Trouble in Your Tank: Causes of Plating Voids, Pre-electroless Copper
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Growth Hacker Marketing’
Happy’s Tech Talk #38: Novel Metallization for UHDI
SMTA 'Members of Distinction' Awards Announced
September 13, 2023 | SMTAEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
The SMTA is proud to honor the 2023 “Members of Distinction” award recipients who have shown exceptional dedication to the association and the electronics manufacturing industry.
The association’s highest honor, the Founder’s Award, recognizes members who have made exceptional contributions to the industry, as well as support and service to the SMTA. This year, the organization selected Bill Barthel, Plexus Corp. (retired) to receive this prestigious award. Bill’s involvement in the SMTA spans more than 25 years taking on many leadership roles including committee member, a chapter officer and one of the founding members of the Wisconsin Chapter, as well as a past SMTA President and member of the Board of Directors. He led the association through major global expansion, strategic industry collaboration, and leadership transition.
The Member of Technical Distinction Award recognizes individuals who have made significant and continuing technical contributions to the association. This year the Awards Committee selected Hongwen Zhang, Ph.D., Indium Corporation, as the recipient of this award. Dr. Zhang has presented numerous technical papers at SMTA conferences and chapter meetings over the years and also published in the Journal of SMT.
The Excellence in Leadership Award honors strong leaders who continue to support and elevate the association. This year the award goes to Mike Kreiter, Rockwell Automation. Mike joined SMTA in 2004 and has been an officer in the local Wisconsin Chapter for many of those years, holding most if not all roles, including president. His efforts have been a significant reason the Wisconsin chapter has consistently achieved gold, silver, and bronze status since 2018.
The Excellence in International Leadership Award recognizes members who have provided outstanding support and leadership to the SMTA's international members, chapters, or educational programs. The recipient selected for this award is Rajeev Kulkarni, Momentive Performance Material. Rajeev joined SMTA in 2008 and is a founding member of the SMTA India – Bangalore Chapter, supporting its growth for the past decade as well as supporting association activities globally.
ZESTRON Corporation received the SMTA+ Corporate Partnership Award this year. As a Corporate Silver member, ZESTRON has shown support at every level of the association from supporting global and chapter leadership positions to technical contributions for conferences and committees, and as an exhibitor at almost every expo throughout the year. They embody the SMTA mission by encouraging employees to become members, attend meetings and share their knowledge. ZESTRON Corporation is most deserving of this honor.
SMTA has recognized exceptional individual and corporate members for their immeasurable contributions to the association since 1994.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Indium, Rio Tinto Announce Groundbreaking Milestone in Gallium Extraction Partnership
05/07/2025 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation and Rio Tinto announced the successful extraction of gallium from feed sourced at Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada. This achievement highlights the power of collaboration in building a more robust global supply chain for gallium.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2025: Innovations at Indium Corporation—A Look into the Future
04/02/2025 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOIndium Corporation, led by CEO Ross Berntson, is making strides in automotive applications with innovative solder paste technologies. The company prioritizes sustainability and energy efficiency in manufacturing while developing its workforce through partnerships with local universities.
Indium to Showcase Proven EV Products and High-Reliability Alloys at Productronica China
03/26/2025 | Indium CorporationAs a global materials supplier and trusted partner in electric vehicle (EV) and e-Mobility manufacturing, Indium Corporation® is proud to showcase its high-reliability alloys and soldering solutions at Productronica China, March 26-28, in Shanghai, China.
Indium to Showcase Innovative Materials Powering AI Technology at Productronica China
03/25/2025 | Indium CorporationAs a proven leader in Metal-Based Thermal Interface materials solutions for future-forward technologies, Indium Corporation will proudly showcase its portfolio of thermal interface materials (TIMs) that enabling AI advancements at Productronica China, March 26-28, in Shanghai, China.
Dr. Yan Liu of Indium Named as Macny’s 2025 Innovator of the Year
03/20/2025 | Indium CorporationMACNY, The Manufacturers Association, is proud to announce Dr. Yan Liu, Director of Global Research and Development (R&D) at Indium Corporation, as the recipient of the 2025 Innovator of the Year Award.