New IEEE-USA President Ron Jensen has identified advancing U.S. innovation, entrepreneurship and competitiveness as his priorities for 2011.
"Engineers and technologists are innovators and job creators," Jensen said. "The more technology specialists we unleash in the workforce, the better our opportunity to revitalize the U.S. economy. Our nation's ability to innovate new products and services will help us to compete globally and create jobs in the United States."
Jensen, who became IEEE-USA president on 1 January, succeeds Evelyn Hirt. Jim Howard is president-elect.
Jensen is encouraged by the recently announced public/private partnership, Startup America, and its potential to increase the number of new businesses that have high-growth, high job-creating potential. See http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/startup-america.
IEEE-USA supports and promotes high-tech entrepreneurship through programs like its Entrepreneurs Village, TechMatch and IEEE Alliance of Consultants Networks. In 2009, IEEE-USA entered into a partnership with the Small Business Administration to assist high-tech entrepreneurs starting new ventures. Federal and state resources are available at http://www.ieeeusa.org/careers/entrepreneurs/resources.asp#SBA.
"I am especially interested in understanding how we can help our members become more innovative, entrepreneurial and competitive in the global economy," Jensen said. "We have to understand what our members' careers will be like 5 to 10 years from now and support their adjustment to that environment."
IEEE-USA will also work with other science and engineering organizations to encourage Congress to fund the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010. The legislation, which was signed into law in December, authorizes federal investment in science, engineering, innovation, technology and competitiveness. Its goal is to help the United States maintain its world technology leadership and to create jobs.
Meet the New IEEE-USA President
Ronald G. Jensen enjoyed a 40-year career with IBM. He held positions in semiconductor development and applications, chip development, system design, systems architecture, management and project management. He assisted in the development of several IBM families of computers and servers, and retired in 2009 as a chief engineering manager.
Jensen's professional interests range from systems architecture and embedded systems to technical education, management and strategic planning, to the use of the Internet, collaboration tools and social networking to build a professional environment.
Jensen became a student IEEE member in 1972, a member three years later and a senior member in 1999. He also holds membership in Eta Kappa Nu, the electrical and computer engineering honor society, and the Project Management Institute.
Jensen has held numerous IEEE volunteer leadership positions. Highlights include, among others, serving on the IEEE Board of Directors as Region 4 director in 2005-06, and chairing the IEEE Strategic Planning Committee in 2007-08. He is a member of the IEEE Computer Society, Technology Management Council and Women in Engineering affinity group. He was honored with an IEEE Third Millennium Medal in 2000.
Jensen and his wife, Marlene, live on Lake Zumbro outside of Rochester, Minn. They have two grown sons, Joel and Ryan, and three grandchildren, Emily, Lily and Dane.
For more on Jensen, check out the December issue of IEEE-USA In Action: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieeeusa/ieeeusa_1210/#/22/OnePage.
IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of 210,000 engineering, computing and technology professionals who are U.S. members of IEEE. http://www.ieeeusa.org