Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1348195
48 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2021 reason was to respond to the feedback we had from designers. PCB designers had expressed that the engineers have IEEE and other orga- nizations to participate in. ey mentioned that all they had were sore eyes from staring at their computer screens working all day long (laughs). ey wanted to be represented. ey wanted to have opportunities to learn from each other and to learn from the industry. at was the main thing. ey inferred, "Everyone else has different kinds of credentials and we don't have any official credentials at all." at is when we started the exams and certifica- tion programs. e CID and CID+ were cre- ated "by designers, for designers." We had this as our mantra and even a logo. At one time we had T-shirts and other different swag—all kinds of stuff. It grew rapidly. Dack: Steph, why is it important that design- ers connect with the other stakeholders? Gary mentioned some of the other stakeholders. What is your take on why it's so important— especially nowadays? Stephen Chavez: When I think about our pro- fession in the industry, to evolve we've got to collaborate. We've got to get knowledge because design is more than just someone sit- ting in a cube or behind a computer by them- selves alone. It's a total collaboration between engineering, fabrication and assembly—all of the professions. And when we think of design as a team concept, we truly need all the stakeholders involved. With stakeholder col- laboration, cross-pollination of the designer, manufacturer, and test engineering ideas meld together to become the holistic makeup of the new hybrid designer. As designers collaborate, not just within their own company ecosystem, but outward toward the industry, PCEA then strives to add synergy within this collabora- tion. We want to help printed circuit engineer- ing professionals take it to the next level with all the different industry associations. I think that's the next evolution. Dack: Can either of you share some examples of how the PCEA membership is creating that collaboration? How are they feeding off of and supporting one another? Ferrari: In the past, the chapters were not actu- ally working together. Now, they're meeting together and sharing. One chapter is on one side of the country and there is another on the other side of the country. ey are spreading out beyond the chapter itself with their own programs. I think this is outstanding because I remember years ago, some of the chapters in the Designers Council felt isolated and they lost their enthusiasm. It was the same people all the time and there weren't any fresh ideas. However, Steph took a different approach. I'll let Steph describe it, because it's beautiful. Chavez: Sure. With the pandemic in late 2019 and 2020, the silver lining is the ability to collaborate virtually no matter where you are in the world. So, while our physical footprints are smaller, our virtual footprints are that much larger. We can effectively collaborate with each other across our platform. Our PCEA chapters are doing this and we see the chapters growing astronomically. Our multi-chapter events had never happened before Zoom. Now, they're sharing, "Hey, what did you do that was successful? Let's take some of that and do that here in my region or in my state." In states that don't have a local chapter, they can still affiliate, and gain some of that per- spective and knowledge by being part of the overall PCEA collective. at's what we see as a huge benefit, and it is spreading like wildfire! Dack: Now, I don't want to pass up the oppor- tunity to ask you both about your perspectives on Gary's role as emeritus chairman. Steph, can you explain? Chavez: Sure. Gary and Dieter Bergman were the two founders—the visionaries—for the Designers Council. ey were instrumental in mapping out the educational and certifica-