ASHRAE Journal - August 2021 - 13

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Clockwise from top left, Neil Patterson, P.E., Presidential/
Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE; Mike Brambley, Ph.D.,
Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE; and Charlie Culp, Ph.D.,
HBDP, Fellow/Life Member ASHRAE, fed my roots by
connecting me to ASHRAE and mentoring me during my
early years in the Society's technical committees.
We now fast forward 12 years to our convention
in Chicago. On July 19, 1906, Illinois members
request a formation of a chapter, sanctioning the
" opportunity to congregate. " This directly follows
Crane's vision and enhances individual members'
growth.
This second root, known as our " grassroots, "
is an ASHRAE hallmark. These grassroots build
upon and augment individual member growth.
Special thanks to our Illinois members for your
foresight.
From there, our fi rst chapter outside of the U.S.
was chartered in 1922 in Ontario, Canada. By
1956 we had grown signifi cantly and organized
into regions, but we were still exclusively North
American.
In fact, it wasn't until 90 years after our founding
when our global journey really began with chapters in
Singapore and Hong Kong and then in India, Africa,
Mexico, Europe and South America. Today, we are 199
chapters with the most recent being in Peru, Libya and
Alexandria, Egypt. Our second set of roots-our grassroots-have
spread, strengthened and led to amazing
growth throughout the world.
Now, let's pause and ask a question: How did you get
here today and become part of this expansive root system?
Who helped you grow? Who encouraged you? Who
" fed your roots " ?
Please take out a paper and pen, your phone or computer
to make a list. Take 10 seconds to list the names of
two to three people who invested in you and helped you
grow-who fed your roots.
On the next page, there's a collage of people who fed
the roots of President-Elect Advisory Committee members
who were involved in developing this year's Society
theme. For many of us, it's probably hard to narrow
down to two to three names. It was for me. Many have
guided and helped mold me, but here are the fi rst.
In 1981, I received a job offer from a group led by
Neil Patterson. At that time, I didn't realize Neil would
become ASHRAE president about a decade later. At that
time, we didn't have today's simple and polite way to
connect a colleague to ASHRAE. But Neil had his own
" connect a colleague " method. I recall his words were,
" ...you will be involved in ASHRAE, " and then he provided
the support to do so.
That support resulted in my attending technical
committee meetings. The fi rst two TCs weren't good
fi ts. Then, one Monday evening, I walked into TC 1.5,
Computer Applications.
The leaders, including Charlie Culp and Mike
Brambley, invited everyone to " the big table " to be
involved. They encouraged and mentored me as I foundered
in my fi rst subcommittee chair assignment. They
even convinced me-this new, naive member-to be TC
secretary for not two, but four years, as they restructured
the TC.
All have been amazingly supportive mentors. Neil has
passed away, but today, thanks to Charlie and Mike for
feeding my roots.
Now, onto our third root: technology and the 1917 decision
to found our own research bureau later led by F.
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ASHRAE Journal - August 2021

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