In recognition of their leadership roles and support of IPC standards, education, advocacy and solutions to industry challenges, four of industry’s best and brightest were presented with an IPC Rising Star Award at IPC APEX EXPO 2021. Award recipients were Benoit Dagenais, Radu Diaconescu, Vladan Koncar, and Audra Thurston.

Dagenais, an electric vehicle technician at the Innovative Vehicle Institute in Quebec, Canada, was honored for his leadership of IPC’s 7-31FHV: IPC/WHMA-A-620 High-Voltage Cable Task Group and embracing the innovation of the automotive world.

Diaconescu, an electrical engineer at Swie.io in Lausanne, Switzerland, was honored for his technical expertise and high energy to the nine standards committees on which he serves. In the last year, Diaconescu took on a leadership role for IPC’s traceability standard while also acting as a key contributor to the brand-new digital twin standard.

Koncar, a distinguished professor at ENSAIT in Roubaix, France, was honored for leading IPC’s D-75-a-EU Task Group developing IPC-8981, Quality and Reliability for E-Textiles Wearables, and for this active participation on/contributions to five additional e-textile committees.

Thurston, a chemical engineer at Calumet Electronics in Calumet, Michigan, was honored for her work on four standards development committees: the Solder Mask Performance Task Group; the Rigid Printed Board Performance Specifications Task Group, the IPC-A-600 Task Group; and the Trusted Supplier Task Group.

“The work that the Rising Star recipients have done to enrich the industry and IPC within the last five years will continue to have a lasting impact for many years to come,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “IPC is privileged that Ben, Radu, Vladan and Audra have chosen to share their knowledge and expertise with us and with the entire electronics industry.”

In recognition of their significant contributions of time, talent and ongoing leadership in IPC and the electronics industry, Yusaku Kono of Japan UNIX, and Jon Vermillion, Ball Aerospace and Technologies, were presented with IPC President's Awards at IPC APEX EXPO on March 9.            

Kono, who serves on the Connected Factory Initiative Subcommittee, the J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Automotive Addendum Task Group, the High Voltage Cable Task Group, and the WHMA A-610 training committee, was honored for dedicating his efforts to enhancing the growth of IPC standards among Japanese electronics manufacturers.    

Vermillion, a mentor to emerging engineers who co-chairs the 5-22A (IPC-J-STD-001) committee and IPC-J-STD-001 training committee, was honored for his leadership of the IPC-J-STD-001 task group as well as his activity on the 20 IPC committees on which he serves. His volunteer activity with IPC includes his Certified Standard Expert certification in IPC-J-STD-001, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC-6012.                               

“We are happy to present the President’s Award to Yusaku and Jon, in appreciation of their dedication to IPC and to the global electronics industry,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “They are prime examples of leaders helping industry build electronics better.”

Three IPC volunteers who have fostered a collaborative spirit, made significant contributions to standards development, and have consistently demonstrated a commitment to global standardization efforts, were presented with Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship awards at IPC APEX EXPO 2021. Michael Ford, Jan Pedersen, and Peter Tranitz were chosen as award recipients because they embody the work ethic and spirit of the late Dieter Bergman, a pioneer and industry icon. They will bestow Dieter Bergman Memorial Scholarship awards on the university or college of their choice.                  

Michael Ford, Aegis Software, is an established thought leader for Industry 4.0 and digital smart factories. Serving on 18 technical committees including the Committee Chairman Council, the Connected Factory Initiative (CFX) Subcommittee, Supply Chain Traceability and Trust Subcommittee, and the Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC), Ford chose the engineering department of Villanova University, alma mater to the founders of Aegis, as the scholarship recipient, with a specific request that it be used to promote an opportunity for a woman in the industry.

Jan Pedersen, Elmatica, active on 30 IPC committees, is the chair of the IPC-6012 Medical Addendum Task Group and the IPC-6012 Automotive Addendum Task Group. Pedersen led the development of the first IPC document dedicated to automotive electronics – IPC-6012DA, and the first dedicated to medical device electronics – IPC-6012EM.                    

Pedersen chose a specific project as the recipient of the Dieter Bergman memorial scholarship. Two universities – one in Norway and one in Romania, collaborate to create an arm neuroprosthesis equipped with artificial skin and sensorial feedback for patients with partially amputated limbs. Elmatica has agreed to double the scholarship so that two students will receive the benefit of the Dieter Bergman award.

Peter Tranitz, Continental Automotive, is active on several IPC committees, and co-initiated the Cold Joining Press-fit Task Group and Cold Joining Press-fit Handbook Task Group, serving as co-chair. An expert in press fit technology and tin whiskers, Tranitz was instrumental in developing IPC-9797, High Reliability Press-fit standard. 

Tranitz offered his scholarship to the physics department at the University of Regensburg, Germany.               

“The recipients of this year’s Dieter Bergman Fellowship award have brought innovation and international influence on IPC standards development. We are indeed fortunate that they have chosen to volunteer their considerable talents and expertise with IPC and the electronics community,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO.

In recognition and acknowledgement of her extraordinary contributions to IPC and the electronics industry, Karen McConnell, Northrop Grumman, was presented with the IPC Raymond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award at IPC APEX EXPO on Tuesday, March 9. IPC’s most prestigious award, the Hall of Fame is given to individuals who have provided exceptional service and advancement to IPC and the electronics industry.

McConnell is a senior staff CAD CAM engineer in the engineering environment development and support department at Northrop Grumman Enterprise Services sector in Linthicum, Maryland. Her primary responsibility is developing a common shared EDM library and supporting the electrical and PCB design tool initiatives across Northrop Grumman Mission Systems.  

An active IPC volunteer and leader for IPC and the electronics industry for more than 30 years, McConnell supports numerous IPC standards development committees, including the Land Pattern Committee, Design for Excellence (DFX) Subcommittee, Generic Requirements for Digital Twin Task Group, CFX Subcommittee, Terms and Definition Committee and Electronics Documentation Committee.

Karen was elected Chairperson of IPC’s Technical Activities Executive Committee (TAEC) in 2020 and serves as Chairperson of the Technical Activities Executive Committee Global Committee. She is also chairperson of the IPC Design Community Leadership team. A recipient of the IPC President’s Award in 2013, McConnell is a strong advocate for new engineers, serving as one of the first mentors in IPC’s Emerging Engineer program. 

“Karen’s contributions to IPC are extraordinary,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Her passion for the industry and commitment to the growth of younger engineers moved IPC and the electronics industry forward. We are thrilled to welcome her as the newest recipient of the IPC Hall of Fame award.”
 

IPC bestowed its highest corporate honors on two IPC member companies, Calumet Electronics Corporation and General Motors (GM) China. During the IPC Annual Meeting/Awards Ceremony at IPC APEX EXPO 2021, the Peter Sarmanian Corporate Recognition Award was presented to Calumet Electronics Corp. and the Stan Plzak Corporate Recognition Award was presented to GM China.                                                       

The Peter Samarian Corporate Recognition award, named for a former IPC Board Chairman, recognizes an IPC-member company in the printed board industry (PCB) that has supported IPC through participation in technical and management programs while providing leadership for the industry. 

Calumet Electronics is a 100% “Made in America” PCB manufacturer that is actively engaged in reskilling its workforce for advanced manufacturing technologies. The company was an early participant in the administration’s “Pledge to America’s Workers,” which calls on companies and trade groups to expand skilled workforce programs. Calumet joined IPC and others as representatives of the industry invited to the White House to explain our workforce initiatives. 

And, Calumet takes pride in an educated workforce. Approximately 22% of their staff have earned either a Certified IPC Specialist or Certified IPC Trainer credential under the IPC-A-600 certification program.                                                          

Named for former IPC Board Chairman and founding member of the IPC Electronics Manufacturing Services Industry Management Council, the IPC Stan Plzak Corporate Recognition Award honors an IPC-member company in the electronics assembly industry (EMS) that actively contributes to the industry while supporting IPC technical and/or management programs.                                                                                      

Since 2016, GM China has worked closely with IPC to help train and certify GM China and joint ventures’ teams on auto-related standards, using IPC standards for electrical assembly, product design, and the manufacturing process.                         

GM China also supports the update of IPC standards through seminars and best practice workshops, hosting more than 200 suppliers and 1,000 attendees to learn how to utilize IPC standards to improve quality performance.                                               

“We are privileged to have Calumet Electronics. and GM China as members of IPC,” said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “We benefit tremendously from their leadership, knowledge and expertise. Their involvement in IPC has directly contributed to IPC’s global growth in the electronics industry.”

The Nominating and Governance Committee of the IPC Board of Directors presented one new member candidate and one term-renewal candidate for election at the 64th IPC Annual Meeting on March 9, held in conjunction with IPC APEX EXPO 2021. All board members serve a four-year term.                                                                                                                          

The newly elected Board members are:

• First-term director: Elke Eckstein, President and CEO, ENICS (Zürich, Switzerland)
• Second-term director: Cao Xi, Technical Director, Advanced Process Lab, Huawei (Shenzhen, China)

"IPC is privileged to have Elke and Cao added to our current slate of Board members. Both are active contributors to IPC initiatives, and we look forward to their continued contributions to advancing IPC and helping the electronics industry build electronics better," said John Mitchell, IPC president and CEO.

For additional information on IPC's Board of Directors including bios on newly elected Board members, contact Sandy Gentry, IPC communications director, at SandyGentry@ipc.org. For information on IPC APEX EXPO, visit www.ipcapexexpo.org.