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September 2005
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See what's available in Digital FORUM! » September 2005 A World of Opportunity Featuring Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers In the small Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Kuarlal Rampersad had a vexing problem with the lubrication on a piece of equipment. It was shutting down the machinery, causing lost production and, ultimately, lost revenue. Not sure where to turn, Rampersad mentioned the trouble to a friend, who suggested he visit www.stle.org, the Web site of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. "He told me that there is where I can get information on all or most of my equipment problems and the possibility to solve them. I immediately went into the Web site and guess what? I visit the Web site now on a daily basis," said Rampersad, who works for BP Trinidad and Tobago LLC as maintenance and reliability engineer and also as team leader for the condition monitoring and reliability department. Not only did Rampersad solve his equipment problem with a few clicks of a mouse, but that casual conversation and a few minutes on the Web also planted the seeds for what would eventually become STLE's highly successful Caribbean Section. The Park Ridge, Ill., organization now points to that section as one shining example of how adopting a global focus has helped STLE stabilize its membership and subscriber audience at about 5,440, share its knowledge and programming across the globe and, at the same time, learn from international members as they confront new issues every day in 60 other countries. This progress will be on display later this month, when STLE hosts the third World Tribology Congress from September 13 to 16 in Washington, D.C. This quadrennial event brings together about 1,000 members of STLE and 30 to 40 other organizations that belong to the International Tribology Council. Getting to this point has not been a simple journey for STLE. The initiative began in 1987, but it was only after a new strategic plan and vision statement called STLE 2000 took hold more than 10 years later that it became ingrained in the organization. Throughout the process, there has been much debate internally, some wariness from international members about turning over too much control to the parent organization, and unanticipated cultural differences. Still, STLE officials and members agree that those problems pale in comparison with the rewards. "We're going to keep doing it because our very survival depends on us doing it and doing it well," says Robert Gresham, Ph.D., STLE's director of professional development and a former board member. "It needs to be a fundamental part of what we're all about. Business has gotten so much more global in the way people look at things, and the society has to do that as well if it's going to stay in sync with its members and the world." The Vision Takes Root STLE was founded in 1944 as the American Society of Lubrication Engineers (ASLE), an organization mostly of plant engineers who were in charge of lubrication for production equipment. From its early days through the 1970s and part of the 1980s, lubrication engineer was a common job at almost every industrial plant, such as automobile manufacturers and steel mills, according to STLE Executive Director Edward Salek, CAE. But the manufacturing world gradually changed. Salek says plants adopted more of a team approach, with groups of people assigned to a manufacturing process, rather than one specialist. In some cases, the lubrication engineer position was eliminated and the supplier filled the role. "Rather than have a person at the steel company who manages what they buy and how they use it, it's the oil company that comes in and says, ‘Here's what you need, here's how to apply it,'" Salek says. "That changed the dynamics of our membership." ASLE membership in the 1970s averaged about 3,500, then it peaked in the 1980s at about 4,400 before changes in the industry started to push those numbers down. Gresham was part of the ASLE board at that time, and he, too, recalls the organization going through a major transformation as the economic climate began to change. At the same time, the few international ASLE members — mostly from Canada and a few scientists from Europe — starting demanding more programming and recognition for themselves, as well as more opportunities to attend meetings. "We were very American in our orientation, and there wasn't a whole lot of sympathy, frankly," Gresham says. "But in the mid-1980s it became more and more obvious that we had international people coming to our meetings, even with our hurdles." New Focus, New Name ASLE's executive committee decided in 1987 to move ahead with a new agenda, including changing the name to reflect that. Eventually, the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers was born, but not before a hard fight. "We wanted to get ‘American' out because of this growing activity among our membership of international people," Gresham says. "That caused a real firestorm for quite awhile, and there are still people who hang around and argue about it. They also didn't like ‘tribologists' in the name because they thought it made it too scientific and nobody knew what it meant." But the board went ahead anyway, possibly saving the organization. "The group of leaders at that time wanted to do two things: internationalize and get beyond this traditional lubrication engineer audience that they perceived was shrinking or changing," Salek says. "By changing the name, you open up who can be members. Honestly, if we had kept our traditional focus, the organization might be in a very weakened state." Under the new structure, STLE opened its membership to the international community as well as broadened its categories to include tribologists, encompassing those involved in laboratories, research and product development. "These people, as well as people directly involved in the field, felt like they had a home," Salek says. "The name change signaled our intent to focus on a much broader and diverse audience and to include individuals doing work in areas other than liquid lubricants." Today, there are 3,500 full members, who pay the $105 annual fee, and 1,940 subscribers who get only print copies of STLE's monthly journal, Tribology and Lubrication Technology. Taking the First Steps As contentious as those early discussions might have been, the real work began once the organization became STLE. With a new name and new members came the need for a new agenda. William Wambach, current president of STLE, joined the organization more than 30 years ago and has been on the board for 14. He says there was not much of a formal plan in place at the time of the name change, and that slowed its growth. The organization took in new sections, but wasn't quite sure what to do with them. "I think there were areas that were not sure how to go forward," says Wambach, regional account manager of R. T. Vanderbilt Co. in Norwalk, Conn. "It is a learning curve, and I think we've done very well. We could've planned a little better, but when you get a bunch of people who are ready to do something, you want to help them out." For the first nine years as STLE, the idea of being international remained mostly just that — an idea. There were no specialized programs catering to the few international members, the Internet was not yet a tool for daily communication, and there was not a sense that the international and domestic members were part of the same group. This was made painfully obvious during a roundtable meeting with international members at STLE's 1998 annual meeting. One of those members stuck his finger out and told the STLE executives, "You can put international in your name and you can talk about being international, but you have to do something, too. You can't just declare yourself international." Those words hit home with STLE, and once again its executive committee found itself needing to revamp the idea of international membership. The answer was a plan called STLE 2000, which included provisions to really make STLE more of an international organization. The implementation phase of the plan, which began in 1996 when Salek was hired as executive director, resulted in new sections being organized in Asia, Brussels and the United Kingdom. But the international focus really began to take off around 2001. There was intense interest at that time in forming sections in Trinidad and Tobago and in Mexico City. At the same time, the STLE executive committee wrote a vision statement to reflect its international priorities. In 2002, the statement was approved by the full, 24-member STLE board and the second phase of its evolution began. This time, the task was easier, in large part because STLE now had a clearly defined vision statement. It also helped immensely that globalization was now part of the fabric of almost every business in the world. Most STLE members weren't afraid to do business overseas — in fact, they welcomed this kind of networking opportunity. And the Internet made it simple to connect with members, no matter where they were located. The main challenge confronting STLE at this point was determining what it meant to be an international member. Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa provide case studies of two very different — but equally effective — membership models. Model 1: South Africa Soon after the new vision statement was adopted, STLE followed up on some inquiries about starting a section in South Africa. But the organization quickly came up against the South African Institute of Tribology, which has about 300 members in five South African countries, and in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and Belgium. Instead of turning and leaving — or trying to conquer — STLE spoke to SAIT about establishing a new kind of relationship, more of a partnership than parent and section. "The STLE had been interested in setting up a branch in South Africa," says Gillian Fuller, SAIT secretary. "But when it was realized that the SAIT is a long-established, professional, active and efficient authority, it was decided to introduce a working agreement instead, whereby both associations would benefit, and still maintain their individuality." Under this model, there is no competition for members and a written agreement is in place outlining exactly what each side will do. SAIT always is the lead organization, and it calls on STLE for specific kinds of help. For example, STLE has a well-respected certification program that SAIT wanted for its members. Under the liaison agreement, SAIT is a recognized agent for giving the test and providing the certification to its members. As for dues, SAIT members pay $27 (US) per year for a subscription to Tribology and Lubrication Technology. In addition, they are offered STLE member pricing for events or exams. Fuller says that in addition to accreditation from STLE exams, the relationship gives SAIT members international exposure and the benefits of the magazine. In return, STLE receives exposure and identity in South Africa without the administrative and staffing responsibilities. Fuller says there was no resistance among SAIT membership because there was no takeover. "There was just the desire for the promotion of tribology," she says. "No identity of either body is lost." She says the keys to the successful relationship are:
Model 2: Trinidad and Tobago Rampersad's chance exposure to STLE mentioned at the beginning of this story touched off a series of events that became STLE's model for setting up full-fledged international sections. Unlike the relationship with South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago is as much a section of STLE as Chicago, Atlanta or Toronto, with the same benefits and the same dues of $105 (US). Rampersad has been with BP for 25 years, and the company is Trinidad and Tobago's largest oil and gas producer, as well as one of the largest worldwide. He immediately saw benefits in connecting with STLE and others involved in the field around the world. After his initial exposure to the Web site, he visited the education training link and decided to attend a training program in Las Vegas in 1999. He mentioned the possibility of a Caribbean section to STLE officers at that meeting and, receiving their support, went home and told his colleagues in Trinidad about the idea. With their backing, he then talked to Salek and was invited to present his idea to the full board at its 2000 meeting in San Antonio. "I think I made a very good presentation and the board members were very impressed," he says. "I left the meeting with optimism that the Caribbean Section will be created." He was right: The Caribbean Section was officially launched Sept. 15, 2001. Unlike in South Africa, however, the section uses the STLE's mission statement as its guide. It also has its own governing body, guided by the STLE's constitution. Section executives meet monthly and the general membership, which stands at about 100, meets every other month. Rehanna Ramsahai, a member of the Caribbean Section, says she joined STLE in 2003 because she was impressed with the level of information, support and education that the organization offers. She has since passed STLE's Oil Monitoring Analyst (OMA) exam and earned several credits for attending education courses. "The knowledge gained and exposure to technical information from being an STLE member has proven to be invaluable in the execution of my daily duties: giving technical advice to customers, conducting lubrication seminars and interpreting used oil analysis results," says Ramsahai, quality assurance engineer for Trinidad & Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Co. Ltd. In addition to those technical benefits, the Caribbean Section also is deeply involved in volunteering in the community. Members are rewarded with incentives for volunteering, the same way they are rewarded for passing a certification exam or recruiting new members. STLE's national office is an eager participant in these activities because it is so important to the local section. One of the things the section craves most is simply the appearance of STLE officials at its events, lending credibility and an air of importance that might not be there otherwise. When the STLE president could not attend the launch of the section due to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Rampersad and his organization were very disappointed, Salek says. Salek and Robert Baker, STLE's president before Wambach, eventually had a chance to experience the section's work during a visit to Trinidad and Tobago earlier this year. The section had raised money to buy books for a private Muslim elementary school there. They asked Salek and Baker to attend — not to donate any money, but just to be part of the presentation. Here is how Salek remembers the moment: "I stood with our president on a balcony, looking down on a school yard with 200 grammar school children and their teachers, standing at attention, waiting for us to say something meaningful," he says. "We talked about the importance of education, about how education is what our organization does and they should study and apply themselves so they can make their contribution to society. "Then they all applauded STLE for being good people. I just about started crying. It was very moving. In a sense, this is long-term membership development, and it's an example of what an organization can do that goes way beyond the narrow purpose we have." Rampersad says the arrangement benefits both sides tremendously. He says the Caribbean Section members gain a sense of pride and gratitude from the chapter as well as the many volunteer contributions they make. He feels STLE gains three things:
"The key to our section being branded as successful is several factors," Rampersad says. "You have to love what you do and you do it for all the stakeholders involved, and you must treat all people with respect. Respect their views, provide feedback, cooperate and do not have a hidden agenda. There is some room for improvement, but with teamwork we can be successful." Borderless World With these two models in place, STLE continually reviews its plans and makes sure they are still appropriate for its members, whether in the United States or across the world. As globalization continues to spread, more members already know the basics of tribology and lubrication, and instead they want sophisticated courses and presentations. The Internet is helpful for this, but Salek is hoping to establish an enhanced distance learning system to better tailor the program to an individual's needs. STLE also faces the issue of getting into countries that are simply too poor to afford the dues. For example, plans to start a section in Poland failed because potential members could not afford $105 in American currency per year. Salek says there was some discussion of "hardship dues," but an organization as small as STLE could not afford to support this type of program. Talks are continuing, and Gresham sees a time when those kinds of issues will be resolved. "The question now is if there is enough interest out there that we could grow membership, and I have a hard time believing that we can't," he says. "There are so many countries now that are starting to develop and do things that there have to be some real opportunities for us." Jacqui Cook may be reached at cook@associationforum.org BOXES: Mission Statement To advance the science of tribology and the practice of lubrication engineering in order to foster innovation, improve the performance of equipment and products, conserve resources and protect the environment. What is Tribology? Tribology is the study dealing with the design, friction, wear and lubrication of interacting surfaces in relative motion, such as bearings or gears. STLE Facts Headquarters: Park Ridge, Illinois Staff: Eight full-time employees, in addition to outsourcing for meeting planning and advertising and exhibit sales Budget: $2 million International Program Budget: $207,100 (12 percent of total budget) Number of Members: 5,440 (3,500 full members; 1,940 subscribers) U.S. Members: 4,443 International members: 997 Association Lessons for Going International STLE Executive Director Edward Salek, CAE, offers these suggestions for other associations thinking about expanding membership across the globe: -Don't be afraid to innovate, even if there is pressure to stick with the traditional ways of doing things. If the signs point in a given direction, gather the evidence and get leadership support for the initiative. -Find a practical way to involve international members in governance. STLE tried to do this using our traditional model, but found that the international representatives on the board did not attend meetings. A second problem has been finding qualified representatives due to some outdated bylaws provisions. We currently are working on solutions, such as forming an advisory body of international members that meets once a year. -International members can be inspiring to domestic members, who sometimes suffer from burnout or apathy. Rampersad's story of the Trinidad and Tobago section and its activities has inspired many STLE local sections to try some of the same things. -Use written agreements, especially when committing to financial support or services. Then there are no misunderstandings or expectations that exceed capacity to support them. -Staff training is critical. You don't need to speak many different languages, but you must have an appreciation for multiculturalism. We avoid talking about "foreign" members. They are "international" members. It is also important to understand geography and classify properly. |
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