Fresh PCB Concepts: Assembly Challenges with Micro Components and Standard Solder Mask Practices
Elementary Mr. Watson: Retro Routers vs. Modern Boards—The Silent Struggle on Your Screen
Beyond Design: The Metamorphosis of the PCB Router
Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award Presented to Hiroyuki Watanabe, NEC Corporation, at IPC APEX EXPO 2025
March 24, 2025 | IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The Dieter Bergman IPC Fellowship Award was presented to Hiroyuki Watanabe, NEC Corporation, an IPC Board Member and long-time volunteer, at IPC APEX EXPO 2025 in Anaheim, California. The award is given to members who have fostered a collaborative spirit, made significant contributions to standards development, and have consistently demonstrated a commitment to global standardization efforts.
A member of the IPC Board of Directors since 2020, Watanabe is an expert in security and international economics. He has presented papers at IPC APEX EXPO, published white papers for the IPC Thought Leaders Program, presented at the IPC Engineering Webinar Series, held individual webinars for members in Japan, and introduced IPC’s initiatives at the Counterfeit Symposium. He serves on the IPC-1792 Cyber Security Standards Committee, is an Asia Task Group member, is an active participant in IPC’s Thought Leadership Program, and is a member of the 2-10-AT3 A-Team, The Strategy Seekers.
As part of the award, Watanabe bestowed the Dieter Bergman Memorial scholarship upon Niigata University in Niigata, Japan.
“Watanabe-San epitomizes the spirit of fellowship of the Dieter Bergman Fellowship Award, in leading and working with committee volunteers from around the world and is a valued board member and industry thought leader,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “We are fortunate that he has chosen to share his substantial talent and expertise with IPC and the global electronics industry.”
Share on:
Suggested Items
Advancing Aerospace Excellence: Emerald’s Medford Team Earns Space Addendum Certification
06/30/2025 | Emerald TechnologiesWe’re thrilled to announce a major achievement from our Medford, Oregon facility. Andy Abrigo has officially earned her credentials as a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) under the IPC J-STD-001 Space Addendum, the leading industry standard for space and military-grade electronics manufacturing.
Magnalytix and Foresite to Host Technical Webinar on SIR Testing and Functional Reliability
06/26/2025 | MAGNALYTIXMagnalytix, in collaboration with Foresite Inc., is pleased to announce an upcoming one-hour Webinar Workshop titled “Comparing SIR IPC B-52 to Umpire 41 Functional & SIR Test Method.” This session will be held on July 24, 2025, and is open to professionals in electronics manufacturing, reliability engineering, and process development seeking insights into new testing standards for climatic reliability.
IPC Rebrands as Global Electronics Association: Interview With Dr. John W. Mitchell
06/22/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007Today, following a major announcement, IPC is embracing the rapid advancement of technology with a bold decision to change its name to the Global Electronics Association. This name more accurately reflects the full breadth of its work and the modern realities of electronics manufacturing. In this exclusive interview, Global Electronics Association President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell shares the story behind the rebrand: Why now, what it means for the industry, and how it aligns with the organization’s mission.
Global Electronics Association Debuts; New Name Elevates IPC’s 70-Year Legacy as Voice of $6 Trillion Electronics Industry
06/25/2025 | Global Electronics AssociationToday begins a new chapter for IPC as it officially becomes the Global Electronics Association, reflecting its role as the voice of the electronics industry. Guided by the vision of “Better electronics for a better world,” the Global Electronics Association (electronics.org) is dedicated to enhancing supply chain resilience and promoting accelerated growth through engagement with more than 3,000 member companies, thousands of partners, and dozens of governments across the globe.
I-Connect007 Editor’s Choice: Five Must-Reads for the Week
06/20/2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007It’s been a busy week in this industry, and we have news and articles from the PCB design, fabrication and assembly communities. Some of this news is out of this world. We may be losing the high ground—the really high ground. Columnist Jesse Vaughan explains how the U.S. seems to be falling behind in space, and how this could affect our ability to defend ourselves in the future. We have an update on the U.S.-China tariff talks, which seem to be moving forward, though sometimes at a snail’s pace.