Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1494936
10 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2023 Feature Interview by Nolan Johnson I-CONNECT007 Investments, staffing, cybersecurity, and a peek into his crystal ball—John Vaughan, vice president of strategic markets at Summit Inter- connect, sits down with Nolan Johnson to talk about it all. Business is good, by the way, thanks to Summit's portfolio of military contracts, and John has sound advice to offer for smaller shops in the United States, and their real ability to make a difference in PCB fabrication. John, I'd like to address several topics with you: How are you approaching investments and facilities? Where does cybersecurity fit in? How are you handling staffing and training? How do you view the marketplace, and what are your regional concerns? Although we're widely recognized for the breadth of military programs we support— that's our core market—we're more diversi- fied by virtue of acquisitions than you might realize. We touch heavily on test and measure- ment, industrial controls, EV automotive, and medical, among others. We have found growth prospects in all these markets but do note that the commercial sector is a little more challeng- ing into 2023. We continue to invest substantially across all eight Summit facilities to support our growth and the onboarding of many long-term defense programs. e NDAA represents a plus-up of about 10% over last year's defense budget; we were antic- ipating closer to a 6% plus-up. at's good for us and others who are in that market. ere are inflationary pressures across all inputs, includ- ing wage inflation, the cost of capital, raw materials, utilities, and transportation. Over- The Summit View of the Marketplace