Committees
Compatible Technology International consists primarily of volunteers who typically serve on one or more of the following committees. Volunteers chair these committees where a variety of skills and interests are utilized to advance CTI’s mission around the world. For current volunteer needs see the Volunteer tab.
The Area Committees (Asia, Africa, Americas) understand one area of the world and those people’s needs, and initiates, supports, and guides projects in those areas. The Technology Committee oversees the development of ideas, processes, and devices, and guides the volunteers doing the work. To learn more about the projects being undertaken by these volunteer commitees see the What We Do section.
To reach any of the committees send an inquiry to our email: cti@compatibletechnology.org and indicate who you would like to contact. We will forward the email on for you.
For committee meeting dates, please see the CTI calendar.
Asia Committee
CTI has been working to improve the lives of people living in Asia since its inception over 25 years ago. Initial projects in the India subcontinent focused on post harvest processing of potatoes. The process, refined over the years, involves using CTI designed equipment to peel, slice, process and dry potatoes, which can then be stored for later use. More recently CTI has introduced peanut grinding as well.
Current projects include an on-going project site in Gohaldanga, West Bengal, India, that is staffed for several months of the year by a retired food microbiologist and his wife, a retired biochemist, who travel from the USA to a village west of Kolkata. At this site, an extensive potato processing facility and related training center have been established. They are also using CTI grinders to make peanut butter from local ground nuts.
CTI also helped establish a small peanut butter production facility using CTI grinders in the Parbatipur, Dinajpur District of Bangladesh. The peanut butter produced is sold on a commercial basis at a small profit as well being used as a primary source of protein in conjunction with a local school lunch project. Plans are in place to introduce small-scale potato processing using CTI technology at this site.
The Asia Committee is continually looking at emerging needs; assembling project teams and seeking cultural expertise for either hands-on or consultative work in Asia.
Americas Committee
CTI’s involvement in Central America began early in our history where over two decades of food programs have been carried out. In Guatemala, CTI volunteers worked with the Jalapa branch of CARE International to find a way to reduce the staggering loss of half of the corn crop. A small corn sheller, simple sheds to keep the corn of the ground and metal silos provided reliable storage for the corn crop. More recently, the committee has focused their efforts on providing clean water in rural villages with the use of the CTI-8 Chlorinator. Various partners in Nicaragua have been utilizing up to 30 CTI water chlorinator systems. Currently the committee is looking to expand the Chlorinator project by having an in country presence in Nicaragua to promote more chlorinator installations.
Africa Committee
The Africa Committee is working hard to improve the lives of those in need through numerous project activities on the continent. It is focused on increasing CTI’s impact by spreading our technology, developing lasting in-country partnerships and ensuring applications of CTI’s technology are culturally appropriate.
CTI has worked in a dozen African countries and our grinder technology has been central to many of the Committee’s efforts. Recent efforts include shipping 20 Omega VI grinders to Ghana where there is high demand for our technology to process moringa, an important dietary supplement and remedy for minor ailments. CTI is working in Ghana through connections with UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) as well as the Moringa Association of Ghana. Omega VI grinders are also being used at 34 feeding stations in Malawi to process food for undernourished children. This was made possible through a partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Malawi. And the Ewing grinder is being used to grind groundnuts in Uganda where CTI has partnered with a local machine shop who can complete the bulk of the manufacturing process in-country. The Committee is working to build on this opportunity to expand distribution throughout Uganda and beyond.
The Committee is also looking for ways to increase its impact both through the expansion into new countries in Africa as well as the introduction of new technologies. Some examples of this include a new focus millet threshing technology and wooden grinders in Mali.
Technology Committee
The Technology Committee concentrates on maintaining and improving CTI’s current post-harvest food processing and water sanitation devices. The committee upgrades existing technologies, adapts them for new use, and finds ways to reduce their cost.
The committee is chaired by Erv Lentz, a retired mechanical engineer with extensive experience in the automotive industry. Erv is a particularly dedicated volunteer, who spends nearly every weekday in the CTI Shop working on technology projects. Other members of the committee include engineers from a variety of places, including General Mills, Cargill and Battelle Institute to name a few, food scientists, retired science teachers, engineering professors, and an eclectic band of people with a range of interests and training.
See Devices in What We Do for a comprehensive list of the devices developed by the Technology Committee.
New Products Committee
An extension of the Technology Committee, the New Products Committee is responsible for the design and development of CTI’s emerging technologies. The various volunteers on the committee research culturally appropriate solutions, evaluate new concepts, develop new sources of technical expertise, and construct prototypes for field testing and evaluation.
The committee is currently chaired by Bert Rivers, CTI’s Vice President of Operations, but we are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic volunteer to take the lead as chair.
Much of the hands-on work performed by the Technology and New Products Committees is done in the shop located at our headquarters as well as laboratory and shop space donated by our partners.
Marketing Committee
This committee has been developed to focus on branding and distribution of CTI's products to a wider audience. This will include ensuring that CTI’s products are “pulled” into our target markets rather than “pushed,” and sustaining a steady public relations effort whereby CTI is regularly introduced to a broader and more varied audience. If you have experience or an interest in marketing, media relations, public relations, branding or sales, this council may be a great fit for you.
Development Committee
The purpose of this committee is to strengthen CTI’s programs on behalf of the poor through sustained, systemized fundraising efforts. Raising support is directly related to CTI’s success in carrying out our programs. Specifically, this committee will focus on cultivating relationships with faith-based organizations, corporations, foundations and individuals for the purposes of fundraising. We believe this is an integral step in increasing CTI’s impact and effectiveness worldwide. If you have an interest or experience in development or donor cultivation, consider joining this committee.
Communications Committee
This committee develops and executes a communications strategy designed to increase CTI's visibility and strengthen its support. Responsible for creating much of CTI’s messaging, the Communications Committee works on a number of projects including newsletters, press releases, and brochures. The committee currently meets every two weeks and welcomes anyone with an interest in writing, marketing, or communications.