POY of course stands for "Professional of the Year" and it is arguably the most distinguished of the annual awards given by the Huntsville Section. To receive it once is a high honor. To receive it twice, so far as we can tell from existing records, is previously unprecedented! This year James W. (Jim) Anderson accomplished that feat---a distinction likely to remain unequaled for the foreseeable future.

For the majority of us who know Jim very well from his years of service to the Section, he needs no introduction. However, for those readers who have not had the pleasure of his acquaintance, a brief history.

Jim graduated from Villanova University with a BS in Chemistry in 1962, and came into the world of Electrical Engineering in a somewhat unusual way---through the field of battery chemistry. After 17 years working for Exide Batteries, in 1982 Jim moved to Huntsville where he was employed by Wyle Laboratories as Project Manager, Nuclear Qualification Services Division until his retirement this year.

Jim is a Senior Member of the IEEE and Society of Plastic Engineers, and a member of the IEEE Power Engineering, Computer, and Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Societies. He served on the IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee 29 on battery standards. He is the author of numerous technical papers in the areas of battery and materials engineering.

The IEEE Huntsville Section selected Jim as our POY in recognition of more than 10 years of unsurpassed service to the IEEE and Huntsville Engineering Communities. Jim has served the IEEE Huntsville Section as treasurer, secretary, vice chair, chair, and past chair as well as by chairing numerous local committees. He has also served as financial chair for the Huntsville Association of Technical Societies (HATS). Jim's record of outstanding volunteer service has seldom been equaled.

On June 28, the HATS Professional of the Year Banquet was held. Jim's years of service to HATS was recognized when his award was presented. Keith Jadus received the award on his behalf, as Jim was unable to attend.