Nov 29, 2010 
"The upcoming start of the 112th Congress presents a unique and important point in time for electronics companies to meet with their legislators," says IPC President and CEO Denny McGuirk. "A significant number of IPC member companies will have at least one incoming freshman-member of Congress and in some instances, two or more newly elected officials. It’s vital for newly elected legislators as well as those returning to understand our industry’s concerns."
The event will begin with the keynote address, "The Technology Advantage: Opportunities for U.S. Competitiveness," delivered by Ken Friedman, equipment advisory board coordinator, American Competitiveness Institute. Friedman’s presentation will provide information to help attendees understand which technologies present the best opportunities for their success.
Participants will also have the opportunity to discover firsthand what other U.S. electronics manufacturers are doing to survive in the current global marketplace. During "Taking Action: How U.S. Electronics Manufacturers are Ensuring their Competitiveness," a panel of senior-level executives representing companies in the electronics industry will share the critical steps they have taken to gain an advantage. "Being aware of future trends and making informed business decisions is essential to a company’s future success," notes panelist Nilesh Naik, CEO, OneSource Group.
Other conference topics include taking advantage of the Federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Program and an analysis of international factors impacting the U.S. industry’s competitiveness.
The second day of the event, Capitol Hill Day, will be dedicated to individual meetings with attendees’ members of Congress to discuss key issues impacting the competitiveness of the U.S. electronics industry. Participants will work with their legislators to increase awareness and encourage action on industry concerns including:
- Recently legislated requirements for reporting the origin of tin, gold, tantalum and tungsten in products and the resulting burden on electronics companies throughout the supply chain
- The criticality of the U.S. electronics industry in ensuring national defense, and the potential impact of Department of Defense actions on the industry and its supply chain’s ability to meet leading-edge technology requirements
- Future reinstatement of Research and Development (R&D) tax credits to assist in returning the U.S. electronics industry as a global leader in technology breakthroughs while creating more jobs and sustaining economic growth
"By attending this premier lobbying event, companies can help ensure that Congress will look out for the interests of attendees’ businesses and the entire U.S. industry," says DDI Corp. President and CEO Mikel Williams, and Chairman of the IPC Government Relations Committee.
Details and registration information for the IPC Summit on American Competitiveness are available at http://www.ipc.org/CHD. Questions regarding Capitol Hill Day should be directed to Ron Chamrin, IPC manager of government relations, at RonChamrin@ipc.org or +1 703-522-3964.
IPC (www.IPC.org) is a global trade association based in Bannockburn, Ill., dedicated to the competitive excellence and financial success of its 2,700 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 $1.7 trillion global electronics industry. IPC maintains additional offices in Taos, N.M.; Arlington, Va.; Garden Grove, Calif.; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow, Russia; Bangalore, India; and Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing, China.
»
.gif)
