It’s Only Common Sense: If You’re Not Differentiated, You’re Dead
Alpha Insights, Performance by Design: The Future of PCB Manufacturing in the Midwest
Happy’s Tech Talk #43: Engineering Statistics Training With Free Software
SEL Begins Its 41st Year with Leadership Changes
January 20, 2025 | SELEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
At a Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) Board of Directors meeting, President Ed Schweitzer asked CEO Dave Whitehead to assume the role of President and asked Chief Business and Financial Officer Nestegard to assume the role of Executive Vice President.
Dr. Schweitzer also requested his position be changed from President to Founder and shared the following:
“Dave and Joey are already doing an excellent job leading SEL, and at this point, I want to be contributing more as a mentor, inventor, collaborator and teacher. Their promotions recognize their leadership and our teamwork.
“In December, when I got my annual physical, I asked the doc to grade my paper. She took her report back and wrote ‘B+’ on it. That’s not too bad for a 77-year-old desk jockey! I guess I can still buy green bananas!
“SEL is running strong with 100% employee ownership and coming up on 7,000 of us. I love inventing the future side by side with Dave, Joey and our entire group of creative, hard-working, intelligent folks who value the customers and industries we serve. It’s an honor for us to be part of moving energy at the speed of light, integrating new sources of energy and keeping the lights on no matter what—and finding solutions to cyber, communications, metering and other challenges, too.”
Schweitzer has set the strategic direction of SEL since its founding in 1984. He is renowned for his many contributions to the electric power industry as an engineer and prolific inventor as well as for his visionary leadership and approach to business. He likes to say, “We do business the way our moms and dads would want us to!”
Whitehead joined in 1994 as a hardware engineer. He led its Research & Development division for more than a decade before taking on the roles of Chief Operating Officer and then Chief Executive Officer.
“I am incredibly honored to be offered this role and thankful for the experiences and opportunities I’ve had at SEL, especially getting to work closely with Ed,” said Whitehead. “I am grateful for his mentorship and friendship.”
Nestegard joined the company in 2002 as a finance professional. Over the years, he has taken on increasing responsibilities, eventually becoming the Chief Business and Financial Officer in 2017. He is an advocate for the employee ownership model and its benefits for long-term decision making and business stability. He managed the SEL transition to 100 percent employee-owned in 2009.
“Ed’s guidance and teaching have been invaluable to my growth and to the success of SEL. I've learned more about business from Ed than I ever did from business school,” said Nestegard. “His passion for innovation and his commitment to our employees, company, and industry have set a high standard that inspires us all. I look forward to building on his vision and leading SEL into an exciting future.”
Dave, Joey, and Ed all received degrees from Washington State University.
Share on:
Testimonial
"The I-Connect007 team is outstanding—kind, responsive, and a true marketing partner. Their design team created fresh, eye-catching ads, and their editorial support polished our content to let our brand shine. Thank you all! "
Sweeney Ng - CEE PCBSuggested Items
SEL Showcases Global Factories and Product Development Journey for Manufacturing Day
10/10/2025 | SELSEL is celebrating Manufacturing Day 2025 with the release of a new video showcasing its product development and vertically integrated manufacturing process.
Punching Out: Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Buyers for PCB/EMS Shops
09/24/2025 | Tom Kastner -- Column: Punching Out!A growing trend in the U.S. is the rise of Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) buyers for every business under the sun. Just as private equity firms have been active in a wide range of industries, ETA buyers have picked up their interest in both PCB and EMS companies.
It’s Only Common Sense: Sales Strategies for a Virtual World
09/22/2025 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: It's Only Common SenseLet’s get one thing straight: Remote selling isn’t a temporary inconvenience. It’s not a "phase" that magically disappears if you hold your breath long enough. It’s the new playing field, and if you want to win, you’d better learn how to hit the ball in this new ballpark. Selling through a screen is not harder; it’s just different. Different rules, different tools, same game. Connect with people, build trust, solve problems, and earn the deal. The salespeople who master remote selling will eat the ones who don’t for breakfast.
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.
Machvision Leads Shift to Automated Inline Final Inspection, AOI in North America
09/10/2025 | Ralph Jacobo, all4-PCBSchweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) chose Machvision inspection equipment due to its capabilities and versatility. Machvision of Taiwan offers circuit inspection, hole inspection and measurement, IC Substrate and HDI inspection, and final visual inspection solutions. The best fit for SEL was the 4.0Pro Circuit Inspection for inner and outer layers, and the AFI6 for final visual inspection of finished panels.