We have been informed that Control is a "finalist" for the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) Azbee Awards. We are a "finalist" in the under 80,000 circulation category, for Magazine of the Year.

In the gold rush to Smart Grid, it's easy to get left out. In the last several major press releases about Smart Grid I've seen, one standards body has been conspicuous by its absence. That, of course would be ISA. Even though ISA has launched a full-court press to transform itself from a member style educational foundation into a workforce development and standards body (which I believe is the future of the Society--- and I've been saying so since 1998)-- it seems to have been left at the altar for Smart Grid.

It is with deep sadness that I report the passing of my friend Vernon Trevathan. Vernon (who hated to be called Vern) died Sunday in St. Louis, Mo. Here is the message that was sent to the ISA Executive Board, where Vernon was Vice President of the Professional Development Department. ISA director T. S. "Chip" Lee forwarded it to me.

Hello All,I am finally moving forward with ISA-95 Best Practices Book 2.0 after a 2 year break.  Book 1.0 was great success.  Many companies and industry analysts have made it required educational reading.  To build on this in Book 2.0, we, as the ISA-95/MESA Best Practices Working Group, will chose 10 methodology or detailed vertical examples to publish.

All WBF members are entitled to the discount for Automation Federation membership:

The Automation Federation is supporting the Progressive Manufacturing Summit 2009: Redefining the Business of Manufacturing in Turbulent Economic Times.

When: 9-11 June
Where: The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota, FL

This is an unabashed commercial for WBF (www.wbf.org), once known as World Batch Forum, one of the first members of the Automation Federation, because it really needs our help.  WBF pioneered two technologies that are now ubiquitous in the manufacturing industries. Note, I said the manufacturing industries, not “the process  industries,” because WBF’s reach has grown substantially beyond its origins.

As we're getting ready to send the magazine off to the printer on Friday, I thought you'd all be interested in a sneak preview of the cover and some of the articles we're running for May.

May 2009 Control coverThe May cover story, by Jim Montague, is about process safety, and is called "Take Your Medicine: a prescription for practical process safety."

Inside, we have features by Greg Shinskey, Greg McMillan, Bela Liptak, and other well known process automation gurus.

Selling MOM Solutions to Risk Adverse Businesses By Utilizing Performance-based ROI Guarantee and Contracts