Board of Directors Endorses IPC’s Long-Term Strategy

David Bergman, IPC vice president of international relations, reported to the board on the status of IPC’s international activities. In China, IPC has offices in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing and Suzhou and plans to increase its presence in additional cities in 2012. IPC’s activities in China focus on expanding the use of standards, local translation and development of standards, and IPC certification and training.

IPC’s India office recently marked its first-year anniversary and currently employs six staff and eight contractors. Its focus is on training and certification as well as standards. IPC-A-610E, Acceptability of Electronic Assemblies, was recently translated into Hindi.

Pudles noted, “The expansion into areas with significant electronics manufacturing is critical to IPC’s effectiveness in the future. For IPC standards to retain their preeminent place in the electronics industry and to continue to facilitate supply chain activities within the industry, they need to have local acceptance, international recognition and global availability. The Board is pleased with IPC’s activities to date but has challenged the staff to be even more aggressive in planning for growth.”
In an area of vital concern for the membership, IPC’s public policy initiatives were reported on by IPC Board Member and Government Relations Chairman Mikel Williams and Tony Hilvers, IPC vice president of industry programs. These initiatives include advocating on behalf of the industry in the areas of conflict metals and export control reform.

The Board thanked outgoing IPC President and CEO Denny McGuirk for his contributions over the last 12 years and wished him well in his new job at SEMI, beginning on November 14. Joe O’Neil, president of Hunter Technology Corporation, noted that, “Denny was a true partner with the Board in successfully navigating the transformation of IPC from a regional organization into a global trade association with members and influence throughout the world. We wish him all the best and will miss his leadership and integrity.”

Marc Peo, president of Heller Industries, concurred, “Under Denny's leadership, we have seen IPC establish the industry’s leading trade show in IPC APEX EXPO®, create more standards for the membership and have direct impact on the world around us through lobbying efforts. But most important has been Denny's consistent and unwavering belief that the members come first and all decisions are based on whether or not the members will benefit — this is what has made IPC strong and viable in the electronics industry.”