IEEE Buffalo Section History

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The Niagara Frontier Section was chartered by the AIEE on February 10, 1925. Curiously a small area around Niagara Falls was not included, or was later removed and incororated into a Niagara International Section, which was Chartered on August 5, 1948. Niagara international included Niagara Falls, USA, and Niagara Falls and St. Catherines in Ontario, Canada.

The first chair of the Niagara Frontier Section was J. Allen Johnson, and the first Secretary was A.W. Underhill Jr. The Section was closely associated with local electrical industries and the secretaries frequently listed their addresses as: GE. Niagara Electric, Westinghouse, NY Telephone, and Dupont.

The Niagara International Section on the other hand shows officers home addresses, which alternated between Niagara Falls, USA, and Niagara Falls and St. Catherines Canada.

The IRE was first incorporated in 1927, as the Buffalo-Niagara Section, with L.C.F. Horle as its first chair, a position he held for at least three years. Several of the Section officers listed their address as Colonial Radio Corporation, 1280 Main Street, Buffalo, NY.

When the IEEE was formed by the AIEE and IRE merger in 1963, the Buffalo and Niagara Falls Sections in the USA became the IEEE Buffalo Section. It is assumed that the Canadian area became a part of some Canadian Section. Although the IEEE was formed in 1963 there is no data in the archives prior to 1975. The first known Regional meeting that was held in the Buffalo Section was on September 27, 1980, at the Niagara Hilton, Niagara Falls, NY. Hans Cherney, Armonk, NY was the Regional Director and Bruce Wedlock, Boston, MA was the Secretary-treasurer.
Hobson M. Archer signed in as the Buffalo representative, but it is not stated whether he was the Buffalo chair. Another meeting of the Regional Committee ws held in the Niagara Hilton at Niagara Falls on August 19, 1989. Victor Zouridew, Wheatley Heights, NY was then the Regional Director and Peter Eckstein, Smithtown, NY was Secretary. By that time the Treasurer had become a second position which was held by Donald Grieco, Manhasset, NY. Quentin Hoffmann was the Buffalo chair and hosted the meeting. On August 10-12, 2001 a third Region 1 meeting was held at Niagara Falls, NY at the Holiday Inn Select. Irving Engelson was the Director, Peter Eckstein, the treasurer and Karl Sommer, the Treasurer. Jennifer Zirnheld, the Buffalo Chair hosted the meeting.

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