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I-Connect007 'Just Ask' Q&A Compilation Available Now
April 21, 2021 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamEstimated reading time: 1 minute

Throughout 2020, we asked you to send us your questions for Happy Holden, John Mitchell, Joe Fjelstad, Tara Dunn, and Heidi Barnes. You all had plenty of questions for these industry experts.
These five luminaries have seen it all. Happy, also known as "Mr. HDI," pioneered many of today's PCB design and fabrication processes while working at Hewlett-Packard. John Mitchell is president and CEO of IPC, and he co-founded the Alpine Electronics research company that introduced navigation systems into the U.S. Joe Fjelstad founded Silicon Pipe and Verdant Electronics, and he has over 185 patents issued or pending related to electronic interconnect and packaging technologies. Tara Dunn is the VP of marketing and business development for Averatek and founder of Omni PCB, and she specializes in additive processes, flex and rigid-flex, and RF/microwave applications. And Heidi Barnes is a signal integrity engineer with Keysight Technologies. She was named 2017 DesignCon Engineer of the Year, and Heidi also won NASA's coveted Silver Snoopy Award.
Click to download the Just Ask! Compilation.
And we're not resting on our laurels! For our next "Just Ask" series, PCB007 columnist Michael Carano is stepping up to answer your questions. Mike is a well-known expert on plating and wet processes in general, as well as co-chair of the IPC Technology Roadmap Executive Committee. To pose your questions for Mike, click here.
We also invite you to participate in the "Just Ask... Survey" to help answer the most important industry questions of the day. Regardless of your role in the industry, we welcome all questions relating to materials, testing, plating, chemistries, front-end, imaging, training, supply chain, hiring/recruiting, environmental or governmental issues—or any other topic. Ask as many questions as you like in this survey; there is no limit to the number of questions you ask or the number of times you can complete the survey.
We appreciate all of your questions, and our experts have enjoyed answering them as well. Thank you for your continued support.
Testimonial
"We’re proud to call I-Connect007 a trusted partner. Their innovative approach and industry insight made our podcast collaboration a success by connecting us with the right audience and delivering real results."
Julia McCaffrey - NCAB GroupSuggested Items
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/12/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007We may be post-Labor Day, but it is still hot-hot-hot here in the great state of Arizona—much like our news cycles, which have continued to snap, crackle, and pop with eye-raising headlines over this past week. In broader global tech news this week, AI and tariff-type restrictions continues to dominate with NVIDIA raising its voice against U.S. lawmakers pushing chip restrictions, ASML investing in a Dutch AI start-up company to the tune of $1.5 billion, and the UAE joining the ranks of the U.S. and China in embracing “open source” with their technology in hopes of accelerating their AI position.
IPS, SEL Raise the Bar for ENIG Automation in North America
09/11/2025 | Mike Brask, IPSIPS has installed a state-of-the-art automated ENIG plating line at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories’ PCB facility in Moscow, Idaho. The 81-foot, fully enclosed line sets a new standard for automation, safety, and efficiency in North American PCB manufacturing and represents one of the largest fully enclosed final finish lines in operation.
Dan Feinberg on Walt Custer: Remembering an Extraordinary Business Associate and Friend
09/09/2025 | Dan Feinberg, Technology Editor, I-Connect007The passing of Walt Custer marks the end of an era for all those who knew him and were helped and impressed by his presence, both personally and professionally. Walt's life was characterized by his unwavering commitment to the industry, his profound wisdom and willingness to share it, and his infectious enthusiasm for everything he did.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
09/05/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s almost fall here in Atlanta, and that means that the temperature is finally dropping. And it quit raining! It’s been raining since March, and I’m so over it, as the social influencers say. Last night we grilled out on the deck, and it wasn’t hot, and we didn’t get rained on. Life is good. It was a busy week in the industry. In this installment of my must-reads, we say goodbye to Walt Custer, the man who made PCB data points interesting for the rest of us.
UHDI Fundamentals: UHDI Technology and Industry 4.0
09/03/2025 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsUltra high density interconnect (UHDI) technology is rapidly transforming how smart systems are designed and deployed in the context of Industry 4.0. With its capacity to support highly miniaturized, high-performance, and densely packed electronics, UHDI is a critical enabler of the smart, connected, and automated industrial future. Here, I’ll explore the synergy between UHDI and Industry 4.0 technologies, highlighting applications, benefits, and future directions.