I'm Scott Reynolds, the 2025 ISA president. I think everyone in the automation community can find value in becoming a member of ISA. You can head over to isa.org/join to learn all about the benefits of being a member.

Scott with Mimo^SM at the 2025 ISA Automation Summit & Expo in Lake Buena Vista, FL

I wanted to share with you why I'm a member of ISA.

For me, ISA is not just an association of automation professionals; it's a community. What do I mean?

It's Where I Go to Be Heard

I can attend an ISA event, and I can vent about some very obscure stuff. ISA is where people can actually understand what I'm saying when I say I can't believe I'm still fighting with DCOM issues and even empathize with my situation. This is where I go to have my struggle be heard and even get some ideas on how to move forward after I'm done with my venting.

It's Where I Go to Learn from Others

I can reach out to people in our community and ask a question on their thoughts on use cases and how to justify the efforts and cost of implementing a digital twin. If I don't have a person to talk to about it, I can go to ISA Connect Forums and ask my question there. Everyone is very responsive and excited to help out. We also have an expert directory to show us who we can talk to about our specific issue. We also have standards, training and publications as resources that take the knowledge of our community and formalize it. If I don't know where to begin, I can start by asking Mimo^SM, who can give me the references I need for the problem I'm trying to solve.

It's Where I Go to Give Back

I love volunteering and giving back to the automation community. I also love interacting and learning about what's going on in the Connect Forums. I can take my knowledge of things like privileged access management tools in the OT space and provide that information to the community. There are so many opportunities to engage and give back at ISA in many rewarding ways. I can join a standards committee; I can volunteer at section or society committees; I can become a mentor to the future of the automation community.

It's Where I Can Make a Difference

ISA's mission is to create a better world through automation. I can tell the world how ISA is succeeding at driving toward our mission, and as a member, I'm a part of that mission. I can share standards developed by ISA to show how people can leverage automation in a safe and secure way. I can show how standards make automation more efficient and effective, and how we can use standards as shorthand as a means of communicating what we need from other stakeholders in the automation community.

It's Where I Feel Welcomed and I Belong

Between ISA's values and the friends I've made during my time in ISA, I can honestly say I feel truly a part of this community. I can talk to anyone about ISA and what it means to me, and they know that I truly feel like ISA is my home, and I love it here, and want to welcome more people into this amazing community. I feel like I can ask the dumb questions, and I won't be judged. Instead, I see the excitement from others who want to help me.

That's why I'm a part of ISA. For every member, there is a different reason for them to join or engage with ISA. What's your reason? Is it being a part of the community? Is it to be a part of your local community and your ISA section? Is it viewing ISA standards? Is it discounts on training, events and publications?

Whatever the reason, I hope you find it as welcoming, inviting and engaging as I do. I hope to see you on ISA Connect introducing yourself as the newest member of ISA.