In Memorium: Jim McElroy, iNEMI CEO

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It is with great sadness that we share the news that Jim McElroy, former Executive Director and CEO of iNEMI, passed away on June 27, 2024.

Jim sat at the helm of iNEMI for 13 years, the longest tenure of any CEO to date and in that time, he helped establish awareness of the consortium and build its reputation for successful collaborations. As a newly formed consortium, it was a period of great growth and change for iNEMI. Under Jim's leadership, iNEMI broadened not only its geographic scope as the supply chain became increasingly global, but also the scope of topics covered by iNEMI roadmaps and projects, extending our impact on the global electronics manufacturing supply chain. 

Originally comprised of only U.S.-based companies, the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI) opened its membership to the global electronics manufacturing supply chain in 2003. By 2004 the consortium officially became iNEMI — the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative — and in 2007, had representation on the ground in China and Europe.

Jim had an amazing ability to relate to and work with people at all levels, from the CEOs of multi-billion-dollar corporations to the technical staff working in the labs. He often said he had hundreds of bosses, recognizing that he not only answered to a Board of Directors but also to the people in every member company who had a vested interest in iNEMI's success. 

Among his many accomplishments, Jim provided the leadership required to successfully build consensus and harness the substantial resources and influence of iNEMI's many member companies to create a focused and coordinated response to the demands of “going lead-free” and preparing to meet the demands of RoHS implementation.

Jim came to iNEMI from MicroModule Systems, a company he helped spin off from Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Prior to MMS, Jim worked with DEC for 16 years, holding several technical and management positions in both engineering and manufacturing, and also at RCA, where he worked on packaging and interconnect design for military computer systems.

Upon his retirement, Jim said, “This has been a great job. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with the ‘movers and shakers' as well as the behind-the-scenes technologists from a diverse range of companies and organizations in the electronics industry. I believe strongly in the importance of an organization like iNEMI and in the work we are doing.”

Jim left his mark on iNEMI and on the many people with whom he worked, from the iNEMI staff, to member company employees working with iNEMI, to the industry at large.

Obituary can be found here.