Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1062752
18 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I DECEMBER 2018 by Andy Shaughnessy I-CONNECT007 When we started planning this issue on the IPC Designers Council, I knew I'd have to speak with design instructor Susy Webb, a longtime DC member and currently an execu- tive board officer. I asked Susy to discuss how she first got involved with the DC, why design- ers should join their local chapter, and what the future holds for this group. Andy Shaughnessy: Tell us how you first became involved with the IPC Designers Council. Why did you decide to get involved with the DC? Susy Webb: Houston had already started a chapter of the IPC Designers Council when I got involved. I joined because I always had the desire to learn more about the PCB design profession, and getting together with other people who felt the same was very enticing. When I happened to mention in a meeting that we should bring in speakers to teach us all, they appointed me to that task! It became a real growing experience for me. Shaughnessy: What were the early DC meet- ings like? Webb: What the early meetings lacked in knowledge, they definitely had in passion! People understood changes were coming to the designing of boards because of the new high- speed and signal integrity issues, and they were hungry to learn about them. Our first out- of-town speaker was Rick Hartley, and we had over 100 people come out in the middle of a tropical storm to learn from him. Shaughnessy: What are some of the benefits a designer can gain by joining the DC? I know that IPC stopped charging $50 to join because so many designers said they couldn't afford to spend that much to network and help advance their careers. Webb: There have always been some fairly good benefits. In the earlier days, one could attend