IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM: ENG. AMI LUSTIG

Engineer Ami Lustig was born in Israel in 1950, and it was clear from the age of six – when he would accompany his father Simcha to the office of ESL, the leading elevator consultants in Israel – which his future lay in the elevator industry!

After graduating from the engineering faculty of Tel Aviv University in 1977, he joined ESL full time, and over the years he became involved in the most prestigious projects both in Israel and internationally.

Ami was also an active member of the ISO/TC178 Plenary Committee on Lifts, Escalators and Moving Walks, as well as several ISO working groups, Standards Institution of Israel committees and chairman of the Intelligent Building International Steering Committee.  During this time, he published a great number of papers of various aspects of vertical transportation technologies.

In 1985 Ami also played a pivotal role in the establishment of IAEE – the International Association of Elevator Engineers, which aimed to define vertical transportation engineering as a specialized profession, promoting scientific and technological expertise specific to the industry.  From 2000, he served as chairman of IAEE’s congress Elevcon, and in 2014 Ami was appointed president of IAEE.

One of Ami’s greatest professional contributions was to create a blueprint for the integration of the vertical transportation systems within the broader concept and design of the architect’s vision.

Ami was beloved and respected both personally and professionally. Ami passed away in November 2021 and is survived by his wife of forty-five years, two children and two grandchildren.

IN MEMORIAM: JOSEPH STIER

Joseph Stier (1946-2021) was the visionary who pioneered the establishment of the IAEE the International Association of Elevator Engineers and its accompanying congress Elevcon.  Since 1986 it has served the vertical transportation industry, holding international events every two years.

Joseph was a man of many and various gifts.  His father Oscar was a painter, and although Joseph showed talent as a young man, he preferred to play chess, collect stamps and even playing bass guitar in a rock band while he was at university, where he was studying math and physics.

However, after graduating, he was drawn to the world of advertising where he could develop his unique combination of persuasion and pragmatism.  He went on to establish the leading exhibition company in Israel, creating original events for many industries and professions which continue to this day.

Always looking to challenge himself, Joseph conceived the innovative idea of an association and congress specifically representing elevator engineers.  He sought out the most prominent personalities in the field, gathered them together and launched this revolutionary concept.  No longer would vertical transportation be relegated to a second-class engineering subset.  Hundreds of specialists joined the Association, coming together to share their knowledge and experience.

Other events have copied Elevcon, but the pioneer was Joseph Stier, who will be very much missed. His son Gil intends to continue his father’s legacy, and looks forward to the international co-operation which Joseph nurtured and enjoyed.