Introduction
This month, I share some special news and changes regarding the PCEA. Next, I will humbly and gracefully hand this column back to its original founder, PCEA Chairman Steph Chavez, who will expound on some very exciting announcements which were made in early October at PCB West in Santa Clara, California.
As always, we’ll provide our readers with a list of events to finish out 2021 and take us into 2022.
PCEA Updates
Who other than a dynamic organization like the PCEA could decide they want to establish a trade show footprint one month and then muster the creative talents of their executive staff to design a trade show booth to exhibit at DesignCon the next? Oh, and then exhibit at another major trade show such as PCB West 2021 only a short time later? I’ll tell you, the PCEA has a momentum in this industry the likes of which we have not seen. I do not use the word momentum lightly. Because, like the shiny, spherical bob of a pendulum in a Newtonian mechanics experiment, the leadership of this organization seems to be able to swoop down from their rightward (positive) displacement, pass their zero-position goal of achieved success, and still have enough momentum to reach their leftward displacement where they tend to set yet another, even loftier goal. The harmonic motion repeats but—unlike a pendulum—appears to gain energy rather than lose it to physical pseudoforces.
I’m usually bad at metaphors though I’ve (ab)used a few in this column from time to time. As a graphics-minded career professional in an industry which still relies on “artwork” to create PCB hardware, it is sometimes difficult for me to describe things without using this metaphor shtick to make a point. But here I am, exceeding the physical confines of my pendulum metaphor. This metaphor is inaccurate because unlike a pendulum—which will eventually lose its kinetic energy and stop—the PCEA is growing and gaining energy. By now, you might have heard PCEA has signed a letter of intent to purchase certain assets of UP Media Group.
Talk about momentum. Wow! Does this mean that this organization went from an idea hatched between a group of PCB industry friends and colleagues at a trade show to buying a trade show booth, attending two trade shows, and then entering a deal to purchase a major trade show all in the span of less than two years? Even Star Trek’s admirable chief engineer and miracle worker, Montgomery Scott “Scotty,” would be amazed at our PCEA leadership’s ability to seemingly “defy the laws of physics.” I’d better turn it over now to Chairman Steph to fill you in.
Message from the Chairman
by Stephen Chavez, MIT, CID+
I want to personally thank Kelly for his unique flair in capturing the positive PCEA emotions we’ve built over these past two years and putting them into colorful words for the success of this column. I also want to thank him for his professionalism and tireless efforts in taking this column to the heights where it is today. Outstanding job, Kelly! Here is the big news of the day: PCEA is acquiring the assets of UP Media Group, including its publication. Words don’t adequately express how excited we are at this prospect. Let me briefly explain what this means.
The PCEA board of directors consists of 12 industry engineers. Just like you, we spend our days designing and building printed circuits. Our roles in the association are voluntary; we do this out of a passion for helping our colleagues by means of collaboration, education, and inspiration (the core mission of PCEA).
The acquisition of these assets, which also includes the PCB West and PCB East trade shows, among other properties, brings with it the first full-time staff for PCEA. The board can henceforth focus on its traditional roles as directors, including reviewing the strategic and operational issues we need to address, and setting the goals for the organization. The board, in short, will set the strategic plan. The staff, for its part, will be responsible for the operations and executing of that plan.
This puts each of the respective board members and the PCEA staff in roles where we can individually (and as a unit) reach optimal effectiveness.
We expect to form a nominating committee for future board members, so if you are interested, please drop me a line.
I will have much more to say on this as we go forward, complete the transaction, and work toward fleshing out the strategic plan. Until then, feel free to reach out to me any time.
As always, if you have anything to do with printed circuit engineering, I highly recommend you get involved with and join the PCEA collective, if you have not already. By joining, your percentage of long-term professional development increases significantly.
Refer to our column and the PCEA website to stay up to date with the up-and-coming industry events. Take advantage of free webinar opportunities and consider joining us. Visit pce-a.org for details.
I wish everyone’s families health and safety. Best of success to all as 2021 wraps up.
Warmest regards, Steph
Next Month
As I mentioned, Steph Chavez will be taking over the column each month. We can look forward to the entire column being an inspiring, direct information feed regarding the plans and activities of the PCEA. If you’ve noticed, Steph often makes a point in his writing to “highly recommend” participating in all things PCEA. I’d like to borrow his gesture here and highly recommend that you tune into this column to keep up with how the PCEA is continuing its momentum to collaborate, educate, and inspire us all in this organization and this industry.
Upcoming Events
Hope to see you at any or all of these.
productronica
Nov. 16–19, 2021
Munich, Germany
IPC APEX EXPO
Jan 22–27, 2022
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
Altium Live 2022
Jan 26–28, 2022
San Diego Convention Center
San Diego, California
PCB East 2022
April 11–13, 2022
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Spread the word. If you have a significant electronics industry event that you would like to announce, please send details to stephen.chavez.pcea@gmail.com, and we will consider adding it to the list.
Conclusion
Back in September, I posed a question: “Could we be looking forward to any big announcements?” Like you, I could not have imagined such an opportunity would materialize so quickly for the PCEA. Whether it has to do with the laws of physics, karma, or both, the PCEA is metamorphosing before our very eyes. Let us not only watch as a new PCEA begins to emerge, but jump in and find ways to connect, engage, learn, and grow with the membership which will certainly benefit because of all this.
It has been an honor to keep in touch with you by way of this monthly column. But for now, I’ll stop typing, and look forward to putting on my glasses to start reading about all the great things to come by way of the PCEA—of which I am a proud and grateful member.
So long for now!
This column originally appeared in the November 2021 issue of Design007 Magazine.
