-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
[Men•tor]: A Wise and Trusted Guide
May 31, 2023 | Linda Stepanich, IPCEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
A new engineer walks into a reception at IPC APEX EXPO… in other words, there are many ways to connect with one another in the electronics manufacturing community. Here’s the true story of how a mentor and a mentee met, discussed IPC standards, chaired a committee together, and won top IPC awards.
Christina Trussell of Blue Origin was new to her career and eager to learn. Garry McGuire of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center was an established contributor to dozens of IPC standards. After they met at an IPC APEX EXPO Newcomers’ Reception, the two built a strong mentor/mentee relationship. Christina is an Emerging Engineer (EE),and they both have leadership roles on the 7-31FS IPC/WHMA-A-620 Space and Military Electronic Assemblies Addendum Task Group.
Coincidentally, they also celebrated two big wins at the IPC annual awards ceremony this year, with Garry taking home IPC’s highest honor, the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award, and Christina emerging as a Rising Star.
Let’s start with your first meeting. How did that go and what was your expectation?
Christina: The first time I attended IPC APEX EXPO, I went to the Newcomers’ Reception. While I was there, I had a question regarding the IPC/WHMA-A-620S and I had no idea who to talk to about it. I saw John Mitchell, president and CEO of IPC, greeting everyone and I decided that talking to him would be the best way to find an answer to my question. I was able to speak with John about my question, and he directed me to Teresa Rowe, who eventually introduced me to Garry. When I met Garry, he gave me such a great answer to my question that I asked him if he would be my mentor.
Garry: Teresa Rowe approached me and said she knew an engineer who would be a great candidate for me to work with in the Emerging Engineer program. Christina and I met shortly thereafter. The COVID shutdown affected our ability to conduct face-to-face activities, but we did make it to several IPC meetings, and we had many more virtual meetings.
There is much to gain from being part of a mentorship program. What were your expectations, and how did you establish the types of meetings and projects you would work on?
Christina: My expectations were to have someone show me the ropes in the IPC standards committee world. Outside of that, Garry has proven to be a valuable resource for one-off technical harnessing-type questions that have stumped me over the years. Aside from being a co-vice-chair on the IPC/WHMA-A-620S with Garry, we haven't taken on any special projects together. The A-620 space addendum has kept us busy enough that we have maintained virtual communication throughout those COVID years.
To read this entire conversation, which appeared in the Spring issue of Community Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
IPC's Vision for Empowering PCB Design Engineers
04/30/2024 | Robert Erickson, IPCAs architects of innovation, printed circuit board designers are tasked with translating increasingly complex concepts into tangible designs that power our modern world. IPC provides the necessary community, standards framework, and education to prepare these pioneers as they explore the boundaries of what’s possible, equipping engineers with the knowledge, skills, and resources required to thrive in an increasingly dynamic field.
North American EMS Industry Down 4% in March
04/29/2024 | IPCIPC announced the March 2024 findings from its North American Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) Statistical Program. The book-to-bill ratio stands at 1.31.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: A Global Presence in PCB Manufacturing
04/29/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPORob DiGiovanni, VP of sales for the Americas at STARTEAM Global, discusses the company's global presence in PCB manufacturing. As he explains, the firm operates facilities across Europe, Asia, and North America, specializing in serving contract manufacturers in the automotive and medical industries. They emphasize quality and meeting OEM standards, focusing on offshore supply and non-Chinese factories in the North American market. The company has grown through acquisitions and rebranding to offer multiple products.
EIPC Issues Letter of Urgency
04/29/2024 | Alun Morgan, EIPCAlun Morgan, president of EIPC, issued a letter last week in an effort to raise awareness of the state of PCB manufacturing in Europe. He writes, "The European PCB manufacturing industry and its supply base has been steadily shrinking since the dot com crash at the start of the millennium. European demand for PCBs and assemblies has, however, continued to grow, thus creating an ever-widening gap between European domestic capacity and consumption. The risks posed by this imbalanced supply and demand pattern came into sharp focus during the Covid-19 pandemic which caused chaos in extended supply chains across the world and resulted in widespread shortages."
Arlon Electronic Materials Awarded Requalification to IPC-4101 QPL for All Polyimide Specification Sheets
04/29/2024 | IPCIPC's Validation Services Program has awarded Arlon Electronic Materials Division, an electronics material manufacturing company headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., an IPC-4101 Qualified Products Listing (QPL) requalification for the third time.