The selling of the change was not well done and the blame for that must go to the Executive Board. The definition they gave for "automation" was less than complete. Also there was perception that some of the delegates were not aware of the change until the actual day of the meeting because the paperwork appears to have been sent late.

The discussion itself was very interesting. Those who opposed the change spoke out strongly, and many delegates changed their minds because of the passion they displayed. Principally they felt that the ISA was losing its "instrumentation" and "measurement" heritage. It's hard to argue with someone who insists, "If the name is changed I'm not sure that I belong to the right society!"

The other argument was that eliminating "America" from the name was sufficiently international. This was not a good signal to international members who already consider ISA too USA-centric.

Requiring a 2/3 majority, the motion came up just a few votes short. It's interesting perhaps that if those who had abstained had in fact voted in favor then it would have passed.

Many members did not recognize that "instrumentation" is indeed an important part of the broader term "automation". In my view, instrumentation, sensors, control valves, control systems, MES, networking and communications on the plant floor, all are part of the discipline of automation. Other markets such as environmental monitoring & control, automated test & measurement, and other sub-disciplines all fit nicely under the big tent of automation. Indeed, many of these just don't fit in the much smaller domain of "instrumentation".

The Executive Board was left furiously locking the stable door after it was too late. There seems very little doubt that the motion will carry next year.

Walt Boyes - ISA's proposed name change rebuffed

Wikipedia - Good overview of ISA background, history & objectives

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