Michael Weinhold: Time to Say Goodbye

Reading time ( words)

This year’s EIPC summer conference marked the 50^th anniversary for the organization, and with it, the retirement of longtime EIPC member and industry leader Michael Weinhold. I spoke with Michael on his 50+ years in the industry, and on behalf of everyone at I-Connect007, we wish Michael a pleasant retirement and the best going forward.  

Barry Matties: We've just wrapped up the EIPC 50^th Anniversary Conference, and we’re not just saying goodbye to today's guests, but you, Michael, are also saying goodbye to the industry today.

Michael Weinhold: After being in the printed circuit board industry for more than 54 years and the EIPC for 50 years—I was there from the beginning—I think it's time to say goodbye. The changes are so fast, and if I'm not working in this field on a day-to-day basis, it is very difficult to keep up with the fast-moving industry. I'm still up to date, but to stay up to date demands too much effort and I have to concentrate on my family.

Matties: What are your plans now?

Weinhold: I have some properties that I have to manage. I have a lot of work to do for my own business. I also do some consulting for friends and a few investment companies that need help because they have no clue what the industry is doing, what the industry needs, which companies they should support, and which companies should not stay in this business. I've done this over the past few years and they have asked me to support some of the projects. This will be a good way for me to stay in touch with the industry. I feel this is not a daily job, you know? I can plan this better with my private activities.

Matties: You’ve certainly been a great contributor to the industry for many years and you will be sorely missed, my friend.

Weinhold: Barry, thank you very much for what you have done for this industry. We should not underestimate this because you kept this industry together by sharing information on a global basis and this industry is global. It's not local, it's not America, it's not Europe, it's not Asia—it is global. I think you have done a tremendous job on this. It’s the whole team that’s done this. We should stay as a family together and you did this very well. Thank you.

Matties: Those were kind words. Thank you and good luck.

Weinhold: Thank you.

Related Content:

• EIPC 50th Anniversary Conference by Barry Matties
• EIPC 50th Anniversary Conference Day 2 Part 2 by Pete Starkey
• EIPC 50th Anniversary Conference Day 2 Part 1 by Pete Starkey
• EIPC 50th Anniversary Conference Day 1: The Past, the Present and the Future, Part 2, by Pete Starkey
• EIPC 50th Anniversary Conference Day 1: The Past, the Present and the Future, Part 1, by Pete Starkey

 

06/02/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

This week has been both speedy and newsy. Of course, those two characteristics often seem to travel as a pair, don’t they? A four-day week here in the United States, accompanied by a wave of high-impact news from a wide variety of sources, would suggest that readers could be expected to spread out all over the news map. Not so much, judging from readership numbers; folks all found their highest value in the same type of news coverage. This week's list of must-reads is dominated by market reports as a result of that focused readership. On our list, we have PCB fabrication and EMS book-to-bill reports, a 10-year market forecast report, and a supply chain sentiment report. In addition, readers flocked to the EWPTE show coverage. Finally, we saw significant reader interest in the most recent podcast on sustainability in our logistical operations.

05/19/2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007

This week, our must-reads include reporting on the new PCB support legislation, now submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives; financial results from two Tier 1 manufacturers, which readers read quite thoroughly; ESG in Asia Pacific; new features from Altium; global sourcing; and a “How I got here” interview with an up and coming industry expert.

05/17/2023 | Philip Stoten

This last weekend, industry guru and dear friend to many, Martin Cotton passed away. He was one of the first people I worked with in the electronics industry when I joined Toptec Design to learn to layout PCBs. He was a bit of a rock star to many PCB designers, myself included. He was known to be among the best in his field, if not the best, and went on to be one of the most influential and innovative people in the industry over a long and distinguished career. He will be hugely missed by his family and by his numerous friends in and out of the electronics industry.