Get to know our Chair and new IEEE Life Members!

Howard Wolfman HeadshotHoward Wolfman, 2022 Chair of the Life Member Committee

Born in Chicago, Illinois, United States, I have resided in the Chicago area my entire life. During my over 60 years of active IEEE membership, I have had the opportunity and pleasure to serve in numerous leadership positions in IEEE including Region 4 director, IEEE treasurer, member of the Standards Board, Education Activities Board, Awards Board, Chicago Section chair, and over 20 IEEE committees.

For the last 20 years, I have been an adjunct professor in the Master of Engineering Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, made numerous conference presentations, and authored many papers. During my career, I have received the IEEE Centennial Medal, the IEEE Third Millennium Medal, the IEEE Standards Association Lifetime Achievement Award in Standards, the 2008 NEMA Kite and Key Award, the 2013 CSA Award of Merit, the Edison Report Lifetime Achievement award in Lighting Standards, and Eagle Scout. My education includes a B.S.E.E. degree from the University of Illinois and an M.B.A. degree from Northwestern University. I am also a registered Professional Engineer in Illinois. After leading engineering, manufacturing, and marketing functions in diverse product areas for years, for the last 13 years I have been the principal of Lumispec Consulting, specializing in lighting energy efficiency, and have provided consulting services to many organizations and corporations.

In my spare time and in addition to spending time with my wife, my three children and their spouses, and five grandchildren, I serve as the chair of the Board of Trustees of a municipal sanitary district and am one of the top 200 fund raisers for the Illinois Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Rajendra Asthana headshotRajendra Kumar Asthana

Currently the chair of the Region 10 Life Member Committee, I’ve held numerous positions at IEEE, including the IEEE India Council, the IEEE Delhi Section, and Member and Geographic Activities (MGA). I received the MGA Achievement Award in 2021 and the India Council Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. I am also the chair of the LMC Awards and Recognition Committee.

Tariq Durrani headshotTariq Durrani

I am a research professor at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. I was the 2006–2007 president of the IEEE Engineering Management Society, the 1994–1995 president of the IEEE Signal Processing Society, and the vice president of the IEEE Educational Activities Board in 2010–2011.

Howard Michel headshotHoward Michel

I was the 2015 IEEE president and served as the vice president for Member and Geographic Activities in 2009–2010. I was the Region 1 director 2008–2009 and have held various positions in the Providence, Rhode Island Section. I am currently an IEEE Foundation director.