Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1355791
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2021 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 51 On ursday aernoon, I thought to "walk" the show floor, see what was there… Well, of course there were no booths, just small web- sites. No faces, no names, just products. No way to walk down the aisle for an ice cream and never get there because you stop and talk to 10 people and end up going in another direction. No way to catch up with old colleagues, say hi, see who is working where now. I would have loved it if the websites had shown a photo of the company booth from years past, or some faces and names. Who is on the other end of the "chat" anyhow? Can I tell them to say "hi" to so and so, and ask how business is going? All in all, virtual had a big advantage in an excellent program, including the keynotes (see Pete Starkey's review) along with the full 90 days to revisit and review the technical ses- sions, absorb all the info, submit additional questions, etc. How much has this conference changed the way it will be structured from now on? Time will tell, but I think recording the tech ses- sions and the 90-day review window are defi- nite keepers. I think having the virtual show in addition to live could work and help bring in more people who cannot spare the time or cost to attend. But I'm sure I'm not alone in miss- ing the live, energizing event that IPC APEX EXPO has always been. Looking forward to San Diego next year! S&T Achieving Growth in a Difficult Year: The Benefits of Global Supply Chain Management Jack Pattie, president of Ventec USA, discusses the growth of the business, the strengthening of the opera- tion, quality system accreditations, the advantages of building close working relationships with OEMs, and how a well-managed global supply chain has overcome some of the challenges and frustrations encoun- tered during the past year. Pete Starkey Interviews Jack Pattie From Ventec USA