Segway inventor to keynote PTDA/FPDA event
The inventor of the Segway personal transporter, Dean Kamen, will be the opening keynote speaker for the co-located PTDA 2009 Industry Summit and FPDA 2009 Network Symposium.
To be held on October 22-24, 2009 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, this is the first time the two organizations have co-located their fall meetings.
Kamen is president of DEKA Research & Development Corporation based in Manchester, N.H. As an inventor, physicist and entrepreneur, he holds more than 440 U.S. and foreign patents, many of them for innovative medical devices that have expanded the frontiers of health care worldwide. He also founded the non-profit US FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). The vision of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership. Kamen’s commitment to inspiring young people’s interest in science and technology makes him an ideal keynote speaker for the two organizations.
Co-locating the fall meetings of the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) and The FPDA Motion and Control Network (FPDA) will create natural synergies for both organizations. The theme for the co-located meeting is “What’s Your Next Move?” and will feature programming designed to help participants prepare for life after the recession. Attended by leaders in the industrial distribution industry, members from PTDA and FPDA will share keynote speakers, workshop sessions and networking events over two days.
“Working together with FPDA on this conference is just another way we’re recognizing that many of our members are multi-faceted, seeking to be a complete resource for their customers,” said Drew Tucci, 2009 PTDA president. “By joining forces with FPDA for this event, we’re able to bring to our collective membership speakers like Dean Kamen who can spark the innovation and energy they need to design their next move.”
“The leadership of The FPDA Motion & Control Network is looking forward with great anticipation to this co-located event with PTDA,” said Richard Neels, FPDA president-elect who will assume the association’s presidency in spring 2009 and will preside over the fall event. “As distributors in the industrial and mobile markets, FPDA and PTDA members have a lot in common, and by co-sponsoring many of the events we are each able to offer our members a top-notch program and unparalleled networking among distributors and manufacturers. With both associations contributing to the program planning, this is shaping up to be an extraordinary event and we're proud to be part of it."
For more information, visit www.ptda.org/IndustrySummit or www.fpda.org.
