Greetings from the West: The people of Veneklasen Associates
Jerry P. Christoff, John J. LoVerde, Joe Ortega · The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 2013
Western Electro-Acoustic Laboratory (WEAL) was founded in 1947 by Paul S. Veneklasen, FASA, for the manufacture of precision acoustical instruments utilizing the Western Electric 640AA Precision Condenser Microphone. When asked in 1951 to provide acoustical consulting services on a jet engine test cell, the architect insisted on dealing with an individual, not a laboratory, and Paul S. Veneklasen & Associates (PSVA) was born. Renamed Veneklasen Associates (VA) after Paul Veneklasen’s death in 1996, VA and WEAL have had the privilege of employing excellent associates over 65 years of business. Many within this group have contributed to the science of acoustics, in several cases founding firms to continue the practice of acoustical consulting. Others like the principal author, employed since 1956, have remained at VA continuing to contribute and mentor others in the science of acoustics. All of us have benefited from Paul Veneklasen’s approach to consulting projects, his use of corroborating measurements, reporting style and the quest for solutions to acoustical problems. In addition, the firm carries on Paul Veneklasen’s tradition of in-house acoustical research to advance the field. The Poster traces this history in terms of its current and former employees and their careers with PSVA and VA.