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PCB007-Oct2025

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OCTOBER 2025 I PCB007 MAGAZINE 93 T H E R I G H T A P P ROAC H glomerate with over 50 brands. Becki has spent the past 30 years in director, VP, COO, and CEO posi- tions with various divisions at one of the most pres- tigious financial services companies in the U.S. As for me, 2026 will mark my 50th year in the busi- ness: 22 years in PCB manufacturing leadership, 15 years as the global sourcing commodity manager for Plexus, and the 12th year serving the electron- ics industry with my consulting business, The Right Approach Consulting. My biggest regret is that my time at Plexus only overlapped with Dad's by a few years before he retired. Conclusion When Electro-Tek was founded, there were fewer than 80 PCB shops in North America, many extremely small and now gone. When I entered the industry full-time in 1976, there were over 2,500 shops. We're now approaching a full circle, as today we have under 150 shops. We are very proud that Electro-Tek was one of the early PCB pioneers and survived for almost six decades. Although the fam- ily has not been involved with Electro-Tek since the early 1980s, it will always be our family business, and its closing was emotional and bittersweet. Dad doesn't like it when I compare him to Steve Jobs, but it is hard to overlook the similarities: • They were visionary entrepreneurs who saw opportunities before others recognized the need • Neither had a college degree • They ran their flagship businesses out of their homes • They created tens of thousands of jobs • They changed their respective industries, one with technology and the other with love, grit, and determination • They created companies that stood the test of time • They were both forced out of the companies they created, only to move on to bigger and better things That's not bad for two guys with only a high school education. I know I'm biased, but as I often say of Steve Jobs, the world needs more of Chuck Williams. PCB007 Steve Williams is president of The Right Approach Consulting. He is also an independent certified coach, trainer, and speaker with the John Maxwell team. To read past columns, click here.

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