project engineer and used his skills on a variety of projects including the Chemicals From Coal Expansion project. Rick also served as the project manager on the spin-off of Eastman Chemical from Eastman Kodak before returning to E&C as group leader of the Computer Aided Engineering Group. He was then named Assistant to the President, Tennessee Eastman Division. Rick returned to E&C again to serve as Manager of Plant Engineering and, later, Director of International Projects for North and Latin America. He is currently Director, Special Projects, Worldwide Operations Support. Rick has served as Chairman of the East Tennessee Section of AIChE, along with a variety of other leadership roles. He is a Registered Engineer in the state of Tennessee.
Please fill out enclosed ballot and return to address on back.
ATTENTION: January AIChE program postponed in lieu of Career Services Workshop
The AIChE Program Committee is postponing the "Windows 2000" January program in lieu of the Career Services Workshop. Mr. Grinsell, technology consultant for Bailey Computing Technologies, has agreed to reschedule his visit for April 2000. At this time he will discuss Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 2000.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM AIChE!!
1999 AIChE Local Officers
Chair John Aycock 229-8860
Vice Chair David Denton 229-6559
Secretary Richard Colberg 229-3184
Treasurer Karen Maness 229-8896
Directors Tim Nolen 229-8287
Joe Parker 229-3850
Joe Bays 229-5854
PIPELINE Justin Abnee 229-5513
Jennifer Mize 224-7018