OIT Customers Seize the Day

May 16, 2002

Over 200 invited industrial partners gathered at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, DC, on May 9th to give OIT direct feedback on its programs and services. With the recent reorganization of DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the fourth biennial Customer Day also marked a change in leadership for OIT Industries of the Future partnership. Key OIT partners were on hand to hear remarks by Assistant Secretary David Garman, salute the accomplishments of outgoing Deputy Assistant Secretary of Industrial Technologies Denise Swink, and meet incoming OIT Director, Buddy Garland.

In the opening plenary session, Swink discussed OIT actions in response to suggestions offered at Customer Day 2000. Among other activities, she listed streamlining of the solicitation process, expansion of the Allied Partnerships and States IOF program, redesign of the web site, and fortified technology deployment and replication strategies. Swink also related highlights of the 2002 Customer Satisfaction Interviews, which have been conducted biennially since 1997. She noted that three benefits of working with OIT have consistently received top ranking since the interviews began: leveraging of resources, networking opportunities, and involvement in visions and roadmaps. he 2002 interviews indicate marked improvement in OIT image and technical R&D management,she said, lus increased professionalism and follow-through by OIT./P>

The Industries of the Future (IOF) Association Council presented Swink with an inscribed glass vase in recognition of her exceptional vision and leadership. On behalf of the Council, Michael Greenman of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council and Del Raymond of the American Forest & Paper Association told Swink, hank you for helping us to see ourselves as the Industries of the Future.Swink will continue to assist OIT as a member of the EERE Board of Directors.

Prior to lunch, Assistant Secretary Garman opened his remarks to the group with a reminder that the Bush Administration is results-oriented. He stressed that the industrial sector is critical to long-term economic prosperity, and the reorganization of EERE is designed to help OIT produce even more results than in the past. Garman noted that the reorganization identified many useful innovations by OIT, such as roadmaps and Allied Partnerships, and he wants to extend those practices to other parts of his organization.  The reorganization will also increase resources and opportunities for industrial partners (for example, future showcase may include R&D results from Buildings and Transportation).

During the morning and again in the afternoon, event participants divided themselves among two successive sets of three parallel sessions: (1) the IOF Partnership Strategy, (2) Working with the National Labs, (3) OIT Outreach Strategy, (4) DOE Handling of Intellectual Property, (5) Expo 2003, and (6) Working with Universities. This arrangement gave participants the opportunity to contribute their views on at least four of the six topics. Rapporteurs summarized the new ideas presented on each topic to the entire group during a closing session. These suggestions are being assembled into a brief report that will be available on the OIT web site soon.