People and Places

In this issue, we feature two of our favorite special sections, the ELEVATOR WORLD Photo Contest 2023 winners and The U.K. People Issue 2023. Both contests provide us an opportunity to celebrate this industry, its magnificent people and its beauty. 

In this 11th annual iteration of the Photo Contest, we had more photos entered than ever before — from every corner of the world, including the U.K. We added a new category — Factories/Company Facilities — and expanded Illustrations to include AI. The nicest part is that we get to see so much excellence and ingenuity from our industry and share it with you. It makes our “elevator world” seem that much smaller. 

In our second annual U.K. People Issue, we profile five industry leaders whose careers are noteworthy. They each came to the industry in unique ways and have given back to it in so many more. Their stories are inspiring, and we could have written much more about each of them had our space allowed. 

In this issue, we also report on several events that have taken place over the past few months, including UK Construction Week, which saw record attendance in May and displayed more than 10,000 products from 300 exhibitors at London’s ExCeL. Also in May, the Lift Industry Mental Health Charter Cup was held at the Dartford Football Club. More than 250 industry people and their families attended the successful football event, which raised funds to support mental health programs. In A Successful Day, Mark Harding reports on the day’s competitions and outcomes. 

Our publisher, Ricia Sturgeon-Hendrick, traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, for Elevcon 2023 in June. In Prague, At Last!, she writes about Elevcon’s successful return after a more than three-year hiatus. The event featured 29 speakers and a three-day program. Closer to home, the inaugural Lift Car Fest was hosted by International Lift Equipment on 8 June in North London. The event raised funds for the Lift Industry Charity and attracted more than 75 professionals from across the U.K.

Our focus topic this issue is Education and Training. We offer three articles on the subject:

• Expanding Horizons, submitted by LEIA. The authors explore how e-learning trends were invigorated by the COVID-19 pandemic. 
• A Call for Increased Engineering Visibility in Schools, submitted by Rochester PR Group. A poll of academics looks at this topic, along with an emphasis on sustainability.
• Psychological Barriers, by Colin Craney. In his Consultant’s Voice column, Colin writes about his early career and how even those with relatively high levels of training and education can be sidetracked. 

This is a packed issue with so many aspects to highlight, including:

• The Finishing Touch, submitted by Access BDD. This project spotlight features lifts that add luxury to two Cornwall properties.
• A Touch of Class, submitted by Stannah Lifts. Stannah helps modernise the historic entertainment venue Blackpool Winter Gardens. 
• The Need for Speed, by Lindsay Fletcher. Terry Lifts’ Steve Bell speaks about his current role and extensive 30-year career with the company. 

And, finally, we remember Dr. Gina Barney, whose impact will long be felt by this industry the world over. A widely respected engineer, researcher and lift industry leader, she passed away on 6 July. She authored 23 books and countless papers to establish and maintain her position as a leading expert in the vertical-transportation industry. Her relationship with EW is one that goes back decades, and we will miss her expertise, her wise counsel and her friendship.