17 Years a Tribology Magazine Publisher
Thomas T. Astrene | TLT Publisher's Pen February 2020
One chapter ends, but TLT’s story is just beginning.
Your humble scribe in 2003 and today. I knew I’d get a chance to wear that shirt again.
For one great adventure to begin, often another must end.
For me the new adventure is called retirement. To my everlasting regret, the one ending is serving as publisher of TLT magazine.
Since we published our first issue in October 2003, the ride has been equal parts thrilling, frightening and rewarding. Mostly it’s been incredibly fulfilling.
You know the best part of being a tribology magazine publisher? People just assume you’re smart. “Oh, you must have a doctorate in engineering from Northwestern!” is the typical response I receive when revealing my occupation. Out of respect to the academic achievements of our members, I always came clean on that one, even if it did mean copping to being a philosophy major from Northern Illinois University. (As for the worst part, that’s easy. Anytime you’re in a meeting with STLE members, by default you’re the dumbest guy in the room.)
It didn’t take long to realize the deeper meaning of the publisher’s job. My role with the organization falls under the Connect part of STLE’s Connect, Learn, Achieve formula. TLT connects STLE members who have specific technical knowledge with other members seeking that knowledge.
How is it done? As with most things STLE-related, the answer is one word—volunteers. It’s our team of volunteer editors who think of the story ideas that keep TLT timely, relevant and accurate. And while we have a team of professional writers, the people they interview are, of course, STLE members.
My contribution was insisting on two principles. First, TLT would be a true technical magazine. Second, we vowed to publish the names of as many STLE members—and their organizations—as possible in each issue.
As the years rolled by, TLT’s success grew on both the editorial and advertising fronts. Eventually I realized it wasn’t a figment of my imagination—TLT actually was making a difference in our members’ professional lives. The most gratifying messages I received came from members who told me they worked for small companies that couldn’t afford employee training. Reading TLT, they said, was their technical education and professional development.
I edited every word of all 230 TLT issues published under my watch, and I can’t describe the pride I felt watching each issue roll off the press. No matter how long we worked on the pages, when each issue arrived on my desk I literally couldn’t wait to pick it up.
Then the day came when I saw that confection of paper and ink and color freshly on my desk, and my first instinct wasn’t to start thumbing through the pages. That saying about all good things is true—even with something as great as being the publisher of a tribology magazine.
A great philosopher named Cher said the secret of happiness is to find the thing you love to do and then do it. I’ve made an extensive list of things I love to do, and the time has come for me to start doing them.
Before I do, I want to thank every person connected with this incredible organization for the privilege to serve. The biggest thing I’ve done in my professional life was to be of the smallest of service to the members of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers.
Thank you for letting me be a small cog in a much larger—and, of course, properly lubricated—machine.
Happy reading.
To reach former TLT publisher Tom Astrene, ask for Table 6 at Lee Street Billiards in Des Plaines, Ill. Or try theo51011@yahoo.com.