Chrom Mixer at Pittcon Chicago

I went to the Chrom Mixer sponsored by the Chromatography Forum Delaware Valley (CFDV) and many corporate sponsors on Monday Night at the Untitled Dinner Club in downtown Chicago. It was a good deal: Free dinner, drinks and entertainment with networking opportunity with hundreds of fellow chromatographers. The only thing was that tickets were required for this event.

I spoke with my connection at MACMOD Analytical and was given a batch of tickets which I had no problem giving away to my professor friends, CACA board members and my HPLC short course attendees. When I arrived at this trendy club after a 15 min brisk walk from my hotel in an unusual mild weather, the multi-room facility was already packed with hundreds of folks sitting, standing, chatting, drinking and generally having a grand time. 

The band started playing with a singer followed by a lighted hoop dancer and they were good. The more serious portion was a speech given by Dick Henry in memory of the late Jack Kirkland who contributed much to HPLC including the development the first reversed phase columns, and the proof of concepts research and implementation of high purity silica and superficial porous particles (SPP). I first known Jack when I was a graduate student and took his ACS course where he taught with Lloyd Snyder in New York City. I reconnected with two of my ex-colleagues at Genentech and several other friends which I have not seen for quite awhile. 

Thanks to CFDV and its sponsors for organizing such a great dinner meeting. Isn't one of the main reasons for traveling to conferences is to meet new friends and re-acquaint with former colleagues and business associates?