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December 2015 • SMT Magazine 15 Barthel: That's correct. The industry needs a forward looking body to drive new technologies and enable industry to adopt them. But stan- dards are what allow us to all work together. That's what we worked diligently several years ago to develop the co-location of IPC at SMTA International. I worked with John Mitchell, the President of IPC to co-locate SMTA Internation- al and the IPC Fall Committee Meetings. SMTA brings the technical side of what's coming next, and how we're going to solve all these new problems, and they also bring all the practical solutions with the exhibition. The IPC stan- dards effort fits right in with that. We're really glad and working to further integrate with IPC efforts at this event. There's no intent in our charter to be a standards organization. We're a knowledge-based and education focused orga- nization. I think that fits really well with the good work IPC does on standards. Goldman: now that JoAnn has retired, i under- stand someone has taken her place as executive administrator. Barthel: Let me explain that. The leaders of the Association are duly elected people from our membership. We have an election every year and Directors on our Board commit to this as an unpaid, volunteer position. Board members are passionate about our mission and bring a wide variety of perspectives and skills to bear on our direction as an Association. It's been a blast. When we get together, ev- erybody has the same enthusiasm for the net- SmTA: WorKInG HArD For THe GLobAL InDUSTry push. We recognize that the popula- tion, not just in the U.S. but around the world, is aging rapidly and the opportu- nities for young people go well beyond this industry. We really have a strong focus on students and bringing in new young professionals. For instance, this evening there is a bowling outing for young professionals. They can network in different ways, but we know, and they soon realize, that the Association has a lot to offer them. Goldman: they're networking with the companies and of course those are pro- spective employers when they're out of school. Barthel: Even if they just want to know what the industry is about or what the opportuni- ties are, we connect them with that knowledge. Another element of our membership that we're proud of is our international growth. Anyone who has been in electronics knows much of the electronics that used to be in the U.S. has now moved to other regions. SMTA has grown with this trend and we have some wonderful programs in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico, etc. We more recently be- gun to expand our chapters in India and Brazil and we're following the industry throughout the world. For people in regions that don't have or experience or education in electronics assem- bly, the SMTA offers a great tool set. I personally was involved with the Penang, Malaysia start up. It's really universal, once you sit down with people and say, "Hey, this isn't about compe- tition, its about education and improvement." People are willing to talk about common prob- lems and not get commercial. Goldman: it's about knowledge and learning. Barthel: And it's universally accepted. It's won- derful to see other cultures, who may have dif- ferent ways of doing things, value being able to collaborate and network. That has really pro- pelled the Association. Goldman: smtA is not involved in standards, right? FeATure inTerview