The Society of Broadcast Engineers has announced that it has authorized a new local chapter to serve members in North and South Dakota and the bordering areas.
The SBE said the chapter has been given chapter number 63. While the Dakotas still cover a wide area, the next nearest chapters are a considerable distance from the two states. As a result, the SBE said, it's expected that some chapter members will attend meetings virtually.
"We constantly strive to serve our members and creating a chapter for the Dakotas helps fill a geographic void,” said SBE President Ted Hand, CPBE, 8-VSB, AMD, ATSC3, DRB. ”I applaud the SBE members who worked to put this chapter together.”
Mark Heller, who previously served on the SBE national board of directors, was instrumental in coordinating the chapter efforts.
To form a new SBE chapter, SBE bylaws require a group of at least 10 members to hold a minimum of three organizational meetings, which the group did earlier this year, submitting its final application materials in October. A group of 16 SBE members worked together, meeting the requirements to form the chapter.
Officers have elected to lead the Dakotas chapter: Chair Jake Bechtold, CBRE, DRB, CBNE; Vice Chair Eli Koppenhaver; Secretary Mark Heller, CPBE; and Treasurer Dustin Moore. Additionally, Mark Borchert will serve as membership chair and Jake Bechtold will serve as frequency coordinator.
Once the chapter application requirements are met, the national board reviews the application and authorizes the chapter.
The SBE is the professional organization for television and radio engineers and those in related fields. It has nearly 4,000 members in 116 chapters across the United States, Hong Kong and Eastern Europe. There are also members in more than 25 other countries. Most chapters meet monthly and offer educational programs and an opportunity to network with other broadcast technical professionals.
For more information about the SBE, contact Chriss Scherer, CPBE, CBNT, member communications director, at cscherer@sbe.org, or 317-846-9000, or visit the SBE website, sbe.org.
