Chapter History

Significant Events in the History of the Golden Gate Chapter of ASM International

1913   The Steel Treaters Club was formed.  This organization would eventually become ASM International.

1924    The local chapter of the American Society for Steel Treating (ASST) was established on April 12, making us the 34th chapter of the society which later would be known as the American Society of Metals (ASM) and eventually as ASM International.

1933    The national organization adopted the new name American Society of Metals.

1986    The national organization changed its name to ASM International to reflect its goal of becoming the world's society for engineered materials.

1999    75th Anniversary of the Chapter.  A special meeting was held to commemorate this event.

2000    Dedication of the site of the first facility to employ the method of direct reduction of ore to produce iron in Heroult, CA as an ASM International historic landmark. (See below.)

2005    The chapter began the process of closing the Golden Gate Chapter.  Active participation in chapter activities had been declining for years and had gotten to a point where we felt uncomfortable asking someone to speak at our monthly meetings.

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A Brief History of ASM International

The following is a summary of the official history of ASM International. It was taken from a small brochure in our archives which was written by Miss Dorothy F. Thum. The text is provided courtesy of Jerry Fritzke.

Formation of the National Chapter
The story begins in 1913 and tells how Mr. William Park Woodside (founder member), a tool salesman from Detroit, invited 20 of his friends to meet with him at the Fellowcraft Club. He had an idea that it would be mutually profitable to form a society opposed to secretiveness in the shop and a place where steel treaters could get together and compare notes. Out of this meeting was formed the Steel Treaters Club.

This small group had to generate enthusiasm, which seemed lacking, but one by one, executives and technical members were admitted. In 1915, the word Research was added to its name, becoming the Steel Treaters Research Club of Detroit. It was stated that some salesmen were also taken into the group so that they might pick up the shop vernacular. However, it was further stated that too large a salesman "alloy" would contaminate the serious purpose of the Club with merrymaking.

The idea of friendliness and openness was of great significance during the First World War and, interestingly, the name was changed in 1918 to Steel Treating Research Society. The Society was incorporated and William P. Woodside served as the President until 1919. Prof. John F. Keller who served until 1921 succeeded him.

Steel treaters from other cities began to make inquiries about joining Detroiters-men from New York, St. Paul, and Chicago. A decision to become a National society soon followed. The Chicago Chapter was formed in 1917 with Theodore E. Barker, Chairmen, and Arthur G. Henry, Secretary. Chicago seceded from this group in 1920 since all the dues went to Detroit ($5 per member) and none being returned to operate chapters. Barker and Henry then directed about 200 Chicagoans, using the unimposing name of American Steel Treaters Society.

The situation created between the Detroit and Chicago groups seemed to call for a business manager, and a personable young school principal was selected as the right man-none other than William Hunt Eisenman, It was his great tact, patience, training in educational work, and perhaps mostly his infectious enthusiasm for the Society that finally brought together the men and ended the hostilities between the American Steel Treaters Society (Chicago group) and the Steel Treaters Research Society (Detroit group). Thus was created a new name-The American Society for Steel Treating on September 14, 1920. A new location, Cleveland, Ohio, and subsequently a fine stone mansion at 7301 Euclid Avenue became the new location for the ASST.

From 1913, the first meeting brought together by William Park Woodside, to 1924, some 33 chapters had been formed. The Golden Gate Chapter was formed in 1924 and became the 34th chapter of the ASST. Wisely keeping abreast of the times, the ASST expanded its field of interest by 1924 to include the entire manufacturing process of any metal. In 1933, the word "Metals" was substituted for "Steel Treating" to form the present title for this much-christened American Society for Metals. In recent years, due to expansion in Europe, Asia and South America, the name was changed to ASM International, which disaffiliates the word "American" and emphasizes the international flavor of the Society.

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Past Chairs

The table below lists all of the past chairs of the Golden Gate Chapter of ASM International. The list goes back to 1926 when the chapter was founded.  Many thanks to Jerry Fritzke who contributed the information on the earlier years.

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Past Meetings

The following table lists basic information on many of the meetings your chapter has held during the past 20 plus years. Perusing the list of topics for the technical presentations you will see that our interests and the activities of our members covers a diverse and fascinating range of topics.