Richard Doyle's Community Blog

This Week in the SolidWorks User Group Network (SWUGN)

I'm hitting the road this week with Suchit Jain, DS SolidWorks VP of Strategy and Community.  We'll be visiting SolidWorks User Groups in the Philadelphia area.  We also plan to attend the annual Atlantic Design and Manufacturing show on Wednesday.

Mid-Atlantic Region Independent SolidWorks User Group (MARISUG)
Tuesday, June 18th - 6:30pm to 9:00pm

Lehigh Valley SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 19th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Susquehanna Valley SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 20th - 5:30pm to 8:00pm

There are six other meetings on the SWUGN calendar that I will not be able to attend...this time. 

Adam Ales andSteve Moenaert from K2 Sports join the members of SASPUG this week. 

Seattle Area SolidWorks Power Users Group (SASPUG)
Tuesday, June 18th - 5:00pm to 7:00pm

It looks like 3DVision's Chris Snider will be doing a lot of talking at the NISWUG meeting this week.

Northern Indiana SolidWorks User Group
Tuesday, June 18th - 5:00pm to 8:00pm

Some 330 miles south of NISWUG, the Greater Evansville SolidWorks User Group makes it "two-fer" Indiana.

Greater Evansville SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 20th - 5:00pm to 8:30pm

Tom Bostick has things back on track in Fort Worth, Texas

Fort Worth SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 20th - 5:30pm to 9:00pm

Interesting...the Rhode Island group meets in Massachusetts this week.

Rhode Island/Southern MA SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 20th - 5:30pm to 9:30pm

I received a text message last week from Susan Miles, it simply said "You are awesome".  I suspect it had something to do with a box of goodies for her meeting this week.  I love it when SolidWorks user group leaders are happy.

Panama City Beach SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 20th - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

User groups are a valuable resource to all members of the SolidWorks community. The ability to network with peers and partners helps your company become more productive. Take the time to find your local user group or if there is not one in your area, look into starting your own. To start your own group, visit the SolidWorks User Group Network website at www.swugn.org

 

 

Magic Wands

It's not often that we see a father and son combination at a SolidWorks user group meeting, but when its Graham and Richard Wand, it's not that unusual.  Graham and Richard are long-time SolidWorks users, and have been involved in the SolidWorks Community as long as I can remember.

Both Wand's were in attendance at the Central Georgia SolidWorks User Group meeting last night.  Richard gave what is being described as a "terrific" session on Large Assembly Management to a good crowd in Warner Robbins.  I'll wager that Graham's presence gave Richard a little extra incentive to do a great job - who doesn't want to please their father?

So thank you gentlemen for your support of the SolidWorks Community and the SolidWorks User Group Network.

This Week in the SolidWorks User Group Network (SWUGN)

Another busy week in the SolidWorks User Group Network, with 13 meetings on the calendar.  Canada gets a special visitor, and meetings in San Diego and New York City mean we're coast-to-coast this week.

DS SolidWorks Certification Specialist Mike Puckett continues to pile up the user group appearances.  This week Mike will be in Eastern Canada presenting on Surfacing and Advanced Mates in Mississauga, Toronto, and Barrie, Ontario.  I don't want to give out any secrets, but I hear that complimentary exam codes...

Ontario SolidWorks User Group
Tuesday, June 11th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Western Ontario SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 12th - 5:30pm to 8:30pm

SolidWorks User Group Simcoe
Thursday, June 13th - 5:30pm to 9:00pm

It looks like I'll finally get a chance to visit the SolidWorks User Group of New York City, but not until September.  This week they'll meet without me.

SolidWorks User Group of New York City
Tuesday, June 11th - 6:30pm to 10:00pm

The San Diego SolidWorks User Group will hold it's 198th meeting this week.  DS SolidWorks VP of User Experience and Product Portfolio Management Aaron Kelly and I will be on hand in August for number 200.

San Diego SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 12th - 6:30pm to 9:00pm

I once spent nearly three hours driving around the city of Birmingham, Alabama in between checking out of my hotel and my late evening flight.  Despite some economic hardships over the past decade, its a beautiful little city.  And they have a great SolidWorks User Group.

Central Alabama SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 12th - 6:30pm to 8:30pm

In my quest to visit every SolidWorks User Group, I got a chance to check the St. Croix Valley SolidWorks User Group off the list earlier this year.  66 down, only 159 to go.

St. Croix Valley SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 1:00pm to 4:00pm

 Lenny Kikstra has been around the SolidWorks Community for as long as I can remember.  His "Lennyworks" website has been helping SolidWorks users forever, and he's been running a user group for good long time as well.  Thanks Lenny!!

SolidWorks Milwaukee Area Resource Team (SMART)
Thursday, June 13th - 4:30pm to 9:00pm

Their names are Edson and Edward, but we just call them Ed and Ed.  The annual "Mastercam" meeting is this week.

Connecticut SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 5:30pm to 9:00pm

We had a SWUGN Summit event in Boise once and it was great.  We need to go back someday, but in the meantime, you can enjoy 3 meetings per year from these folks.

Treasure Valley SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 5:30pm to 7:30pm

My first communication with Nicole Walden was when she started a SolidWorks User Group in Florida.  The next thing I heard was that she moved to Houston, where she teamed up with Joe Lance to resurrect HOUSUG.  It was a short time later that she moved again...and started another SolidWorks User Group in Tennessee.  I wonder where she'll go next?

Chattanooga SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 5:30pm to 8:30pm

How can it be that when two groups meeting in the same metro area, they are still 4 hours apart?  When they're in Los Angeles of course...

Mt. San Antonio SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Orange County SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 13th - 6:30pm to 9:00pm

User groups are a valuable resource to all members of the SolidWorks community. The ability to network with peers and partners helps your company become more productive. Take the time to find your local user group or if there is not one in your area, look into starting your own. To start your own group, visit the SolidWorks User Group Network website at www.swugn.org

 

 

 

SolidWorks CEO Bertrand Sicot Feels the Southern Heat

I was lucky enough to attend two user group meetings this week with SolidWorks CEO Bertrand Sicot.  The weather in both Baton Rouge and Houston was pretty much the same...HOT!  Temperatures were in the low 90's, while humidity was in the high 90's.  Yep - it's summer here in the south.

The first stop was Baton Rouge and the New Orleans/Baton Rouge SolidWorks User Group.  The meeting was held at the LIGO facility just outside Livingston, Louisiana and was attended by more than 60 SolidWorks users.  We were fascinated by the research that is being done at LIGO, and the staff was genuinely excited about sharing their passion for their work with us.

LIGO Scientist Amber Stuvar really loves her job

Bobby Moore and Joe Rowsey did a great job of putting the meeting together, and even though I didn't get to enjoy it, I heard the Jambalaya served for dinner was delicious.  Thanks guys!!

Bobby and Joe really like running NOBRSWUG

Next stop was Houston and a really cool tour of the new Halliburton Technology Center.  Our guide Billy Hendricks showed us some pretty amazing oil field technologies and tools used in deep-water drilling rigs around the world.  All of us learned something new.

Joe Lance and Bertrand Sicot

Joe Lance was his usualy dynamic self, and the 80+ SolidWorks users were equally excited to be there and hear Bertrand speak.  Bertrand even got to sign a couple of autographs.

Carlos De La Cruz with his newly autographed CSWA and CSWP certificates.

Thanks to everyone involved with putting these meetings together, and for coming out and supporting the SolidWorks User Group Network.  For more information about SolidWorks User Groups, visit www.swugn.org

 

This Week in the SolidWorks User Group Network (SWUGN)

Early summer is always a busy time for SolidWorks User Groups.  Long days, nice weather, and lots of good stuff to talk about.  There are 15 meetings scheduled for this week, here are some highlights.

SolidWorks CEO Bertrand Sicot will be attending meetings in Baton Rouge/New Orleans and Houston this week.  NOBRSWUG leader Bobby Moore got the whole thing started with one simple Tweet.

New Orleans/Baton Rouge SolidWorks User Group
Tuesday, June 4th - 5:30pm to 9:00pm

Houston SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 5th - 6:00pm to 8:30pm

The Central Georgia SolidWorks User Group welcomes Richard Wand, long-time SolidWorks user and a regular presenter at SolidWorks World, to their meeting on Tuesday.  This group is a relative newcomer, but group leader Margaret Brown is doing some great things in the town of Warner Robbins.

Richard also pops up in Greenville, SC this week, and in the Raleigh area as well.  Thanks for your support Richard!

Central Georgia SolidWorks User Group
Tuesday, June 4th - 5:00pm to 7:00pm

Greenville SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 5th - 5:30pm to 7:30pm

Research Triangle Park SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 6th - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

It seems like it was just a couple of weeks ago that Paul Adams and Greg Jankowski were making their way through the Florida user groups.  Oh wait...it was just two weeks ago.  No matter, when you have someone like Avelino Rochino traveling through the region, you simply schedule another round of meetings.

Dayton Beach SolidWorks User Group
Tuesday, June 4th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Central Florida SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 5th - 6:00pm to 8:30pm

Orlando SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 6th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

The State of Texas hosts two more meetings this week in San Antonio and Corpus Christi.

San Antonio SolidWorks User Group
Tusday, June 4th - 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Corpus Christi SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 5th - 5:00pm to 8:00pm

In Davenport Iowa, Paul Hines has quite an agenda that includes SolidWorks Electrical, SolidWorks Explorer, Property Tab Builder, and some Tips and Tricks.

Eastern Iowa SolidWorks User Group
Wednesday, June 5th - 5:00pm to 9:00pm

In Portland Oregon, Cory Derico is the latest in a line PASWUG leaders that includes SolidWorks legends George Tylinski and Adam Scheible.  The Portland group will meet on Thursday and talk Certification and CNC.

Portland Area SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 6th - 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Rounding out the week in the US are meetings in Tulsa and Denver.  In Denver, they'll be drumming up interest for the SWUGN Summit - Denver event being held on July 16th.

Colorado SolidWorks User Group
Thursday, June 6th - 3:30pm to 6:00pm

Tulsa SolidWorks User Group
Friday, June 7th - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

And finally, our good friends north of the border will be talking about SolidWorks in French.

Groupe d'utilisateur SolidWorks du Quebec
Thursday, June 6th - 5:30pm to 9:00pm

User groups are a valuable resource to all members of the SolidWorks community. The ability to network with peers and partners helps your company become more productive. Take the time to find your local user group or if there is not one in your area, look into starting your own. To start your own group, visit the SolidWorks User Group Network website at www.swugn.org