A Conversation with Joe O’Neil, the New Chairman of the IPC Board of Directors

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

O’Neil: No, I've started OAA Ventures. We are consulting with a number of different companies, some in adjacent industries and some out of the industry. We look at opportunities and evaluate them, and if we can come in and feel like we can really make a big difference we engage, and if not we open up the Rolodex and point them in the right direction. I've been blessed by a lot of people helping me through the years, and it's great to be able to come in and make a difference in other people's lives or their companies. It's very rewarding and a lot of fun.

Matties: I know through the years the issue of conflict minerals has been big for you. Give us an update on what's going on there.

O’Neil: I think things like opening an IPC office in Brussels helps. That may not seem like a direct answer to conflict minerals, but we need to be in the places where the regulations are being born; in this way we can get out in front of them so that we can be in a leadership role and influence it from the onset so it can be smart, science-based legislation rather than being a reactionary move where we're trying to figure out how to make conflict minerals work.

Matties: Give us the scope of the problem.

O’Neil: It’s enormous. The reporting guidelines are there for every public company, and we've made a lot of progress. We've got the annual IMPACT event in DC, and the IPC Government Relations office in DC has changed and evolved from somebody that tries to lobby for things to now the EPA calling IPC and asking for our input and our opinions and for us to get involved in the process. They understand it's not a perfect world, and it's nice to be in that collaborative role versus trying to charge at windmills and effect change that way. We've put the foundation in place. As far as the reporting regulations, I think it's a manageable problem but it's certainly not solved or perfect or anywhere close to that.

Matties: It's good to have people like you out there advocating for change and responsible manufacturing. Joe, it's good to catch up with you as always. Is there anything else that we should be sharing with the industry that you'd like to discuss?

O’Neil: I think the repeat chorus is to get involved. Twenty something years ago I came to my first IPC event and the only thing I knew was how little I knew. I sat at a table with Andy Lietz, the head of Hadco at the time, and all these guys. They were all more than happy to invite me to come see their operation, come see their plating tanks and use some equipment. They were welcoming, open, collaborative, and helpful, and that networking opportunity hasn't changed in 20 years.

So get involved, just come get out of your comfort zone, try something, get on a committee, do something, and you'll get hooked. I put in an hour here and an hour there, but I get a ton more back.

Matties: Good advice. Thank you so much.

O’Neil: My pleasure.

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