IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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116 I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2026 T H E R I G H T A PPROAC H BY STEVE WILLIAMS, THE RIGHT APPROACH CONSULTING Reflections on 50 YEARS in the Business, Part 1 Last September and October, I wrote a two-part column, "Electro-Tek: A Williams Family Legacy Part 1" and "Electro-Tek: A Williams Family Legacy Part 2," which prompted me to reflect on the changes I have witnessed over the past 50 years in the PCB and broader electronics industry. The prior articles focused on the family business and my dad, so a fol- low-up on my journey is a logical next step. In this new three-part series, I will be looking back as 2026 marks my 50th year in the business, beginning with the first 22 years of my career manufacturing PCBs. Like so many true "PCB Rats" (as I affectionately refer to us old-timers), printed circuits are in my blood. My dad was running both Electro-Tek and supporting Electro Measure at the time, so I got my first taste of the business in grade school. He would bring home a box of components and a plastic trian- gular tool with slots for different components, with the width of each slot defining the correct distance between the leads. I would place a single compo- nent in the appropriate slot and bend over the leads with my fingers. This was well before compo- nents came on reels for automated pick-and-place machines, and I was paid a penny per component, so I was focused on quantity and felt sorry for the poor gals who would have to hand-place and solder these into PCBs. The concept of quality that would become the hallmark of my career was nowhere to be seen in these early years. Before I was old enough to work there full-time, I was taking out garbage and cleaning toilets after school—and I can tell you that nothing is more humbling and character-building than clean- ing toilets, especially when your Dad owns the company. After escaping high school, working in the busi- ness became my first full-time job and the beginning of my PCB career in 1976. I never directly reported to my dad; there was always a plant manager between us. While I am fortunate to have had a few key mentors throughout my career, it started with my parents, who instilled my "Midwest Work Ethic" (yes, it's a thing) at an early age. They also taught me how to run a successful business and how to treat my employees. Here's what I learned from working in a family business. Children of business owners realize there are two paths they can take: 1. Embrace the privileged role of being the own- er's kid and all its perks. Everyone has proba- bly experienced a scenario in which the own- er's kid feels that they don't have to work hard and that the grunt work is beneath them. 2. Work harder than everyone else and lead by example. That was the path I took. The col- lateral benefit from this work ethic is the respect you earn. I believe that great leader- ship comes from having been there and done the work. Old School Processing My first position was as a shear operator, cutting down 36" x 48" sheets of laminate into the work- ing panel sizes needed for each order. Precut lam- inate was not a thing back then, and the shear was powered by my left leg (this was before elec- tric or hydraulic shears). Cutting the corresponding backup and entry was also the responsibility of the shear operator. Math was involved (never my strong