GOING BACK TO HOUSTON, HOUSTON, HOUSTON

This short article describes my one and only presentation of a technical paper to a meeting of Professional Engineers.02/29/2016

GOING BACK TO HOUSTON, HOUSTON, HOUSTON

In 1958, FWC made two managerial changes. It promoted Dennis O’Neil to Sales Manager, Steam Generator Division, which required him to move back to NYC. The company selected Ernie Goitein to replace him as Manager, Cooling Tower Department. In turn, he promoted me to be Assistant Manager. The title carried with it no new duties and no salary adjustment that I can recall.

A year later, Ernie asked me to write a technical paper describing three unusual cooling tower applications, for submittal to the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), who published it in their Special Technical Publication No. 273 dated October 15, 1959.

Ernie wrote the bulk of the paper. You can imagine my unease when FWC reprinted the article in its house organ which led to an unwanted invitation from our Houston sales representative, Wilson Pais, whom I’d accompanied on a sales call some years earlier. He summoned me to read it at a monthly meeting of the Houston Engineer’s Club. The prospect of facing an audience of Professional Engineers cowed me, my first such experience.

My worst fears came to fruition. After presenting the paper, a number of people in the audience posed questions regarding the application of cooling towers in various settings. The torture went on for about fifteen minutes, but it seemed like an eternity to me. Wilson keep interjecting, trying to help me respond.

In the morning, I slunk out of town, dreading the consequences of my pathetic presentation. As best I can recall, there were no repercussions. It must be noted that Wilson never invited me back to Houston, in any capacity. Is it any wonder?

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