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32 SMT007 MAGAZINE I FEBRUARY 2026 F E AT U R E I N T E RV I E W BY N O L A N J O H N S O N , I - C O N N ECT0 07 IPC Standards From its inception, standards development has been at the core of the Global Electronics Association's work, and APEX EXPO continues to serve as a major venue for stan- dards development and approval. For example, standards committees from around the globe are expected to conduct more than 100 task group meetings during the event. We visited with the Association's standards development team to learn more about their process, its impact on the industry, and how you can get your voice heard. Nolan Johnson: Welcome, everyone, and thank you for join- ing us. Teresa, when you consider the skill set and person- ality required to work in standards development, what do you look for and why? Teresa Rowe: It's curiosity, creativity, character, and courage. Standards developers, whether they are volun- teers or staff liaisons, share the same passion for the electronics industry and a commitment to working together as a team to serve it. They may have knowledge of design, testing, manufacturing, or training, but they all want to provide the best information they can to the industry to provide industry-consensus docu- ments that help build products that protect us and make our lives easier. AT THE TABLE: Teresa Rowe Senior Director, Industry Standards John Perry Director, Printed Board Standards and Technology Orsi Alis Project Coordinator, Standards and Translations Kieron Roberson IPC Standards Coordinator Deb Obitz Technical Program Manager Andres Ojalill Standards Manager Fran Fourcade Electronics Technology Standards Manager Chris Jorgensen Senior Director, Next-Generation Standards Teresa Rowe, Senior Director, Industry Standards The Heart of the Electronics Industry