Gary Blank received his B.S. from Illinois Institute of Technology, his M.S. from the University of Idaho, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at the age of 24. All degrees are in electrical engineering. Since then his career has advanced along parallel paths in industry and in academia.

Less than two years after graduation he started his consulting practice. He rapidly expanded his client base and during the next thirty years he was never without a client for more than one week.

For 17 years he was a full-time consultant in industry while concurrently teaching part-time at the University of Florida and at UCLA.

For 13 years he held full-time faculty positions at Marquette University, Northern Illinois University, and Illinois Institute of Technology, while concurrently consulting part-time in industry.

Dr. Blank was the IEEE-USA Vice President, Member Activities, 2003-2005. He was the National Chairman of the IEEE-USA AICN (Alliance of IEEE Consultants’ Networks) from 1998 to 2001, coordinating the activities of 30 Consultants’ Networks. He was the founding chairman of the IEEE Consultants' Network of Chicago/Rockford. He was the Chairman of the IEEE Region 4 Student Activities Committee and the Chairman of the IEEE Region 4 Major Conferences Committee. He was a member of the Midcon Board of Directors and was the Convention Director for Midcon 1991. He was a member of the IEEE Educational Activities Board's Committee on the Engineering Skills Assessment Program. He is a member of the IEEE Individual Benefits and Services Committee. He is a national S-PAC speaker.

He is the author of numerous published articles and papers. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE.

He is currently consulting full-time in industry in the areas of Control Systems, Digital Signal Processing, and Electronics. He also teaches engineering courses live, and on home-study videos for review for both the PE Exam in Electrical and Computer Engineering and for the Fundamentals of Engineering (General Engineering) Exam. He also conducts seminars and workshops internationally on how to start and expand a successful consulting practice.

Dr. Blank is a dynamic and effective workshop leader. His ideas are creative and exciting. His teaching style makes it easy and enjoyable for others to learn. His well-organized and informative seminars, workshops and classes earn him consistently high ratings from participants. His illustrations and tips are down-to-earth, practical proven methods.

* * *

CONSULTING — AN EXCITING WAY TO PRACTICE ENGINEERING

For the engineer who enjoys the challenge of solving interesting technical (or management) problems in a short time and who likes the freedom of being his/her own boss, consulting is a viable choice. For the engineer who likes a variety of problems, situations, and clients, consulting is an exciting way to practice engineering. However it is important that the engineer be aware of what it takes to be a consultant. There are certain personality traits, attitudes, and educational and technical requirements that characterize the successful consultant.

This presentation describes what a consulting engineer does, how the engineer becomes a consultant, how clients are found, what fees should be charged, and what the responsibilities of the consultant are to the client and to the profession. It also describes what the engineer (new graduate or experienced) should do to prepare for, sustain, or expand a successful and exciting career in consulting.

02/06