The Automation Federation, hatched in 2006 as an umbrella organization for various user and advocacy groups, has named a new managing director to guide it toward what it hopes will be greater recognition and outreach.
Paul Goodson, an electrical engineer by trade who has spent the latter half of his career managing various associations, took the helm at the federation in July. Goodson looks at the appointment as an opportunity to better promote the federation's mission and stature.
"We're beginning to take more of an outward look at things - the public relations, the government relations kinds of activities," he said, "to try to look at the ways that we can promote greater awareness of what automation can do to help maintain competitiveness."