Dear Fellow Logistics Professionals,

As President of SOLE during this year of our 40th Annual International Symposium, I thought it fitting to evaluate the profession’s progress during SOLE’s history: 

 • The Society’s first symposium – held in September 1966 – featured a keynote address by Dr. Werner von Braun that envisioned a future where logisticians would become the foundation upon which many things became possible. 

 • Our fifth gathering, “Lift Your Sights!” in 1970, suggested that “we widen the window through which we view the world.” 

 • The 10th symposium, “Logistics Resource Management” introduced the idea of “discard upon maintenance failure.” This idea proposed that it would be more cost effective to produce powerful products that would be replaced instead of repaired upon failure. 

 • The theme of our 15th conference, “World of Logistics” emphasized how our profession had become a world-wide enterprise. There was a focus on diminishing resources and the rising energy problems the world was facing. 

 • By 1985 our 20th conference, “Logistics in the Information Age” forecasted the rise of our global economy through the instantaneous transmission of information. Technological advances also showed that “up–front” logistics would create lower support costs. 

 • Our Silver Anniversary symposium again challenged us to look forward with a theme of “Logistics Futures: Where We Are – Where Are We Going?” Logistics has always been around but the way it is being perceived is changing because of technology and the global economy. 

 • Leaping ahead fifteen years to 2005, our 40th Annual Internal Symposium gathering will build upon last year’s theme of logistics as an integrated enterprise by addressing the next level of integration with “Logistics: The Nexus of Sustainable Enterprises.” Through the influence of all SOLE members on logistics technology and management, enterprises are designing logistics into their operations from beginning to end. As a result, products and services are being delivered faster, more reliably, and more economically than even Dr. von Braun could have envisioned. 

SOLE offers many benefits to its members, not the least of which is the recognition that logisticians are valuable sources of intellectual capital. Accordingly, the Society feels that it and its members and allied associations must continuously expand the logistics body of knowledge. As Einstein said, “Wisdom is not a product of schooling but the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” At SOLE we give our members the opportunities needed to develop their knowledge in the field of logistics.

Once you become a member you will see the impact that it will have on your life. As one of our younger members observed, “I recently reinstated my SOLE membership because I finally realized what has been missing in the past eight years.” Being a member gave him the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of the logistics industry. As a logistics engineer he found he was able to “build things the right way the first time.” He felt that is what sets him apart from other engineers – and that his knowledge in logistics gives him a better perspective on the way things need to work. He believes that SOLE membership gives one the knowledge and connections needed to not only open up existing doors, but also build new and better ones.

The Society and I stand ready to serve you. We need, however, your participation to do so. As active members in SOLE we can improve our communication with each other to help support each other’s professional endeavors. Your involvement will help us in moving both the profession and its practitioners farther – perhaps – than even Dr. von Braun could have envisioned.

Respectfully yours,

Dr. Lloyd H. Muller, CPL
President
SOLE – The International Society of Logistics
lhmuller@aol.com