SAIMC


SAIMC: Johannesburg branch

March 2023 SAIMC

The Johannesburg SAIMC meeting was held at Bryanston Sports Club on 18 January 2023. There was a good turnout and members had the opportunity to catch up with friends and discuss the year ahead. Dean Floyd, the Johannesburg SAIMC chairman for 2022, opened the meeting and presented an overview of the year past and the year ahead. One of the exciting aspects of the 2023 calendar year for the Joburg branch will be quarterly industry focus meetings, starting with agriculture and followed by renewable energy, then food and beverage, and closing with automotive.

A very interactive nomination session followed, where the new members of the committee were proposed and accepted as below. The new committee members are:

• Dean Floyd.

• Cheryl Hird (treasurer).

• Lourens van Niekerk.

• Sagadevan (Sagal) Kanniappen.

• Kevin Preston.

• Diogo Fidalgo.

• Jenine Jansen van Vuuren (chairperson).

Here are a few photos and bios of the new Joburg committee members selected at the AGM.

Jenine has more than 25 years experience in the engineering industry, and has extensive engineering, design, project, fabrication, instrumentation and metrology knowledge. She has been active in the field of measurement since 1993, working with mass regulatory standards such as SABS 0259 and SANS 10378 as a certified verification officer. She was also registered as a mass metrologist in 2016. More recently, Jenine has cemented her industry knowledge with the N.Dip Process & Instrumentation qualification (2015), registration as a flow metrologist in 2018, and a B.Tech Process & Instrumentation (2020). She is currently sales account manager in the measurement industry for Comtest. When she is not working, she loves the outdoors – hiking, rock climbing, archery, and a bit of amateur astronomy on the side.

Sagal has been involved in the measurement and control industry for the past eight years, serving in roles in field service, academia, research and development, product management, projects, and sales and marketing. Currently employed as a sales application specialist at WIKA, his focus is on providing technical expertise on WIKA products to customers, and to internal and external staff. He is also strongly involved in strategic business development on large-scale trophy projects. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering, and is in the process of completing his masters degree in electrical engineering. In addition to his engineering qualifications, Sagal holds certification in project management and business management.

Kevin is currently employed at Phoenix Contact as group manager IMA & IE, responsible for the interface, I/O and networks, and IMA product ranges. Kevin has gained vast experience in the fields of industrial electronics and automation over his career. He is a qualified electronics engineer and has a commercial business degree. Over the years he has held many senior positions and has also headed up his own business venture. He is often asked to participate in various discussion forums and is a consummate presenter, which stems from his passion for music, but, he adds, only as a part-time musician. His other interests include lawn bowls, which serves as a good form of exercise and getting some vitamin D.

Diogo studied electrical engineering (light current) at DUT. He has a passion for engineering and problem-solving, along with extensive experience in supplying solutions for hazardous areas, both in the design and manufacturing phases, for local and international clients. He is dedicated to delivering quality and effective solutions, because let’s face it, when it comes to hazardous and classified areas, laughter isn’t always the best medicine − safety is! After hours, he loves getting stuck into a good book, binge-watching his favourite series, and also going down the rabbit hole of anything tech related.


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