2008-2009 SAWE International Elections are now closed as of April 15, 2008.

Click Here to View Election Results

The society is pleased to announce that in cooperation with Vote-Now.com, SAWE members will once again have the option of voting electronically or by paper ballot for the election of 2008-2009 International officers. Votes will be accepted beginning February 15, 2007.

If we have your correct e-mail address, members will receive an invitation to vote electronically. The e-mail letter will include the link to the Vote-Now secure site (http://SAWE.vote-now.com) with your personal registration code imbedded. The registration code will also be provided in by regular mail to all SAWE Member. The registration code is provided above your name on the mailing label. To vote electronically, double click the link in the e-mail invitation and the ballot will automatically load. Note: You can vote electronically even if you do not receive an e-mail with your registration code. Simply go to the above web-site and enter your personal registration code when it is requested and the ballot will load.

After you make a selection of candidates, a verification screen will appear that shows the candidates chosen. An alert will be provided to indicate any races in which no votes were cast. You can return to the ballot to make changes if necessary. Note: Once votes have been officially cast using your registration code, it will not work again.

Paper ballots can still be used for those members that don’t have access to a computer. To vote by paper ballot, mark the appropriate boxes on the postcard ballot, enter your personal registration number on the card, and mail it back to the Executive Director. Do not forget to enter your registration code on your ballot. It will not be counted without it. This is needed to avoid the possibility of voting both on-line and by mail. Ballots or electronic vote must be received by the Executive Director on or before April 15, 2008 at 5 PM PST.

2008-2009 Candidates For International Offices

PRESIDENT

Thomas M. Schultz

EXPERIENCE: Tom Schultz lives in St. Louis, Missouri, where he has been a Mass Properties Engineer with Boeing/McDonnell Douglas for 24 years. His primary position in that time has been in the Weapons Division working numerous missile and advanced weapon programs. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan with both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering.

SOCIETY ACTIVITIES: Tom has been a member of the St. Louis Chapter his entire career, and has held the offices of President, Vice President, Director, and Newsletter Editor. He has been to 8 regional conferences and 13 international conferences, including the past 11 consecutive internationals. He has written two technical papers, served as the 2000 Conference Chairman, 2001 Space and Missiles Session co-chairman, two-terms as Senior Vice President, and has been the Vice President – Technical Director for the past 5 years. He was elected a S.A.W.E. Fellow in 2005.

PLATFORM: The S.A.W.E. is unique among most technical organizations; a virtually all-volunteer organization with a tradition almost three-quarters of a century old. The original vision of our founders is still developing, and it is time to consider what the next steps in that development will be.

I have served in numerous positions at the chapter and international level, including the last five years as Vice President – Technical Director. I have been closely involved with Society operations for more than 10 years. I believe I have the vision and experience to lead our Society in planning for those next steps.

The S.A.W.E. has experienced rapid change in the past few years. We have instituted a new format for our technical conferences, vastly expanded the training program, and completely redesigned our website. These changes have been difficult as well as rewarding. My ideas for future issues to pursue include:

• Investigate forming regional cooperatives to help strengthen chapters and promote membership.
• Investigate new technology for expanding and improving communications with the membership.
• Expand the role of the Technical Chairman to become a “roving ambassador” to form expanded partnerships with other weight-related organizations, and work with the Regional Cooperatives.
• Continue to explore the integration of the duties of the Vice President – Publications with an expanded view of the communication and publication duties of our Society.
• Working with the Vice President – Technical Director to continue to improve the technical side of our Society.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Errol R. Oguzhan PE

EXPERIENCE: I started my career in 1986 in Mass Properties at Grumman Aircraft Corporation in Bethpage, New York, after completing my Bachelors of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Polytechnic University. I relocated to Fort Worth, Texas in 1991 to work for General Dynamics, and eventually Vought Aircraft, Lockheed Fort Worth Company, and now Lockheed Martin Aeronautic Company. I completed a Masters of Engineering in Civil Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1997, and obtained a Professional Engineering License in Environmental Engineering in 1998. Over more than 20 years I have worked in preliminary and advanced design, production, engineering manufacturing and development, and operational weight and balance on over 16 programs from F-14, B-2, S-92 to the F-35 Lightning II. Over the years I also worked with some great SAWE Presidents including Bill Giesler, Jim Werner, Ron Spivy, and Jerry Pierson.

SOCIETY ACTIVITIES: My career in SAWE started in 1986 as well as a member of the Long Island Chapter. I was photographer at the 9th Annual Northeast Regional Conference in 1998. After moving to Texas, I increased my participation greatly by becoming an active member of the Texas Chapter. I have held every office of the Texas Chapter numerous times. I was an active participant in working the fund raising at the Arlington Stadium, former home of the Texas Rangers. With that money the Texas Chapter created the first perpetual scholarships at UT Arlington and donated more than $12,000 to the International Scholarship Fund. At the conference level, I participated as papers judge, photographer, registration, facilities, and finance chairs for over 8 years from the 15th through the 23rd Annual Texas Regional Conference. I also participated as a Judge at the local Fort Worth Regional Science Fair where the SAWE Texas Chapter hands out special awards to deserving High School and Middle School students. I was conference and facilities chairman for the 24th Annual Texas Regional in 2000 and the 27th Texas Regional in 2007. I had the honor of serving as conference chairman for the 60th Annual International Conference in 2001. I served on the Board of Directors for 3 years at the international and on the Academic Committee for 3 years. Over the years, through work and the SAWE, I have worked with some truly great engineers from Long Island, NY, to El Segundo and Palmdale, CA, to Savannah, GA, and Stratford, CT and finally Fort Worth and Dallas, TX.

PLATFORM: I am running for SAWE International Executive Vice President because I would like to see membership improve as well as increase the technical experience and education we can pass to the younger generation of Mass Properties Engineers. We have improved attendance at conferences and meetings with our added Training Classes and we should continue to add and improve our Training Offerings. I would like to work with a membership chair and our chapter leadership in reaching out to younger engineers at our companies and at colleges and universities around the globe. I would like to see what may be done to encourage greater participation from our younger generation of Mass Properties Engineers. They are the ones who will continue on with our great Society, but it is up to us to demonstrate the value our organization contains.

Robert L. Zimmerman

EXPERIENCE: Senior Staff Engineer, Lockheed Martin Corporation, 29+ years Mass Properties Engineering

SOCIETY ACTIVITIES: Chapter: 6 years Rocky Mountain Chapter President, 2 years Rocky Mountain Chapter Vice President, 5 years Rocky Mountain Chapter Director. International: 1 year Executive Vice President, Handbook Committee, G/I Committee, 1 Journal Article, 2 Papers with Mike Hackney Awards for best paper.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Mr. Zimmerman has been instrumental in improving the standing of mass properties engineers within his corporation, achieving two-way communications with all levels of management. The results have included increased mass properties collaboration across the entire corporation, an elevation of emphasis of mass properties engineering, and recognition of mass property engineering as an important discipline. Mr. Zimmerman created and proffered to the SAWE an Excel Add-In that greatly simplifies summing mass properties. He has actively participated in the creation of mass properties standards, practices, and handbooks for his corporation, for the AIAA, and for the SAWE. He is the author of two Best Papers presented at SAWE International Conferences and has published articles on mass property engineering. Mr. Zimmerman is recognized within and outside his corporation as an ardent advocate of Mass Properties as an engineering discipline.

PLATFORM: I once again present myself as a candidate for the office of SAWE Executive Vice President. I bring to you nearly 30 years experience in Mass Properties Engineering and SAWE membership, with more than a dozen of those years in officer positions at the chapter level and above. I have unique experience in expanding the role and recognition of the front-line mass properties engineer in the eyes of both the government and industry management. As your Executive Vice President, I will continue that effort across all of the SAWE membership. By showing the benefits of membership to all mass properties engineers, I have done my best to reverse the decline in membership in the SAWE. I will continue to encourage the membership of each chapter to undertake a project worthy of the SAWE’s esteem. By seeking a second term as your Executive Vice President, I wish to continue the important work of ensuring a transition to a growing SAWE, an SAWE that has the resources to ensure that every mass properties engineer is represented, listened to, and appreciated.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

Patrick M. Brown

EDUCATION: B.S. Aerospace Engineering, M.S. Engineering Management, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt

EXPERIENCE: Cessna Aircraft Company: 8 years with Mass Properties. Current position: Engineering Specialist CJ4

SOCIETY ACTIVITIES: Wichita Chapter: 8 year member. Presented at 4 Regional Conferences. Facilities Chairman at 2004 Wichita Regional Conference. Wichita Chapter Director 2007 – present. International: Presented at 4 International Conferences. Participated in the 2007 International Board of Directors Meeting, Madrid, Spain.

PLATFORM: I plan to continue the responsibilities of the office as defined in the By-laws and as continued under the fine auspices of previous incumbents. As the Executive Chairman of the Annual Conference Planning Committee I will strive to maintain the high standards to which the International Conference is held. I will faithfully fulfil my responsibility to the Board of Directors for the maintenance of the Operations Manual and for the revision of the Society’s Constitution.

Jim Valentine

EXPERIENCE: Mr. Valentine is a Senior Staff Engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Palmdale, California where he is the Mass Properties Lead on several classified programs. Jim began his engineering career in 1979 at the Lockheed California Company and has 27 years of Mass Properties experience on a wide variety of programs

SOCIETY ACTIVITIES: Jim is currently the SAWE Senior Vice President. He previously served as Executive Vice President in 2004-05 and Conference Co-Chairman for the 2006 International Conference in Valencia, California. He also has served as a technical session Co-Chair for three years, Steering Committee Chair for 2 years and Publicity Chair for two years. He has participated in eleven International Conferences, five Board of Directors Meetings and five pre- conference planning meetings. Jim was elected Fellow at the 2002 International Conference.

Jim has been an active member of the San Fernando Valley Chapter since 1981. He created the chapter newsletter “The Light Stuff” and served as editor for the first six years. He is currently the President and has held all chapter offices for a total of fourteen years. Jim has regularly participated in regional conferences and received the Ed Seiden Award for best technical presentation at the 2001 Southwest Regional. He has chaired several Southwest Regional committees, including Conference Co-Chairman (1996), Site Selection / Facilities Chair (2000), Technical Chair (2004), and Conference Co-Chairman / Technical Chair (2005).

PLATFORM: I believe the primary responsibilities of the Senior Vice President are to organize the pre-conference planning meeting and help execute successful International Conferences. I pledge to utilize my experience as Senior Vice President and International Conference Co- Chairman to help achieve a successful International Conference in Wichita in 2009 and assist in the long range planning for Hampton Roads in 2010 and future conferences.

By-Laws Changes

Some of our members would like the ability to pay their dues online to the SAWE. The current By-Laws require dues to be submitted directly to a local Chapter Treasurer.

Revise ARTICLE VIII - DUES AND FEES of the ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION and the BY-LAWS.

1. Annual Dues

Proposed:

(b) Dues may be submitted to the local Chapter Treasurer or to the Society. The Executive Director will reimburse chapters for the chapter portion of any dues paid directly to the Society by chapter members.

Currently:

(b) Dues shall be submitted to the local Chapter Treasurer.

Pros: This change will permit members to pay online at www.sawe.org and add greater flexibility for chapter members to renew their membership. This change is intended as a progressive measure for retaining membership.

Cons: This change will create some additional bookkeeping effort since the local treasurer will not be the sole focal point of revenue collection. Some concerns have been expressed that this change may shift balance of power from the chapters to the SAWE and this power shift will fundamentally change the society from a confederation of locally controlled and independent chapters to a centrally controlled organization with local representatives.