Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/472660
40 SMT Magazine • March 2015 by Patty Goldman I-ConneCT007 Another year has come and gone and so has another IPC conference and show. Doesn't seem that long since the last one, but a year is a year (well, actually 11 months but who's counting). I'm one of those cross-over people, involved in committee meetings, the technical program and also an exhibitor at the show. San Diego is such a great venue for this, with everything right there and accessible. How pleasant to be able to quickly transfer from one area to the other. Plus, you were just a few steps from the door and could step out into the sunshine and perfect weather at any time; there were even tables set up outside (in the back) that we could use. We sure missed that in Las Vegas! A number of people mentioned that ev- erything seemed so…organized. The technical conference ran smooth as silk (at least that's what we saw—I know IPC staff works hard at that). Same comment for the show and show floor. It's always amazing to see the transforma- tion from Monday night to Tuesday's opening bell. But it was really all very organized. The technical conference session I moderated was pretty much packed. The show floor was very busy on Tuesday, a little less so on Wednesday, and Thursday was exhibitors' day—where the exhibitors have a chance to conduct business with each other. I am sure much was accom - plished all around. A most notable excep- tion to the regular pro- grams was the tribute to Di- eter Bergman on Wednes- day evening. Dieter was without question the most recognized and best known person at IPC, truly the face of IPC. While most knew of him, recognized him, per- haps had met him or heard him speak, some of us were better acquainted with Dieter. We worked with him on standards activities, argued with him, had dinner and ice cream with him, laughed and argued some more, and counted him as a true friend. Many people spoke on Wednesday evening, recounting funny sto- ries and jokes. But all had another common thread—friendship. After this event a group of us decided on another IPC meeting tradition: ice cream! We headed out with IPC patriarch Bernie Kessler to a tiny shop in the Gaslamp District. Some of us had gone on many an ice cream outing at IPC meetings; we dragged along some newbies this time. The only rule was "no business to be dis- cussed." And so a pleasant hour was spent and new friendships were formed, complete with the required group photo (thanks, Kelly Dack). And that's what it's all about. SmT 2015 IPC aPeX eXPo show review show reVIew This Ice Cream's for You, Dieter