The SAIMC Gala Dinner on 30 September eclipsed last year’s event yet again. This time, over 270 guests were treated to a highly professional and entertaining evening at Room 5 in Rivonia Village, backed by a host of generous sponsors which included:
Gold sponsors
• RJ Connect: the branded wine bottles and wine glasses on each table
• Reed Exhibitions: a fun ‘selfie-stick’ on each guest’s place setting
• Beckhoff Automation: the red carpet photographs as guests arrived
Silver sponsors
• Endress + Hauser: Branded chocolate on each (delicious) desert and the programme of events and menu
• Yokogawa: Lucky draw signed books by Victor Vermeulen and Yokogawa-branded shirt for Victor
Bronze sponsors
• WIKA Instruments
• ABB
• SA I&C (Technews)
• Engineer IT
Promptly at 7 pm, vice president Rob Mackenzie set the tone with his opening address. What followed took the audience somewhat by surprise as SAIMC ‘news anchor’ Jane van der Spuy introduced the various speakers and topics during a slickly run ‘news broadcast’, aired on video screens during the interval between starter and main course. First, incumbent president Oratile Sematle delivered his state of the industry address with a commitment that resonated well with the audience. Next, past presidents Vinesh Maharaj and Johan Maartens, both revelling in their new-found roles as television reporters, conducted interviews with representatives from UJ and ECSA. The theme was very much Control Engineering as the tenth official discipline and the video format proved a winner as it allowed the opinions of the various experts to be pre-recorded and edited, which made for a very smooth delivery. (SA Instrumentation and Control is interested in getting its hands on the bloopers that ended up on the cutting room floor.)
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly after-dinner speaker Victor Vermeulen. A talented young sportsman, Victor was left a quadriplegic after a tragic swimming accident some years ago. Nowadays, he is a force of nature as a motivational speaker. His moving talk, delivered from a wheelchair with his mother as aide by his side, held an attentive audience captive for over half an hour. Victor’s message was to live each day as if it were your last, and when he finished, the crowd rose as one and the standing ovation almost lifted the roof at Room 5.
The SAIMC Annual Dinner has undoubtedly become the control and automation event of the year so don’t miss out next year – the usual table and innovative sponsorship opportunities will again be available. Put it in your budget now! The date has already been set for 29 September 2017.
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