Milestones: Changes at IARU and in Amateur Industry

New IARU Secretary Joel Harrison, W5ZN
(ARRL photo)

Former ARRL CEO Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, who stayed on as Secretary of the International Amateur Radio Union after his retirement from the League, has now stepped down from that position as well. The new IARU Secretary (traditionally a U.S. amateur associated with the ARRL) is former ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN. Harrison took over the position on July 1.

IARU Region 1, covering Europe, Africa and the Middle East, lost its vice president to Covid-19 in early July. Faisal Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR, became a Silent Key after a long hospitalization. According to Newsline, Al-Ajmi had held the region's number-two spot since 2014. He was an accomplished contester and advocate for amateur radio in the Arab world.

Chris Fox, NI4L, is the new owner of the EZ-Hang antenna launcher company. He has merged the line of specially-designed slingshots into his NI4L Antennas and Electronics company (http://ni4l.com), which currently markets wire antennas, baluns and related products.