The Bridge - February 2018 - 44

Members Profiles

MY INDUCTION INTO ETA KAPPA NU

PROFESSIONAL PROFILE:

James A. Jefferies
2018 IEEE President and CEO
Beta Psi Chapter
Jim Jefferies retired from AT&T and Lucent
Technologies following 33 years in engineering
and executive positions including fiber optic cable
development and manufacturing, quality assurance,
and supply chain management. He managed the
engineering teams that delivered the first commercial
fiber optic cables for AT&T. He served as logistics
vice president, responsible for worldwide supply
chain and export planning. He has led teams in
major technology transfers, transitions of information
technology, and organizational change. He has
also worked in the entrepreneurial sector as Chief
Operating Officer for USBuild.com in San Francisco,
CA, USA.

My connection to HKN dates back to 1968 as a
student in electrical engineering at the University of
Nebraska. I was not that aware of the organization
or the membership invitation process. I lived off
campus and often grouped classes, but we all
came together for EE classes in good old Ferguson
Hall. One evening, near the start of the term, a
few members came to my fraternity house with a
message that I had been selected. They said it was
good that I had finished a strong semester because
they had been watching me. What more needs to
be said about an organization that is dedicated to
community, service, and leadership. I was soon off
to military service, but always remember the HKN
connection and pride in carrying it on my resume for
almost 50 years.
There was one other little requirement for new
inductees -- I was given a blank piece of wood and
a list of names of all the members, faculty, alumni,
and fellow inductees of the Beta Psi Chapter. The
assignment was to find them, meet them, and
get their personal signature on the plaque. There
were class hours and office hours but no "find the
professor app" around.

Jim served two separate terms on the IEEE Board of
Directors, as well as 2015 IEEE-USA President. As
President of IEEE-USA, Jim supported the expanded
focus on public visibility, young professionals, and
humanitarian outreach.
He received his BS in Electrical Engineering from the
University of Nebraska and an MS in Engineering
Science from Clarkson University. He attended the
Stanford University Graduate School of Business as a
Sloan Fellow and earned an MS in Management.
Jim is a licensed professional engineer (Emeritus).

THE BRIDGE

The photo above is that hand-painted plaque
which I still have with more than 70 signatures.
It was all a great experience.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=D8CexXR7iRs&feature=youtu.be
http://www.USBuild.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8CexXR7iRs&feature=youtu.be https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8CexXR7iRs&feature=youtu.be
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Bridge - February 2018
