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Summit Interconnect President and CEO Shane Whiteside was recently appointed as chair of the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA), replacing Travis Kelly, CEO of Isola Group. Shane’s distinguished career in PCB manufacturing and leadership spans several decades, so this new role lends itself well to PCBAA’s mission as an important advocacy vehicle for the PCB industry. The association has been instrumental in educating and influencing Washington, D.C., on what security in the electronics supply chain in America truly looks like and that it goes far beyond chips.
Marcy LaRont: Shane, what are your ambitions as chair of PCBAA?
Shane Whiteside: Marcy, I’ve been elected to a two-year term. My ambition as PCBAA chair is to apply my industry experience to the strategic direction of the association. I intend to build on the solid foundation and vision that Travis Kelly established for the association. We will continue the “Educate, Advocate and Legislate” framework, which has proven to be an effective method for getting our issues recognized, understood, and acted on.
In the years ahead, we must continue to grow our membership and expand our outreach in Washington. There are many competing demands on policymakers and legislators. We need to play a long game and consistently engage decision-makers in Washington to drive awareness of what we need to improve our nation's prospects for becoming more competitive and less reliant on foreign sources for PCBs and substrates.
LaRont: What have you learned from Travis Kelly’s leadership?
Whiteside: One thing I’ve observed in the association’s early life is the power of networking. Travis used his connections to attract new members. Because our industry is relatively small, we have the advantage of sharing common challenges, customers, and suppliers. Most of our members come to us because a member discovered the benefits of being part of PCBAA and convinced others to join. As our membership grows, we hope to see this multiplier effect continue. I will certainly reach out to companies in our ecosystem and encourage others to do the same.
To read the entire interview, which originally published in the June 2024 PCB007 Magazine, click here.
