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Engineers break things on purpose. They like the challenge of putting things back together and making them stronger and more resilient. The skills engineers use to build products can also be used to rebuild their lives after a personal loss, something Phil Kinner learned when he laced up his running shoes after many years of a sedentary lifestyle.
As an IPC standards development committee member, Phil finds community, connection, and challenges in his work and his hobby of long-distance running. As head of research and development at MacDermid Alpha Polymer Protection and Re-enforcement, Phil oversees polymer product development and R&D to make electronics more reliable.
Meeting Professional Challenges
Phil attended his first IPC APEX EXPO in 1999, sent by his boss for the networking opportunities it offered. He quickly learned that participating in standards development committees allowed him to “be at the forefront of standards and technology development, trying to push things forward, and make things better from a technical point of view,” he says.
Phil appreciates the broad network he’s built as an IPC member. “I wouldn’t have met half the people I’ve met, and my network would not have been anywhere near as good if I hadn’t gotten involved in IPC,” he says. “It’s like the ’phone a friend’ concept on television quizzes—when you need help with electronics questions, you can always find someone in your network to reach out to.”
To read the rest of this article, which appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of IPC Community, click here.
