We don't usually note staff anniversaries for the various companies we deal with, but this milestone clearly merits an exception. Taking nothing away from the rest of the dozens (hundreds?) of industry product managers, tech reps and PR managers that we deal with, Canon's Chuck Westfall stands apart for his combination of deep technical knowledge, no-nonsense communication style and (apparently) boundless well of patience for fielding nit-picking questions on the workings of Canon's photographic systems. He's one of the very few in the business whose influence reaches beyond the boundaries of their own company to be counted as a resource for the industry as a whole.

Chuck's career with Canon began 25 years ago today (May 24, 1982), when he left a successful career as a commercial photographer to become a tech rep for Canon. Today, his title of Director of Media and Customer Relationships only hints at the full dimensions of the role Chuck plays for Canon in the photo industry.

Hats off to Chuck for a quarter-century of service: Here's hoping your next 25 years with Canon are as rewarding! <grin>

(Photo courtesy Canon, Inc.)