Application Engineers: When You Really Need to Phone a Friend
We’ve all experienced the frustration of having to wade through layers of automated phone prompts trying to get through to a customer service rep or having to wait weeks for a technician to come out—and even then you have to block a half-day window of time. In this episode, Dave Whitehead examines how this model can look very different, discussing the topic with two SEL experts: Dr. Ed Schweitzer, founder, president, and chief technology officer, and David Costello, chief sales and services officer.
The Guest
Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer, III
Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer, SEL
Ed Schweitzer is recognized as a pioneer in digital protection and holds the grade of Fellow in the IEEE, a title bestowed on less than one percent of IEEE members. In 2002, he was elected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Schweitzer received the 2012 Medal in Power Engineering, the highest award given by IEEE, for his leadership in revolutionizing the performance of electrical power systems with computer-based protection and control equipment. In 2019, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
A prolific inventor and the author of dozens of technical papers in the areas of digital relay design and reliability, Schweitzer holds more than 200 patents worldwide.
Schweitzer received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Purdue University and his doctorate from Washington State University.
David Costello
Chief Sales and Services Officer
David guides SEL’s Sales and Customer Service and Engineering Services divisions worldwide, with a special focus on quality, service, and customer relationships.
The author of more than 30 technical papers and 25 application guides, David was honored to receive the 2016 Best Overall Technical Presentation Award from the NETA PowerTest Conference, the 2013 Outstanding Engineer Award from the Central Texas section of the IEEE Power and Energy Society, and the 2008 Walter A. Elmore Best Paper Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology Protective Relaying Conference.
Since joining SEL in 1996, he has served in a variety of roles, including field application engineer, technical support director, national sales and customer service director, and senior vice president of Sales and Customer Service.
He is a senior member of IEEE, was a member of the planning committee for the Conference for Protective Relay Engineers at Texas A&M University for more than 20 years, and is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Michigan.