Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1288481
50 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2020 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 Cost containment always sounds like the best option, but Tim Rodgers, Ph.D., a facul- ty instructor at two universities in Colorado, explains that in proper supply chain manage- ment, you also have to consider how it influ- ences business optimization. In this interview, Rodgers discusses costs and expenses, as well as taking a holistic approach to procurement during the pandemic and beyond. Nolan Johnson: Tim, please introduce yourself to the readers. Tim Rodgers: I had a 30+ year career working in places like Hewlett-Packard and Eastman Ko- dak. I also spent two years working in China for Foxconn. Some of your readers may know Foxconn as one of the world's largest contract manufacturers. I've had a chance to work on both sides of the supply chain, as a buyer and on the procurement side, which gives me a unique perspective. I started my career at HP working in printed circuit assemblies. Happy Holden hired me into HP and was my first manager there. That was a great experience working with Happy, as well as getting to know Clyde Coombs and some of the other demi-gods in the world of printed cir- cuits. Way back in the distant past, HP actually manufactured their own bare boards, printed circuits, and printed circuit assemblies. Now, I teach as a faculty instructor at both Colorado State University in Fort Collins and at the University of Colorado in Boulder, where I'm also an associate department chair. One of my classes at both universities is supply chain management, and it's still quite a passion of mine. Johnson: Looking at the supply chain and how it fits into the costs and expenses for running a business, where do we get started in talking about this? Rodgers: Everybody has suppliers, whether it's hardware, software, or engineering talent. Good supply chain management is by far the biggest contributor when it comes to cost. It comes down to asking questions like, "Are we using standard components, or are we using unique, specialized components that have higher cost?