Jon Kern joined Kern & Associates in 1996 after a successful time with Fisher Controls working in their FAS (Field Automation Systems) Division as a software engineer developing products for process measurement and control - including operating systems and applications for 16-bit microprocessor products and the ROC RTU. New product releases involved coordination with engineering, manufacturing, purchasing and sales departments as well as developing third-party system integrator tools. He has extensive experience creating numerous client requested applications; PID control schemes, gas flow calculations and audit-trail applications as well as client training.

After receiving a BS in Computer Engineering from Iowa State University in 1987, Jon was a startup subcontractor for East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland, CA, developing applications and configuring 100-plus HP RTU as part of the District's new SCADA installation, including startup and checkout procedures for support and maintenance personnel.

He's also been ferried to oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico to work on RTU software problems.

Jon has presided over several factory acceptance tests, installation startups and site acceptance tests. His SCADA experience is extensive.

Inventor, United States Patent # 5,339,425, Operating System For A Process Controller

» Experience

Maylon Kern established Kern & Associates in 1993 after 28 successful years working for various SCADA and Process Control companies. He joined Fisher Controls in 1974 and had a direct hand in most all of Fisher's Gas SCADA systems. Early on, he was designated Fisher's first systems engineering project manager while implementing proprietary software projects and coordinating integration with overseas construction and engineering firms. By the early 1980's, he was promoting Fisher Gas SCADA systems and participating in the many gas conferences in North America as well as AGA Transmission and Distribution conventions and ENTELEC conventions. He created the SCADA/GAS division of Fisher Controls and directly marketed and managed implementation and ongoing support of three generations of SCADA systems. In 1989, he established the SCADA/GAS User's organization consisting of 35 member North American Gas Companies that used the SCADA systems created by his department. Nearly all of those companies have been clients of Kern & Associates.

Between 1969 and 1974, he performed Electric SCADA projects for Harris Controls and Control Data Corporation's SuperTrol Division. He also worked data acquisition projects for NASA, Johnson Space Center, TX.

During his Fisher tenure he was a speaker and panelist at CGA meetings and he was a regular speaker/panelist at the Gas Daily meetings in Houston during the 1980's. More recently he has been a panelist for IGT and a speaker for WEI. The topics have always been LDC/PL SCADA.

After receiving a BA in Mathematics in 1963, he was a college math instructor at Mt. Marty College, and a graduate teaching assistant in the math department at the University of Nebraska. He also worked for Northern Natural Gas Pipeline Company in Omaha maintaining their mainline steady-state program. He was an assistant in the actuarial department of Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company long enough to pass a couple of the actuarial exams.

Footnote: It’s true…

“…choose work you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life…”

» Experience