Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1525368
88 PCB007 MAGAZINE I AUGUST 2024 and ASC has a good chance to take advantage of it with a large, educated talent pool to pull from. Where do you think the industry is headed? e next step is getting young engineers to proficiency as Father Time tugs the old guard toward retirement. ere are a lot of new faces in the ranks, and we need to ensure that arriv- als are set up to succeed in a rapidly changing sector under such significant geopolitical pres- sure. As we transition personnel, we must also evolve to the next generation of technology. UHDI and advanced packaged substrate pro- duction are the future of PCBs at home and abroad. Successful North American organiza- tions will continue carving specialized niches in the market while balancing capacity invest- ments to secure global supply chains in a very uncertain future. Finally, what technology innovations do you see about to occur? I can't put my finger on just one. We've got so much R&D in the pipeline it makes my head spin. New materials and applications blur the line between engineering and witchcra. I try and take it one day at a time and hope I don't get le behind. Kevin, I think that's a good plan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me today. Welcome to the wonderful world of PCBs. You bet, Dan. ank you. PCB007 What is most exciting about working on these cutting-edge techs? It's a guarantee that no two days at the office will be the same. We work quickly (but very intentionally) to keep our processes in line with where the market is taking us. ere's pride in knowing that we're a leader in the field but also the understanding that we've not maxed out our potential to go further. I'm a competitive person by nature and I see a similar mindset in the company every day. Where do you think the company will be in five years? I think we've got a pretty clear direction as far as the technology is concerned; the key is get- ting younger people, from the operator level and higher, on the team. We're developing tal- ent pipelines in all departments to grow the next generation of engineering, quality, and production leaders, but the results obviously don't happen overnight. It's about finding the right people with a good mindset and strong stomach. e industry seems to recognize this, " It's a guarantee that no two days at the office will be the same. "