Speaker: Richard Ladroga

The personalities involved – Tesla, Edison, Westinghouse and others – are brought to life through Richard’s slides and video presentation; opportunities and entrepreneurship abounded, but intense, occasionally bitter, rivalry was the hallmark of the time;  Edison decrying Westinghouse’s means of carrying power and identifying electrocution as ‘Westinghousing’ is an example of the mud slinging tactics used. The spread of power as a luxury which became a necessity within a generation is both fascinating and technical. Tesla coils are famed for providing large airgap discharges – big sparks – though it is unlikely we will emulate Tesla’s efforts to split the earth apart!

Richard Ladroga is the General Manager for Doble Engineered Services, concentrating on electrical power apparatus testing, condition assessment and forensics; he specializes in power transformers, electrical explosions and fires. Richard previously held positions with Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Corp., Black and Veatch, the Town of Wellesley Municipal Light Dept. as well as running his own consulting practice. Richard is a Senior Member of the IEEE, chair of both IEE Insulating Fluids Sub-Committee and C57.104 “Guide to Interpretation of Gases in Oil”; he is a Registered PE, a member of the National Fire Protection Assoc., and a Board certified Diplomat of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers.