The Journal of Explosives Engineering - March/April 2013 - 4

From the President
Volunteering: The Cornerstone of ISEE
By John E. Capers, President, ISEE

Thirty-nine
years ago, a
group of 9,
like-minded
explosives engineers met at
a hotel in Pittsburgh,
Penn.
These men, Dr.
Calvin Konya;
Jerry Brower; I.E. Harris; Joe Dannenberg; Richard Wilding; Dean Boddorff;
Ed Smith; Harry Van Ormer; and D.T.
Froedge, reviewed and approved the
Society of Explosives Engineers Constitution, brought by Dr. Konya to the
meeting. Each man donated $50 of his
own money to start the organization.
The original SEE office was in Calvin’s
basement and the first secretary was
Eva Konya – we all know how important our spouses are! These Founding
Fathers had an extraordinary vision for
a Society that was destined to become
the largest single group of blasters in
the world. What started as 9 members
has grown to more than 4,000 heading into 2013.
Today, the International Society of
Explosives Engineers functions with
a very capable Cleveland, Ohio, based
staff. The staff handles the day to day
business functions of the society and
carries out the policies of your elected board of directors. The governing
body of the ISEE is the Board of Directors, who are all volunteers, as are your
chapter officers and directors. Clearly,
the Society could not exist without
volunteers.
As you attended the 39th Annual
Conference, recognize that all the authors/presenters have worked very
hard to prepare quality presentations.
These individuals have been devoting
their time since last summer preparing for the Blasters Seminar and the
General Sessions.The various committees have been busy for the past year
in each of their respective responsibil-

ities.There are hundreds of volunteers
involved in the preparation and execution of this conference.There is an
old saying that “Volunteers are seldom
paid; not because they are worthless,
but because they are priceless.”This is
certainly true for the ISEE.
Increasing membership and expanding member benefits has always
been a primary goal for the ISEE.There
is no secret formula to adding members to the ISEE. Membership development is a challenge; it requires work,
determination, creativity and enthusiasm. Most people do not wake up in
the morning and say,“Hey, I really need
to join something today.” If you want
someone to join, you have to communicate the value of membership. Each
of us who have benefited from ISEE
services and membership owe it to
those who came before us to ensure
the organization remains in place for
future generations. I would like you
to become committed – invite others
to join our cause. All you have to do
is ask!
Each of us has our own personal
reasons for being a volunteer in our
society. For the more senior members,
perhaps it is simply our way of paying
back to the previous generation that
guided and encouraged us throughout
our career. To the young members,
this is a great industry with many opportunities. It is full of knowledgeable,
colorful characters that will readily assist, encourage, and guide you.
Being involved in your chapter or
the ISEE is important for numerous
reasons. When someone donates his
or her time and knowledge, others
will learn and prosper. When a person
volunteers, they benefit themselves
through personal development, especially in areas of self-fulfillment, selfconfidence, and self-esteem. Knowing
that you helped someone to solve a
particularly difficult situation is an uplifting experience that can never be

The Journal of Explosives Engineers

matched by money or fame.
Volunteering strengthens skills in
the areas of communication, ability
to work with others, ability to lead
others, and time management. When
employers see active volunteer work
on a resume, they are more likely to
hire that person rather than someone
who doesn’t volunteer. Employers are
aware that most people who offer
their time are conscientious, honest,
and hard working individuals.
As a volunteer with your chapter or
the ISEE, you have credibility – credibility that paid staff or hired consultants do not possess.You can promote
the chapter because you believe in it.
Volunteering is a personal choice and
not your paying job. In the words of
Winston Churchill: “You make a living
by what you get paid, but you make a
life by what you give.”
Have you ever heard the phrase,
“It’s all about who you know”? With
stagnated job availability, high unemployment rates, insecurity in the marketplace and tightening budgets, key
relationships are becoming more and
more important to professional success. Associations are often the first
place people turn to when seeking
employment and/or new business
opportunities. Your membership is of
the greatest value in economic downturns.
Most of us are employed by companies that are associated with the explosives or blasting industry.We would
be remiss if we did not acknowledge
our employers for the tremendous
contribution they make to our society.
They encourage us to participate in
organizations such as the ISEE.
But for you, the ISEE member and
volunteer, what you freely give are
some of the most precious resources
in our lives:You give your time, experience, and vision.

March/April 2013

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The Journal of Explosives Engineering - March/April 2013

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