Executives to Experience Electronics in the Fast Lane at IPC Midwest

 “Electronics in the Fast Lane: How High Speed Technologies are Changing the Game,” will be the theme of the IPC Executive Summit, August 21–22, 2012, in Schaumburg, Ill. This year’s event will be held in conjunction with the IPC Midwest Conference and Exhibition™, giving attendees the opportunity to see the latest in equipment, processes and materials.
“The IPC Executive Summit offers a strategic view of trends in the industry, with a focus on market intelligence, new technologies and business issues,” said Sharon Starr, director of market research at IPC. “It is also a great networking opportunity. Executives from every segment of the industry will be there.”

The event will begin with the keynote presentation, “Electronics Industry and Economic Trends,” by Randy Bane, vice president and chief economist, Applied Materials.

The morning program will also include a presentation by Mike Freda, interconnect specialist, Oracle America, Inc., “How to Achieve High Speeds without Breaking the Bank,” as well as a panel discussion on new materials featuring experts from Isola Group SARL, Rogers Corp., Park ElecroChemical Corp., and Ventec USA.

Breakout sessions in the afternoon will offer separate management meetings that focus on business issues specific to three segments of the industry. The EMS Management Meeting will explore lean sigma in electronics manufacturing, and creating and following an EMS dashboard. In the PCB Management Meeting, presentations will address standards impacting the industry, meeting customer needs, and how to break into the HDI and embedded markets. The PCB Supplier Management Meeting will cover best practices of innovation and bringing new products to market. All of the management meetings will conclude with roundtable discussions.

A half-day marketing workshop will be offered as an alternative to the management meetings. “B2B Marketing in a Digital Age” will be presented by two senior consultants and electronics industry specialists from Protean Marketing Communications, Rich Heimsch, director, and Greg Robinson, co-owner and director. The workshop will provide valuable techniques in branding, implementing digital marketing tools and measuring results, all geared toward the electronics manufacturing industry.
The second day of the IPC Executive Summit will begin with the IPC Midwest opening session, “Nanotechnology and Electronics Assembly,” by Alan Rae, Ph.D., CEO, NanoMaterials Innovation Center.

Other featured technology presentations on the second day include “Best HDI Markets in North America,” by Michael Carano, director of global business development & strategic marketing, OMG Electronic Chemicals; and a session on the market potential for fiber optic applications.

The changing business environment will be discussed in three sessions on environmental policy, on-shoring and the electronics industry in Latin America.

For more information on the IPC Executive Summit or to register, visit www.IPCMidwestShow.org/Executive-Summit.

IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global industry association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 3,100 member companies which represent all facets of the electronics industry, including design, printed board manufacturing, electronics assembly and test. As a member-driven organization and leading source for industry standards, training, market research and public policy advocacy, IPC supports programs to meet the needs of an estimated $2.02 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore, India; and Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, China.