Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1541367
58 PCB007 MAGAZINE I NOVEMBER 2025 F E AT U R E C O LU M N I ST Q & A by M a rcy La Ro nt , I - C o n n e ct 0 07 Steve Williams: A Strong Career Built on PCBs C o l u m n i st : Steve Williams C o l u m n : The Right Approach Ti m e w i t h I - C o n n e ct 0 07: 10 years Columnist Bio: S teve W i l l i a m s h a s a p a s s i o n fo r h e l p i n g c o m p a n i e s i n - te re ste d i n "g et t i n g to g re a t ." H e s p e n t t h e f i rst h a l f of h i s c a re e r i n s e n i o r m a n a g e m e n t w i t h a n u m b e r of h i g h l y s u c c e s sf u l m a n u fa ct u r i n g c o m p a n i e s , and the second half in strategic sourcing, m a n a g i n g a g l o b a l s u p p l y b a s e of c u sto m fa b r i c a - to rs . S teve i s t h e a u t h o r of s eve ra l b o o ks , i n c l u d - i n g S u r v i va l I s N ot M a n d a to r y : 1 0 T h i n g s Eve r y C EO S h o u l d K n ow A b o u t Le a n . Select columns from The Right Approach: • Get Ready for ISO 9001 Version 6 • I Hear the Train A Comin' • Culture Change is Key to a QMS S teve is an industry veteran with a broad base of experience in the PCB fabrication industry, dating back to his early childhood in the family business. Steve, where were you born and raised? I was born in Cook County, Illinois, but my family quickly relocated to the Milwaukee suburbs. I spent eight years working in the Chicagoland area and three in Virginia; otherwise, I've always been a Wisconsinite. Where did you attend college and what did you study? I did my undergrad at Concordia University, major- ing in Organizational Management, and my MBA at Cardinal Stritch University, where I studied nego- tiation under the negotiation master, Dr. Chester Karrass. Beyond my formal education, I also stud- ied Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) under Industry Week Manufacturing Hall of Famer Rajan Suri, and I am a certified leadership consultant through the John Maxwell Group. Steve, you are one of a select group of individ- uals who, quite literally, grew up in this industry. Recount some of that story. I began working at Electro-Tek, in my family's PCB business, and subsequently held leadership posi- tions in the PCB manufacturing industry for 23 years, spanning various companies. I eventually worked for my largest customer, Plexus, in 1998, and was the global commodity sourcing manager for 15 years. I built a team of commodity specialists for all custom products (PCBs, metal, plastics, wire harnesses, die casting), and I created the Plexus Global Sourcing Strategy. My team traveled the world evaluating companies to support our growth and managed this custom global supply chain once they were approved. What are some professional accomplishments you are most proud of? I am very proud of our family PCB business and being a part of many transformational PCB techno- logical breakthroughs that contributed greatly to the industry's development as a whole. I am also proud of creating a team of commodity specialists that managed suppliers representing $500 million dollars of Plexus spend during that time. How about personally? What milestones are you particularly proud of? Personally, I am most proud of my work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit, which I inherited from my