Editorial
It is the first time I'm at the computer to write the editorial
of a magazine, Tecnología del Cuero (Leather Technology),
which I have read for many years. I had never written an
editorial before.
I never imagined that I would occupy the Presidency of
our Association and therefore I’m deeply grateful to everyone
who trusted me to do this. I hope and wish to do my
job as AAQTIC needs.
Unlike most professionals of my generation, I started working
at a tannery that produced 3000 hides monthly, with
constant investments for growth.
At that time, Dr Stephen Tzicas was an External Tannery
Advisor and was responsible for joining me to the staff.
Before the end of my college career, I had tanned a few
thousand hides.
My first teacher was the owner of the tannery, who could
transmit me his passion for the industry. Unfortunately, he
died shortly after I started working for him.
It was Dr. Tzicas who suggested me to visit AAQTIC and
start attending courses to deepen my learning.
During those years, AAQTIC Board of Directors granted
me a scholarships to a course at CITEC, where I had the
honor of meeting all scholars and researchers of the time.
So my teachers formed me. I am a professional that came
out of our beloved Argentina Association of Chemists and
Technicians Leather Industry.
AAQTIC is where I could find the explanation to many
questions that haunted me every day at work. I could accomplish
that by attending conferences, roundtables, Conferences,
Fairs, consulting the Library, Publications in Journals
of other associations and above all asking other experienced
professionals, who were visiting the Association at that time.
Many of them are no longer with, but they were sources
of ongoing advices.
At that time, the communications were not so easy. Most
experienced technicians, travelled or worked in the interior
and exterior of our country and then were teaching at the
new positions they occupied. But above all, there was a great
spirit of camaraderie that was reflected in every meeting carried
out at the headquarters of our Association.
Professional women were a few but joined smoothly to
the male occupational group.
The great challenge I posed to my new position at the Association
is to find the way to bring young people working
in our industry to participate in AAQTIC activities, to join
the Commissions and in the not too distant future, become part of the Commission Board.
Leather industry needs young professionals working
alongside with those who have more experience, to develop
new processes environmentally friendly, to find a solution
to the problem of generation and disposal of waste, to reduce
the consumption of water and energy for each hide produced.
I wish young people, over the years, can remind with love
and respect those who were your teachers, same as the professionals
of my generation do.
God wants us to pass on the knowledge acquired through
many years to all the technicians that continue working in
our beloved industry.
A profession that we learned at the bottom of the machines,
with many sacrifices and but also many rewards. A profession
that allowed us to develop, form and support a
family, to know other countries and international colleagues,
new techniques, new challenges.
Please send us your proposals, requirements, inquiries,
ideas. There are different ways to do this : by phone, email,
Facebook, skype.
We issued a survey that we need you to complete: your
ideas and opinions will help us improve the way we plan
and carry out AAQTIC activities, add new contents to our
courses and be more efficient.
For our dear Association still standing, fulfilling the mission
for which it was founded, we need each and every one
of you and all everybody reading this editorial.
I want to say good bye leaving you an African proverb
that adds up to the essence of this, my first Editorial "If you
want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, do I accompanied".
Ing. Graciela Galego - President
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