This past June at our NYSSPE Annual Conference in White Plains, I had the pleasure to meet Marvin Specter, PE, LS. Mr. Specter joined NSPE in 1955, was President of the Westchester Chapter in 1968, State President in 1972, NSPE National President in 1982, and that year founded the National Academy of Forensic Engineers. (NAFE). He also Co-founded the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB) in 1990 and was President in 1993.
Marvin is older now, and confined to a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop him from attending the conference and getting up in front of a packed room. I caught up with him afterwards and asked him, “Based on all of your experience, what message do you have for professional engineers in regards to creating a successful career?” His answer is in the video above.
He also handed me this old NYSSPE memento and told me that the society was in my hands. I will never forget that exchange with Marvin. I hope you enjoy the video, I certainly enjoyed spending some time with him.
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I remember Mr. Spector well from the good old days! He was instrumental in bringing the 1985 National PE convention to Buffalo, NY. My family all had roles in hosting over 1000 engineers.
My late father, Philip F. Frandina, PE, LS, had similar advice: “Never say or do anything you would not want to read about on the front page of the paper!”
His advice is timeless.
Good to hear from you!
I remember speaking to Marvin a number of times from the late seventies to early nineties when I
was president of the Westchester chapter. He seemed to have an endless amount of energy and was recruiting members of our chapter for his new Forensic Engineers Organization (NAFE). What a great accomplishment.
I left NY in 1993 and moved to Louisville Ky and a member of the KY PE chapter.Now at 88
I am a life member.