A 35-year commitment is an impressive achievement, whether it be to a job, a marriage, or even a sports franchise. (New York Mets, why do you so consistently forsake my love?) When it comes to an all-volunteer organization working within an extremely complex and fast-changing technical field, that kind of staying power is all the more amazing.

In 1984, a group of engineers, technicians, and quality professionals joined together to present a brand-new event. Occurring in San Antonio, TX, the gathering offered the opportunity for discussion and knowledge exchange about state-of-the-art 3D test and measurement technologies, which at that time centered around photogrammetry systems and theodolites. That was the very first meeting of what would become the Coordinate Metrology Society Conference (CMSC)—and of course, from those initial visionaries grew the organization that’s now known as the Coordinate Metrology Society (CMS).

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