Welcome!

Thank you for visiting the Washington DC Chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. We're glad you're here!

Chapter 37 is a very diverse group, including a variety of media professionals in the Nation's Capitol. Our members include local radio and television engineers, national and international network technicians, consulting engineers, electronics manufacturers and Federal employees working in broadcast related positions.

Regardless of your area of broadcast interest, you are sure to find a warm welcome at the Washington DC Chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers. Please join us at our next meeting and try us out for size. We hope you will enjoy your visit.

Upcoming Events

Please check out details of our next meeting. We hope to see you there!  Future SBE meetings include: 

• February 18, 2020 (6:30 PM):  Liquid Cooled Transmitters and more.  Brian Szewczyk of GatesAir will be on hand for this technology update.
• March 10, 2020 (6:30 PM):  Chuck Barry, Vice President of Staco Energy Products, will address the use of lithium battery UPSs in the broadcast industry.
• May 13, 2020 (6:30 PM):  Chris Imlay, SBE's General Counsel, will bring us his unique perspective regarding Rules, Regs, and the Broadcast Engineer. 

SBE National News

Candidates Sought for SBE Election

The SBE’s annual election of officers and directors to the national SBE Board of Directors will take place this summer. The SBE Nominations Committee seeks qualified candidates who are voting members (Member, Senior, Fellow or the designated representative of an SBE Sustaining Member) in good standing (dues paid). Candidates must hold an engineering level of SBE certification (CBT or higher or CBNE) and maintain it the entire duration of service on the Board, if elected. Candidates should have a desire to serve and lead as a member of the board and through service as a national committee chair or member. Members of the Board represent all members, not a specific region or chapter. It is suggested that candidates have previous experience as a leader in his or her local chapter, or other volunteer leadership experience, prior to running for the national SBE Board.

Members of the Board are expected to attend two regularly called meetings each year: in the spring, held during the annual NAB Show, and in the fall, at the annual SBE National Meeting. Other meetings may be called via conference call during the year.

The national SBE board includes 12 directors, four officers and the immediate past president. Directors serve two-year terms and officers serve one-year terms. Six director seats will be contested in 2020 as will all four officer positions. The SBE By-laws limits the number of terms for elected members of the Board.

If interested, contact SBE Nominations Committee Chair Jim Leifer, CPBE, at jleifer@sbe.org. A nomination slate will be assembled by the committee by May 1. Other qualified members may be nominated by SBE members no later than July 2 by letter to the SBE Secretary. Floor nominations require the endorsement of at least 10 SBE members.

The election runs from July 17 to Aug. 19. Those elected will be installed at the SBE National Meeting in Syracuse, NY, on Sept. 23.

John Poray, SBE Executive Director, to Retire at End of 2020

Wayne Pecena, president of the Society of Broadcast Engineers, has announced that long-time executive director of the SBE, John Poray, has shared his plans to retire at the end of 2020. Poray joined the SBE as executive director on Oct. 1, 1992. During his tenure, the SBE has seen growth in membership, and in the society’s certification, education and frequency coordination programs.

With the announcement, President Pecena added, “John has been a fixture of the SBE since 1992 who cannot be replaced. We can only seek to find a successor!”

Poray’s entire 43-year career has been in the field of non-profit organization management. Prior to the SBE, he served with the International Headquarters of Kiwanis International, The Apartment Association of Indiana, The Columbus (OH) Apartment Association, and began his career with the Central Ohio Council, Boy Scouts of America. Poray was the first full-time executive director hired by the SBE Board of Directors, led at the time by SBE President Richard Farquhar.

With his announcement, Poray said, “I have been blessed to have had a long and productive relationship with the SBE, working with many great members, national leaders and staff. Together, we have worked to grow the SBE in size and stature and I believe the SBE is positioned well to continue to serve the broadcast and media engineers into the future. I look forward to a busy 2020 for SBE while assisting the Board of Directors with the transition.”

In the coming weeks, President Pecena plans to meet with members of the Board of Directors to begin the search process for the next SBE executive director.