Dr. James J. Hickman
Dr. Hickman has been associated with the chemical and electronics industries for more than 35 years, primarily with DuPont where he held a variety of international and domestic senior management positions. His primary interests have been in semiconductor,printed circuit fabrication and assembly, IC packaging, HDI, and nano technology businesses and their associated leading edge materials.
Hickman retired from DuPont in 1998. He was a founding partner of the Quantum Performance Group, a market research and consulting firm. Jim has been instrumental in the creation, development, and growth of many new businesses and has been a leader in the value positioning (making money) of these businesses on a global basis.
He has been active in the IPC for over 30 years and has received its prestigious President's Award. He was instrumental in scheduling industry-wide technology exchanges between suppliers and IBM, AT&T, Motorola, Intel, Amkor, and Solectron. He was a founding member of the Suppliers Management Council Steering Committee and continues to serve as chairman of it's New Technology subcommitteefor future industry technology exchanges.
Dr. Hickman continues to publish on emerging technologies and has been invited to be a keynote speaker at the 1st and the 2nd International Embedded Passive Conferences. He co-chaired the event in Munich in November 2004.
Jim has been an advisor to North Carolina State University, NCMC, and SRC in microelectronics.
Dr. Hickman holds a BS in chemistry from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry from the University of Notre Dame.
Dr. Jennie S. Hwang
Dr. Jennie S. Hwang, is possibly the world’s most recognized and accomplished woman in the electronic interconnect industry. As a noted author and lecturer, she has long been involved in advancing the latest and emerging technologies in electronic packaging and manufacturing.
Jennie's wide-ranging career encompasses international business operations, global market forecasting, worldwide manufacturing services, technology leadership, and corporate and university governance. Her work is highlighted by numerous national and international awards and honors.
Among her many awards and honors are U.S. Congressional certificates of recognition and achievements; elected to National Academy of Engineering; inducted into WIT international
Hall of Fame; and named R&D Stars-to-Watch (Industry Week).
Her business experience spans across both corporate America and entrepreneurial companies as well as the public sector. She has held senior executive positions with Lockheed Martin Corp., SCM Corp., and Sherwin Williams Co., and has co-founded several entrepreneurial companies. Jennie has served as a board director for Fortune 500NYSE, NASDAQ-traded and privately-held companies. She is an inventor and author of 300+ publications including several internationally-used books (published by McGraw-Hill, European and Japanese publishers).
Her formal education includes the Harvard University Business School Executive Program, Columbia University Business School Governance Program and four academic degrees in both science and engineering - Ph.D., M.A., M.S., B.S in Materials Science & Metallurgical Engineering, Chemistry, Liquid Crystal Science and Physical Chemistry from Columbia University, Kent State University, Cheng-Kung University and Case Western Reserve University.
With extensive global-trotting experience, she is internationally recognized as a longstanding contributor to the electronics manufacturing and green electronics across industries covering aerospace, defense, automotive, medical, consumer, industrial, computer and communication sectors. She has served as an advisor to the Department of Defense, NASA, Department of Commerce and other government programs. In this capacity Dr. Hwang interfaced with U.S. Congressional members on issues of interest including global competitiveness, innovation, science and technology, international trade and relations. She has also served on the Committee on Forecasting Futre Disruptive Technologies, Committee on Globalization of Materials R&D commissioned by the National Research Council/Nationl Acadamies/DoD and chaired the panel on the Assessment of National Laboratories (NIST-EEEL)
She has served on various international, national and regional boards including International Advisory Board of Singapore Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center, Materials Information Society, Surface Mount Technology Association, Greater Lake Science Center, Cleveland State University Foundation, Council on World Affairs, and Cleveland Airport System Business Advisory Board.
She has been on the Board Trustees of Case Western Reserve University since 1996, and is an invited distinguished adjunct professor in addition to serving on the advisory boards to the School of Management, School of Engineering, and School of Medicine.
Dr. Hwang adds another major dimension in proffered services to the clients of the Weiner International Associates network.
Dr. Alan Poskanzer
Dr. Poskanzer is a seasoned professional with a unique combination of business and academic qualifications and experiences that spans more than three decades.
As a research manager at Dynachem Al led the development of more than 60 specialty chemical products for the PWB and microelectronics industries. As the COO of LinMar Technoliogy he built a niche specialty chemical company that served the Southwest's circuit industry.
Dr.Poskanzer managed a broad portfolio of technology and patents at the University of California, where he negotiated and closed a number of major complex licensing and funding agreements. Al directed the licensing office at Arizona State University, the 4th largest university in the U.S., where he licensed patented technologies ranging from rechargeable lithium batterries to anti-cancer pharmaceuticals.
Al most recently served as Director, Technology Licensing at Boeing where he licensed important composite molding and drilling technologies for a broad array of Boeing products including the C-17, the F-22, and Boeing's new 787 jetliner.
He is the recipient of the coveted Gold Medal Award from the American Electroplaters Society and the 1999 Chairman's award from the Arizona Governor's Strategic Partnership for Economic Development for his contributions in creating and implementing the Intellectual Property Policy of the Arizona Board of Regents.
Dr. Poskanzer holds a BS and an MS in chemistry and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Clarkson University.
John T. (Jack) Fisher
Jack Fisher has been associated with the printed circuit board manufacturing industry for more than 44 years. He was a 31 year employee of IBM where he held senior management positions in manufacturing, development engineering, and computer operations at IBM’s Endicott, N.Y. facility and at IBM’s Austin, Texas manufacturing plant. After retiring from IBM in 1995, Jack moved to a position as the Chief Technical Officer for the Interconnect Technology Research Institute (ITRI) that was located in Austin, TX. While under Jacks leadership ITRI published numerous technology reports that have had a significant effect on the PWB industry.
For the last nine years Mr. Fisher has been a consultant on interconnect technology. He is the PCB industry’s leading expert on technology roadmapping. Jack became associated with the IPC roadmap in the early 90’s and in 1994, while still with IBM Jack was appointed chairman of the IPC National Technology Roadmap for Electronic Interconnections a position he held until 2010. The IPC roadmap under Jacks direction has published roadmaps in 1995, 1997, and 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 and in 2009. Mr. Fisher was also a member of the iNEMI Technical Committee and is the chairman of the interconnection chapter for the iNEMI technology roadmap that was published in 1996, 1998 and 2000, 2002, 2004 2007 and 2009. Jack is also a member of the Applications and Packaging committee for the semiconductor industries SIA roadmap also called the ITRS or International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.
This combination of experience makes Jack one of the few people in the industry that can bridge technology needs between all of the roadmaps and because of his experience; Jack understands the areas of compatibility and conflict between the roadmaps. Jack has developed a network of OEM technology roadmap developers in the U.S., Japan, and Europe and regularly analyzes OEM roadmaps to ensure that new PWB technology is developed ahead of the OEM need.
Mr. Fisher received the IPC’s Chairman of the Board Award in 1996 for his work in advancing PWB interconnect technology, and in 2007 Jack received the interconnect industry’s highest award, election to IPC’s Hall of Fame. The IPC has been in existence for 50 years, and Jack was the 23rd person to be elevated to the Hall of Fame. He has written numerous papers for trade journals and conferences and is author of a book on the printed circuit board industry. He is also a member of the Printed Circuit Design and Fab magazine editorial review board.
Marc Chason
Marc Chason is a recognized industry expert in multiple spaces of the high technology electronics industry with skills that include engineering management, strategic visioning, technology transfers, and new technology/business development. Focusing on both technology and business development, his primary interests include microminiaturization and electronic manufacturing, nanotechnology, portable energy technology, and printed electronics technology.
Marc has been involved with leading edge technologies for over 33 years, 23 of them at Motorola where he was most recently a Director in Motorola Laboratories. Marc has significant experience in building and leading high-performance multidisciplinary teams that deliver product solutionsMarc is committed to developing fast paced leading edge technologies that have industry-wide impact for top-line and bottom-line growth. Technologies that originated in his laboratories have shipped millions of Motorola products with realized millions of dollars in cost savings. While at Motorola he was a NIST-ATP Principal Investigator and was the technology business contact for DARPA and NIST-ATP programs.
In addition to holding 23 US Patents in numerous technical spaces, Marc has authored many papers and presentations and has participated in a wide range of professional activities including the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) Technical and Research Committees.
Marc, who holds a BS and an MS degree in Materials Science from the State University of New York at Stony Brook has received many awards and honors, including being named a Motorola Dan Noble Fellow, Motorola's highest technical honor.
Michael A. Shields
Michael Shields is a seasoned and expert banker with excellent executive leadership (Director level) and general managerial experience and qualities. He is an experienced crisis manager, trouble-shooter, and restructuring and turnaround specialist with wide international knowledge and multi cultural adroitness, particularly in the Far East, China and South East Asia. He enjoys and excels in challenging situations, and is at ease and comfortable in difficult and stressful circumstances.
His career has predominantly been in banking and financial services originally in England with the Midland Bank (now part of HSBC) and Lloyds and Scottish Finance, a joint venture between Lloyds Bank and National Commercial Bank of Scotland specializing in the sales marketing and representation of financial services, especial to SME’s. He then moved to a subsidiary company of The Chartered Bank (now Standard Chartered Bank) developing new financial instruments and marketing these to industry throughout the United Kingdom.
As a result of his success he was seconded in 1971 to the International Division of the Bank in Hong Kong to develop financial services where he lived permanently for over 12 years. He spent the remainder of his career with Standard Chartered Bank Group in various international roles at executive level where he headed operational divisions in Australia, Malaysia and the United States of America, eventually assuming Global responsibilities as Group Head, Special Assets Management based in Singapore until his retirement in mid 2000.
In this latter capacity he developed and structured a new division of the Bank and had overall responsibility for the Corporate and Commercial Group loan assets world wide (over 60 countries) which were classed as medium to high risk be it economical, political, industry or country risk. This responsibility entailed the direction and management of such accounts ranging from loan assets classed as Watch List through Troubled to Non Performing and Recovery. In this capacity he dealt with other banks, advisors and corporate clients directly, often in highly sensitive and diplomatic negotiations and achieved significant success in protecting lenders interests as well as the corporate client wherever possible. His development of a Special Assets Division in banking has become an industry norm.
Since retirement he has been consulted for various projects and presentations for Visa International Corporation and The International Finance Corporation (a World Bank subsidiary) in Taiwan, China and Vietnam.
He has significant experience in turnaround situations. He is an astute and expert negotiator at all levels and brings a strategic horizon and approach as an advisor/consultant to business organization and development at executive level.
With his knowledge of East Asia businesses and cultures, particularly Hong Kong and Southern China he is a valuable resource for organizations contemplating and doing business with Sino corporations and brings a dynamic acumen to structure, organization and business development for companies exposed to this area.
He has held various executive and non-executive directorships on boards in England, Australia, USA and Hong Kong.
He is a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Bankers.
During his international career, he has been a member of governmental established committees in Hong Kong, a Trustee of the World Wildlife Fund in Australia, and a member of the Asian Pacific Region Risk Committee for the Visa International credit card organization.
Dr. Alan Rae
Dr. Rae, a goal oriented general and technical manager, has been associated with the electronics and ceramics industry for over 25 years. He most recently has been applying this experience in the fields of nanotechnology and “clean tech”.
His most recent assignment was at NanoDynamics Inc., developing and commercializing nanotechnology-based products including nano solder, a nano solder replacement, silver and copper for printed electronics, and ALD coated particles. He was successful in running product development as a profit center using contract research funding from U.S. Government and private companies.
From 1986 to 2004 Alan held a number of positions at Cookson Electronics Inc. and its subsidiary TAM Ceramics Inc. He was instrumental in the creation, growth and turnaround of highly profitable businesses across the electronics supply chain and led the cross company initiative to move to lead-free soldering systems from 1999 to 2004 during the transition when a significant proportion of electronics manufacturing capacity migrated to Asia. His experience includes dielectric materials, laminates, plating materials and surface finishes, solder, printing and dispensing equipment, reflow equipment, packaging materials and semiconductor chemicals. The Cookson Performance Solutions process laboratory incorporated these materials and equipment types and was instrumental in preparing boards for iNEMI reliability programs.
Alan is active in industry associations and standards work. He is Director of Research for iNEMI and Leader of the Sustainability and Nanotechnologies Task Group of ISO TC 229. He has also been active with SMTA, IMAPS and IPC, chaired the JISSO North America Committee for several years and was awarded a Distinguished Committee Service Award for IPC-1066, “Labeling of PCBs and Assemblies”.
Recent publications include a chapter on nanotechnology in “Green Electronics Design and Manufacturing” (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Dr Rae has published and presented on 5 continents and holds 4 US patents and applications.
Alan holds a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Aberdeen as well as a Ph.D. in Metallurgy and Engineering Materials and a M.B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He is a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Chartered Chemist.
Clinton J. Norris
Mr. Norris has held a wide range of senior executive positions ranging from Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of BC International to that of consultant to the United Nations Environemental and Natural Resources Montreal Protocal Unit (UNDP). He has led missions and served as policy and strategy advisor to the governments of India, China, Indonesia, and Brazil for country program preparation under the Montreal Protocol for CFC phase-out.
Clint served as UNDP Solvent Sector expert as well as a consultant to the World Bank Montreal Protocol Unit for project preparation and seminar missions in India and Brazil, as well as project preparation missions to South and Central America, and throughout the Far East for UNDP. The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has sought his evaluations and reviews for projects throughout the Middle East , the Far East, and Africa.
H e has served as a consultant for private industry on assignments that included marketing strategy, business plans, strategic options, plant site selection, technology selection, JV partnerships, and products for import and export.
Mr. Norris spent 29 years at DuPont in a wide range of technical, manufacturing, environmental, marketing and management assignments culminating with worldwide (P&L) business responsibility for managing three diverse global businesses with multihundred million dollars in sales: Worldwide solvents business serving electronics and non-electronics industries, and including the phase-out of CFCs; photoimageable polymers for the electronics industry; and an equipment business serving the electronics industry.
Mr. Norris was the recipient of the United States Environmental Protection Agency's 1997 Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award given as a result of his environmental leadership, program development, and accomplishment in the Philippines with UNDP, the Philippine government, and the private sector. He is listed in "Who's Who in World Petrochemicals and Plastics" as well as "Who's Who in Executives and Professionals" (2004).
He has served on the Board of Directors of BCI, the Corporate Advisory Board of Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, and on the Board of Directors of The National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition.
Mr. Norris holds the degrees of B. Ch.E. and M.Ch.E. from Villanova University Where he won a National Science Foundation Fellowship, was a Scott Scholar, and a member of Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society.
Henry Hisano Utsunomiya
Mr. Utsunomiya, a Japanese government licensed management consultant from METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) , is President of Interconnection Technologies, Inc. of Nagano, Japan. He has more than 25 years of accomplishments in both domestic (Japan) and international markets of high technology products. As a senior executive at Eastern Company Ltd. he pioneered the manufacture and marketing of P-BGA subtrates for IC packaging in Japan, Asia, and the United States.
As an inventor, Utsunomiya invented a new interconnection packaging device and while at Eastern filed for patents for P-BGA Substrate & Design Methods. At Mikuno Shoji he built a compound semiconductor business in Japan from scratch as well as a multimillion dollar GaAs wafer business.
Utsunomiya has been appointed a member of the Nagano local government Future Industry Strategic Vision Project as well as a member of its PSR Project. He is a noted speaker and has presented key papers at international assembly and packaging conferences in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, and the United States.
His publications include the very first Japan JISSO (Assembly, Interconnecting, and Packaging) Technology Roadmap; International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (1999 and 2005 editions); 2001 Japan Technology Trends Report, Taiwan's LCD Industry (2001 and 2004) and many others. His market survey report clients have included the JPCA, DuPont, Hitachi Cable, and Samsung Electromechanics.
In a country where training and certification is so important, Utsunomiya holds certificates on business management, statistical quality control (SPC) and overseas business (the latter from the peter Drucker Center at the Claremont Graduate School in California).
A recipient of the prestigious IPC Presidents Award, Utsunomiya is active in JEITA (Japan Electronics & Information Technology Industries Association), ITRS (International technology Roadmap for Semiconductor), and JIEP (Japan Institute of Electronic Packaging).