Passion to Learn Made International Thermal Spray Conference a Success

Newswise — Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations who made the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition (ITSC 2009) in Las Vegas a success, and particularly to our attendees. The event, held May 4-7, drew 800 attendees and participants from 30 countries. The right programming and an attractive venue provided a positive learning and networking experience. We all have different ideas on how to grow markets in Europe, Asia and in the U.S., and how to get young professionals more involved in our societies and our industry. Perspectives from around the world came together in Vegas. It was an honor to share the podium with our partners, general co-chair Peter Heinrich, Jens Jerzembach of DVS, and Thom Passek, executive director of our hosts, the ASM Thermal Spray Society. I also want to extend a special thank you to Charlie Kay of ASB Industries, and event manager Natalie Nemec of ASM International. It took some two years of planning to create a successful event. The TSS Programming Committee, along with our partner DVS, focused on bringing greater value to our memberships, reaching out to young professionals, and encouraging attendance by more designers and industry representatives. Our theme, "Expanding Thermal Spray Performance to New Markets and Applications," touched on all aspects of the supply chain. Our featured events included the Legends of Thermal Spray, plenary talks by Tocalo and Messier-Dowty, market-focused talks by representatives from India, Korea and Nordic Europe, and a dedicated program on Reliability and Consistency. ITSC succeeds in meeting the needs of our participants and attendees because our passion to learn is so strong. Thermal spray professionals have a thirst for knowledge and look forward to any opportunity to exchange information and find solutions. Conversations are energetic and good-natured debates about the merits of a particular solution are a part of every ITSC. One of the most important things I am taking away from this ITSC is the answer that Daryl Crawmer of Thermal Spray Technologies gave during the Legends of Thermal Spray session. He was asked about what advice he would give to young professionals as they move forward in their careers. "Don't be afraid to take chances," he said. "Learn from your failures. It's the best way of growing into your profession and your career." ITSC was a success in every respect, from the technical sessions to the exhibits, and from our special events to the Annual Banquet, which featured a memorable performance by the legendary "Rat Pack." From start to finish, it was an incredible experience.