|
Executive Director's message
by Bob Lowe
My opening remarks are the same as last month: 1) please read this newsletter today because tomorrow never seems to come, and 2) forward this newsletter to others in your company! Go to the CSIA Connected Community for my blogs. They describe my whereabouts for the last three weeks, namely the ARC Forum in Orlando, to our headquarters in Madison for a leadership meeting with the staff and Ed Diehl, and to First Niagara Insurance in Rocheste, NY to train their staff.
See the summary of the ARC Forum on the CSIA Connected Community home page. |
Update your profile 
Attention Integrator Members! Completing your profile in the CSIA Conntected Commmunity is important if you want to be included in the soon-to-be-released "Find An Integrator" feature on our website. You'll miss out on business opportunities if your profile is missing or incomplete! In the bio section, describe yourself, your company, or both. You decide. Check boxes are used for applications, services and industries.
Unique search criteria for Partner members will be designed by our Partner Committee very soon. The Partner profile will identify the hardware, software and services our Partners provide and serve as a buyers guide for the Integrator members.
|
2010 CSIA Executive Conference
Register today!
The number of registrations for the 2010 Executive Conference in Seattle is ahead of where we were at this time last year. (If you're already registered, you can see a full list of registrants on the Executive Conference Community page.) We're excited! Apparently the program has spurred lots of interest. If you haven't reviewed the full program yet, please do. You'll find it in your mail or posted on the CSIA website. Preliminary presentations will be posted in April for your review. We're confident that you'll be pleased and excited about the educational opportunities so be sure to attend and bring your management team. The networking opportunities are equally valuable. The CSIA Executive Conference is the largest event of its kind for top managers in the CSI industry. Although there is a cost to attend, it is a wise investment in your company.
|
Join the conversation! 
The CSIA Connected Community continues to evolve, with every day bringing a new conversation, blog posting, or library entry. Our goal is to have one-half of members create a profile - more than the basic demographic information - by the end of March. As of March 1, more than 250 members have logged in and 97 have created profiles.
If you haven't already done so, take a look at the Conversations section. One of the current topics is collaboration software - what other CSIs are using, what's working, and so forth. This "from-the-trenches" review of collaboration software or other products could save your firm time, money and the lost-opportunity cost of experimentation.
View a conversation, read a blog, create a profile, and find out what the CSIA Connected Community has to offer. We'll see you online!
| |
Statistics Committee update 
an update by PC Romano, Committee Chair
The Statistics Committee has been busy since last year's conference researching and evaluating alternatives to the annual financial statistics survey. Our objective has been to identify an online platform that would allow highly automated data entry and the richest reporting possible. We've concluded our search and signed a contract with iLumen just this month. Stay tuned for developments. And if you'd like to participate in the pilot survey, please email me at promano@avidsolutionsinc.com. |
March webinar
A webinar titled "Risk Control Hierarchy Clarifies Electrical Safety" will be presented on March 24, 2010, at 2 p.m. EDT by Grace Engineering, a Partner member.
The Risk Control Hierarchy (RCH) in the ANSI-Z10 standard provides electrical safety professionals with an excellent roadmap for setting the right safety objectives that result in the reduction of electrical risks. Combining our understanding of electricity with our principles of safety is the key to improving electrical safety. Register here. |
Insurance report 
by Paul Barnard
Fundamental to our Insurance Program are risk management and loss control services which, when successfully implemented, result in our being able to continue to offer CSIA members the breadth of coverage and competitive pricing that are outstanding features of our program. Working with our insurance agent and carrier on CSIA Best Practices and certification procedures, we ensure that included within every member's business tools are effective ways to reduce risk and thereby protect their balance sheet. All participants in our Insurance Program can access our free contract review services. If you are not currently taking advantage of this service I recommend that you do so.
We are now approaching six months since we appointed First Niagara Risk Management (FNRM) as our insurance servicing agents. Below are three of many positive testimonials that we have received from our insured members since the appointment of FNRM.
"Working with First Niagara is refreshingly professional and pleasant, their staff is responsive and sensitive to their clients needs and deadlines. I've worked closest with Heidi and she seems to be available even when she's not at work. Even though I am only one of her clients, I always feel as though my questions, my issues or my concerns are as important to FNRM as they are to me. While FNRM has not worked with CSIA and their members for long, they have grasped the CSIA program and are able to assist me with any insurance concerns or questions I have with our coverage. The CSIA program offers a unique marriage of insurances to provide an integrated insurance package that is both competitive and comprehensive while meeting the unique needs of our Systems Integration business. I have been unable to find any other program, broker, or package that understands our business and insurance needs like FNRM and the CSIA program does."
- Brenda Matthews, Hallam/ICS
"I wanted to say that First Niagara has been an absolute breath of fresh air. We have been battling for two years with one
state over worker compensation coverage and our previous broker repeatedly dropped the ball in getting the matter resolved. Within two weeks of notifying Heidi, the matter was taken care of and closed out. Her responsiveness has been first rate."
- Jeff Eiermann, Avanceon
"Optimation has been working with the insurance team at First Niagara Risk Management for over 20 years. When we started working together, Optimation was a start-up company and FNRM was a small insurance broker. We've both grown over the years and FNRM has become the largest insurance broker in upstate New York. Over time, our relationship has grown stronger and the quality of their service has continued to improve. FNRM has always been a faithful advisor and a strong advocate when there was a need or a claim. I'm sure Suzanne Nasipak and her team will provide this same level of service for other CSIA firms who choose to work with them."
- Bill Pollock, Optimation
Congratulations to the CSIA team at FNRM, Suzanne Nazipak, Heidi Hollman, Dan Glover and Adrianne O'Neil! For more information on our Insurance Programs and contract review services please contact Paul Barnard at paulbarnard@csia-insurance.com or (610) 507-6595. |
Marketing survey
Have you wondered what your peers do to market their control system integration companies? An email was sent to integrators last week with a link to a marketing survey to determine just that. What will make the survey meaningful? Your participation! With about 300 integrator members, a response of 100% would provide amazing insight to how CSIs approach marketing. Be sure to take a few minutes to complete it. Then you can feel good as you learn from the results knowing that you were a contributor! |
Get noticed in industry publications! 
Automation magazines are an excellent way for members of the control system integration industry to share information and showcase their expertise. CSIA members have the opportunity to submit articles or contribute content for articles written by the magazines' editorial staff.
To increase awareness of these opportunities, our newsletter now includes the topics that will be covered by Automation World, Control and Control Engineering. Control Design and InTech will be added in later editions. Take advantage of the opportunity to advance the profession and gain publicity for your company! ___________________________________________
Automation World
On an ongoing basis, CSIA members may submit articles that are informative (not promotional) in nature and/or that provide an example of a recent project/situation/success story. Your article would run on a department page called Integrator View. The articles should be 600-625 words and submitted as a Microsoft Word document. No pictures or graphics are needed (unless a chart or graph is available that helps explain the topic).
Featured topics
June - Information management
July - Operations management
September - Workflow, business processes
November - Reliability (asset availability)
December - Workforce
___________________________________________ ControlCSIA members are invited to contribute to a cover story written by the Control magazine staff. Integrators and end users are the preferred sources. See the Control editorial calendar for topics.
If you are interested in becoming a source, contact Walt Boyes wboyes@putman.net several months in advance.
You also can submit a feature article, which is a case study on a project. Feature articles are to be fully prepared articles ready for publication and consist of about 1,800 words. Deadlines are one month in advance. Contact Dan Hebert at dahebert@cox.net for information. Featured topics
June - Sustainability; 18th annual salary survey July - Staffing and knowledge management August - Wireless field networks September - Lifecycle simulation models October - Security November - Asset/Condition monitoring December - 20th annual Control Top 50
___________________________________________
Control Engineering
The cover story for the June issue of Control Engineering is "Safety Integration from an Integrators Perspective." Contact Vance Van Doren at controleng@msn.com to contribute to this article.
On an ongoing basis, describe an automation project from an integrator's perspective for their Integrator Update section. Include about 1,000 words plus a picture of the process in action. These can be submitted at any time.
Contact Vance or see the full editorial calendar for upcoming topics to which our integrator members can contribute content.
Featured topics
June - Safety integration from an integrator's perspective
July - System integrator career study (survey)
December - Integrating disparate and isolated control systems |
| Newly Certified and Recertified Members |
|
The Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) is pleased to announce that the following member companies have recently earned "Certified Member" distinction:
Newly Certified
Barry Wehmiller Design Group, Inc, Roseville, CA
Recertified
Automation Horizons, Des Plaines, IL
Integrity Integration Resources, Plano, TX
Martin Control Systems Inc., Dublin, OH
|
| Welcome to the Newest CSIA Members |
CSIA is pleased to welcome
its first member from China!
- Allan Integrated Control Systems, Inc., East Troy, WI, represented by Ann Zess
Allan Integrated Control Systems is a system integrator specializing in water/wastewater control systems. We have integrated SCADA systems for the world's largest water and wastewater plants in the world. Our geographic area covers Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Indiana.
- First Niagara Risk Management, Rochester, NY, represented by Suzanne Nasipak-Chapman
First Niagra provides insurance coverage, loss control and claims solutions to control systems integrators as the service provider of the association's insurance program.
- Hollysys (Beijing Hollysys Co., Ltd.), Xisang, Beijing, China, represented by Jack Yu
Hollysis specializes in development and manufacturing of programmable logic controllers for different industries.
- PCI, LLC., Detroit, MI, represented by Barry Clay
Instrumentation and control system integration, design and engineering.
- Shafer, Kline, & Warren, Inc., North Kansas City, MO, represented by Michael Bequette
Instrumentation and controls division at SKW is focused on providing control system solutions to the energy, oil and gas industries. We are a profit and loss business unit of an engineering services firm that allows us to integrate on very large projects for complete turn-key solutions or offer control system integration services for SCADA/PLC/DCS based projects. | |
|
|
|
Value of CSIA to end-users
On the CSIA website you will see a discussion called "Driving end users (our clients) to the CSIA site." An extension of this discussion will be a professionally written article by ARC Advisory Group about CSIA membership. The article will be the intellectual property of CSIA and made available to all of our members Integrators and Partners. Integrators are advised to use it in their marketing programs. Partners may find it useful in moving more of their integrator program members into CSIA membership. This program is similar to a program that is currently underway for our CSIA Certified members - just one more value of CSIA membership.
|
Survey of Partner members
Thank you very much to the 13 Partner members who completed the survey! The results provide valuable insight into how our Partner members view their relationships with control system integrators and how CSIA affects the implementation of their integrator programs. Go to our Connected Community website for the results. If you have questions or comments, start a discussion on the website. Put these results to good use. This information is only available to CSIA members. |
Regional CSIA meeting
Last month's newsletter asked whether you would attend a regional meeting if one was held in your area. I've heard from just a few of you.
This would be a one-day event for existing members and prospective members from your
region. Topics would include reasons to be a CSIA member (this would be a refresher for current members), Best Practices, Certification, a Partner's vew on the value of CSIA membership for integrators, the CSIA insurance program, legal topics like contracts and bonding, and so forth. Please send an email to Bob Lowe indicating whether you would attend such a meeting. Enter "regional meeting" in the subject line with the message, yes or no. Other suggestions are welcome.Thanks!
| |
