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18 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2024 printed circuit board companies that founded IPC in 1957. In recognition of Ray's endur- ing contributions to IPC and the industry, this award commemorates him and is offered as the highest honor an industry member can receive. e HOF is awarded most years and sometimes to more than one individual. e first Hall of Fame Award was presented in 1977 to William McGinley of Methode Electron- ics. Since then, 45 individuals, including Ray Pritchard in 1982, have been presented with the award. is level of service by individuals in the elec- tronics industry is most impressive, and aer seeing the award winners this year, I wanted to honor their achievements through a series of articles. I will write a series of short but meaningful descriptions to honor them and their achievements over the past 47 years while highlighting the value and history of IPC. In this series, I will share facts and highlights about the many deserving HOF award recipi- ents and why they were chosen for the honor. Some are no longer with us; and many, well known when they were active, are no longer widely known. But all deserved the honor and it is my privilege to celebrate them here. Please feel free to reach out and provide any positive comments or remembrances you may have about specific HOF members. Your input is appreciated, and I will do my best to include it. Ray Pritchard I'll start where it all began: Ray Pritchard. ough not the first to be presented with the Hall of Fame Award, the award was named aer him because he set the stage for future leadership at IPC. Ray had a great deal of input into the start of the organization and quickly became known for his dedication to excel- lence, service, and IPC. He was known for his commitment to advancing the industry, which was primarily based in the United States at that time. His leadership style promoted mutual respect among the small but growing num- ber of printed circuit fabricators that com- prised the initial membership, and under his leadership, IPC members learned to work well together, something that does not always hap- pen between competitors. Ray played a pivotal role in advancing indus- try standards and practices that helped improve the quality and reliability of electronic devices. He contributed to the education and training of industry personnel, which helped lead to the widespread knowledge of IPC standards, a foundation upon which IPC could continue building over subsequent decades. Ray's vision and actions as leader of IPC began to shape the PCB industry as a whole. His dedication and leadership fostered innova- tion and collaboration among IPC members. To this day, he is one of the most recognized and respected members of the founding group. His positive legacy lives on through the Ray- mond E. Pritchard Hall of Fame Award and its recipients, who each continue to inform IPC leadership to the present time. Ray Pritchard helped shape the future of electronics manu- facturing. PCB007 Dan Feinberg is a technical editor for I-Connect007. Ray Pritchard with Patty Goldman, an I-Connect007 technical editor and the 2016 recipient of the Hall of Fame Award.