EU Conference Was, Again, Second to None

The 2012 Elevator U (EU) Conference was held in June at Michigan State University.

Those of us who attend the annual Elevator U (EU) Conference on a regular basis have often said it is one of – if not the – most enjoyable events we attend all year. For those who have never been to an EU Conference, it is a three-day event consisting of a full schedule of educational presentations, elevator-industry product and service exhibits, and social and entertainment events that are always second to none. This year’s EU event, as has been the case since its inception, more than met attendees’ expectations.

The conference was held on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) on June 19-21, and in spite of the intense yet friendly rivalry between its attendees (particularly those representing and alumni of the Big Ten Athletic Conference schools), was a fine example of the effectiveness of people meeting to exchange information and ideas in a relaxed and casual, yet serious atmosphere. Informative and innovative educational presentations were provided by equipment manufacturers, suppliers, inspectors, consultants, and university and college elevator personnel.

Forty-six companies exhibited their products, many of which also sponsored meals and social activities. Everyone took part in a silent auction of gifts provided by the exhibitors that raised nearly US$5,000 for the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation (EESF). Networking opportunities were in abundance during educational-session breaks, social activities and the vendor exposition. Both the expo and silent auction took place in the impressive MSU football stadium.

In addition, to further solidify and enhance the relationships between attendees and the overall spirit of the conference, the “Vendor Mercials,” which have become an EU tradition, were once again presented on the second day of the event. Here, a number of engaging comedic skits were used by some of the exhibitors to present their products and services. This part of the conference is always full of surprises, and the attendees of this year’s EU event were certainly not disappointed. While some of the Vendor Mercial presenters used a more serious tone, there were also visits from a superhero, who kept reminding the audience his products came with a “lifetime warrantee” and that they were “Made in America!” and two groups of thespians who used their community-theater skills (or lack thereof) to get their messages across to what was a fully engaged and high-spirited audience. Once again, this segment was a grand success that proved people can be educated and entertained at the same time.

The 2012 EU Conference closed with an expression of gratitude to the event’s organizers, supporters and attendees, and an announcement that the 2013 event will be held at Iowa State University. Information on next year’s EU Conference and how you can get involved will be posted on the association’s website at www.elevatoru.org and announced in ELEVATOR WORLD when available. Congratulations are extended to the organizers of the 2012 EU Conference, for it was, without a doubt, one of the best elevator-industry events to date, and I am sure this sentiment will hold true throughout the rest of the year.

Educational Program

• “What’s Up with Lighting?” by Terry R. and Brandon R. Mandy (Man-D-Tec)
• “What’s Killing Hoist Rope Life and System Performance” by Martin Rhiner (Brugg)
• “Emergency Power Comparison of Hydraulic vs. Electric Elevators” by James C. Hall (Reynolds & Reynolds)
• “ASME Code: How-to Session” by Richard Gregory (Vertex Inc.)
• “ADA Design for Colleges and Universities” by Dave Flint (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor)
• “Is the Elevator Working?” by Rich Madarasz (Qameleon)
• “Door Restrictors” by James Marinelli (Electrodyn)
• “Maintenance Control Programs” by John Rearick (Code Data Plate)
• Roundtable Discussion: “Elevator Accidents: What Happened, Why and How to Prevent It from Happening Again” moderated by Tom Flint
• Elevator Controls, Accessibility by VMI, Inc.