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82 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2023 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE 82 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2023 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE Stanton Rak, PhD, SF Rak Company, says a successful leader must demonstrate passion for what they do, and that working in an IPC leadership role requires a unique approach to collaboration. IPC's diverse membership means leaders must cultivate patience and be open to relying on the expertise of their fel- low professionals. Stan, congratulations on receiving this award. This award is all about leadership, so perhaps you could talk about being a leader in IPC and why it's important. IPC provides an excellent opportunity for industry members to come together, build relationships, participate in networking activities, and enhance their professional careers. As a leader in IPC, one can directly influence the sustainability of the electron- ics manufacturing industry at large, as well as one's company, career, and the careers of fellow colleagues. So, it's very powerful being a leader in IPC; it essentially ensures the sus- tainability of the industry, yourself, and those around you. What committees or subcommittees are you involved in? From a leadership perspective, my main role is as the Technical Program Committee chair for the IPC APEX EXPO Technical Conference. I've been a member of this committee for eight years. For IPC APEX EXPO 2022, I was co-chair along with Bev Christian; this year, my co-chair is Udo Welzel of Bosch. We have a committee of 20 technical experts from industry who've helped us develop a three- day program. We'll have 72 technical papers and 15 posters presented this year. There are 35 Professional Development Courses planned that were developed by IPC Training with some oversight from our committee. We also have two special sessions planned on hot topics—advanced packaging and e-mobility. What do you feel enabled you to become a leader? First, it's important to have a passion for what you do. In my case, it was science and tech- nology, as well as collaborating as a team to achieve a common goal. It's also important to have decent organizational skills, the abil- ity to listen to others, and to demonstrate that your work adds value. There are a few notable differences between being a leader in the corporate world vs. IPC. In the corpo- rate world, I worked with technical experts and specialists from a very large organiza- Stanton Rak Patient Leaders Nurture Growth Interview by Patty Goldman