Archive of the 'Show Events 2008' Category

The 2008 PES Expo is over, the gate is closed, everyhting is packed up, and everyone has gone back home.

A new conference is taking place in the hotels we vacated. The last figure I heard on attendance was over 13,500 and I’m sure it went higher. We had roughly 700 exhibitors from around the world at this PES Expo. I also heard more than 50 companies took part in the student job fair. There were over 200 poster sessions too. By any standards, this was a major event for the electric utility industry in both education and displaying the technologies of the intelligent grid. Tommy Mayne and his team have already started the work to make the 2010 PES T&D Expo even better. New Orleans is ready for us; we have to get ready for it. Tommy assures me the coffee is better down south too. You’ll find me at Café Du Monde with that marvelous French Roast and Chicory (not to mention the platter of beignets). As they say down south – “All ya all come visit now!”

Pam reported the companions had an enjoyable conference. PES had a companion room in McCormack Place for them to meet and eat. Breakfast was served every morning (not a heavy one thank you). There were tours and activities to keep everyone happy and busy.

If you love Google Earth like I do, you will love the Burns & McDonnell’s booth. They have the coolest software. It’s called One ToucH PM. You can learn some pretty interesting things from this view point.

I was waiting for my students to arrive when I heard bag pipes that got my attention. Bag pipes always grab my attention. I missed being born on St. Patrick’s Day by two hours. My Mother and her side of the family (Irish) was always a little up set over that, but the German side of the family (Father) was relieved. The Irish side was a handful – fortunately I took after the Irish side. I had forgotten the pipers were leading the attendees into the exhibit hall. There were Carl and Tommy in the lead. What a sight and sound. What could be more appropriate in Chicago; after all what other city dyes a river green every St Patrick’s Day!

Have you ever wanted to see the insides of a transformer? Talk to Vince Paparo at MTC Transformers. His group is going to tear down a trashed core and coil (on the exhibit floor) and rebuild it. They will take a couple of days to let everyone see how it goes. Vince took some time out of his busy day to explain transformers to my student group. Thanks Vince. Everyone go see this exhibit.

After a couple of hours on the floor, it was time for a break. As luck would have it, McDonalds is right in McCormick Place – these folks think of everything. If you think – yeah right just another rude fast food place. Well you got that wrong. I met Otis today. He was manning the cash register and he had a smile and kind word for everyone in line. When it was my turn he took my order and chatted while it came up. I asked about the pace starting tomorrow - would it be hard on them. He smiled and said that after the Chicago Auto Show this would be very nice. It is good to kept things in perspective. Of course, I had ordered something that had to be made fresh. I guess I looked tired after dodging fork lifts and Otis told me to go sit down, he would bring me my order when it came up. It as great meeting this gentleman, he was making the Expo better one person at a time.

It is spring time in New Mexico; there’s only a ¼” of ice on the bird bath this morning and only 3” to 6” of snow is expected today. Tomorrow it will be 72°F. Chicago should be more stable and my friends on the organizing committee assure me the conditions at McCormick Place are ideal for us, not to mention the Museum of Science and Industry where we will all be heading Monday evening for the reception. Carl Segneri said this would be one of those talked about highlights of which we are so fond. The “Wise Guys” had hoped to get a couple of thousand to attend. Earlier this week over 3,500 had signed up for the reception – way to go Guys! Carl has added 8 more buses to the shuttle program for Monday night. The kid/geek in me is super excited about the museum. “Das Boot” is there – “ausgezeichnet!” Yep a WW-II German U-boat is on display “AND” we can go inside of it! Pam will be busy keeping me out of trouble here for sure. Geekier still is the “Earth Revealed” exhibit – high tech real time living Earth. The “Glass Experience” has Pam excited. Dale Chihuly’s “Macchia Forest” is part of it. I think this is one of those enrichment times I talked about previously. There is also a New Mexico connection too – “Dinosaurs Alive”! The Omnimax show filmed in part in New Mexico at the Ghost Ranch exploring fossils (NO, not old engineers). The Museum says my home state is one of the few places where the rock layers preserve the whole age of dinosaurs (Cretaceous to Jurassic to Triassic). Tell the boss the reception was just one of those networking things you were expected to attend – pay no attention to the T-Rex behind the curtain. I’d welcome any and all comments.