The 176th ACS Meeting in Miami Beach, 1978
If I am asked to recall and describe just one episode from this early period I would definitely choose the 176th ACS Meeting in Miami Beach in 1978. Bifok had decided to introduce FIA in the US by exhibiting the newly developed FIA 20 system at this conference. Side remark: this instrument family never entered the market. Rune shipped the equipment directly to Miami Beach from Sweden unaware of the phenomenon that we usually call “customs declaration”. Consequently, the instruments were stuck in the customs. Useless discussions, Rune was fighting in vain. Finally, a Spanish speaking female broker took on the task to “liberate” the instruments and deliver them to the exhibition hall but she required a lot of cash. So I was a bit surprised to find Rune at the airport when I arrived in Miami. He took care of all my cash and the instrument could be released.
