Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘The Art of Going SLOW’
Happy’s Tech Talk #39: PCBs Replace Motor Windings
Punching Out: Characteristics of Successful Leaders in North American PCB and EMS Sectors
Isola Names Travis Kelly President and CEO
October 30, 2019 | Isola GroupEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Isola, designer and developer of copper-clad laminates and fabrication materials for multi-layer printed circuit boards (PCBs), has appointed Travis Kelly president and chief executive officer. Kelly most recently served as global chief operating officer at Cerberus Operations and Advisory Company (affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management). During his tenure at the firm, Kelly led numerous Cerberus portfolio companies as chairman, chief executive officer and other executive-level positions. He led the diligence process to bring Isola into the Cerberus portfolio and has been associated with the company since December 2018, as executive vice chairman of Isola’s board of directors and interim CEO.
“Isola has been around since 1912 in large part due to strong innovation and a talented and dedicated workforce,” Kelly said. “The electronics industry is witnessing a revolution – with the introduction of 5G, the increased focus on automotive safety and electrification of vehicles. Isola is well-positioned to meet the challenges of our industry with new and innovative products,” he added.
Isola recently relocated its corporate offices, R&D and manufacturing operations to a modern 118,000-square-foot facility in Chandler, Ariz., optimized to serve the quick-turn PCB market, which drives significant product innovation in North America and globally.
Kelly is an operationally oriented executive with multi-industry experience – skilled in building, strengthening and leading companies in various start-up, turnaround, stable and high-growth situations. He has held numerous C-level roles with companies in industries, including technology, retail entertainment, industrial, automotive and digital advertising. In 2017, he received Private Equity International’s 2017 PEI Award for operational excellence among upper mid-market companies in the Americas for his leadership in a company turnaround.
Kelly is an honors graduate of the University of Windsor and earned his MBA from the Ilitch School of Business at Wayne State University. He also completed professional development studies at Harvard Business School.
About Isola
Isola Group designs, manufactures and markets copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepregs used to fabricate advanced multilayer printed circuit boards (PCB). The company’s global footprint includes eight manufacturing facilities, three research centers and four regional corporate offices located in Asia, Europe and the U.S. Isola Group’s materials are used in computers, networking and communications equipment, high-end consumer electronics, and in automotive, aerospace, military and medical components.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Preventing Surface Prep Defects and Ensuring Reliability
06/10/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineIn printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication, surface preparation is a critical process that ensures strong adhesion, reliable plating, and long-term product performance. Without proper surface treatment, manufacturers may encounter defects such as delamination, poor solder mask adhesion, and plating failures. This article examines key surface preparation techniques, common defects resulting from improper processes, and real-world case studies that illustrate best practices.
RF PCB Design Tips and Tricks
05/08/2025 | Cherie Litson, EPTAC MIT CID/CID+There are many great books, videos, and information online about designing PCBs for RF circuits. A few of my favorite RF sources are Hans Rosenberg, Stephen Chavez, and Rick Hartley, but there are many more. These PCB design engineers have a very good perspective on what it takes to take an RF design from schematic concept to PCB layout.
Trouble in Your Tank: Causes of Plating Voids, Pre-electroless Copper
05/09/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankIn the business of printed circuit fabrication, yield-reducing and costly defects can easily catch even the most seasoned engineers and production personnel off guard. In this month’s column, I’ll investigate copper plating voids with their genesis in the pre-plating process steps.
Elephantech: For a Greener Tomorrow
04/16/2025 | Marcy LaRont, PCB007 MagazineNobuhiko Okamoto is the global sales and marketing manager for Elephantech Inc., a Japanese startup with a vision to make electronics more sustainable. The company is developing a metal inkjet technology that can print directly on the substrate and then give it a copper thickness by plating. In this interview, he discusses this novel technology's environmental advantages, as well as its potential benefits for the PCB manufacturing and semiconductor packaging segments.
Trouble in Your Tank: Organic Addition Agents in Electrolytic Copper Plating
04/15/2025 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankThere are numerous factors at play in the science of electroplating or, as most often called, electrolytic plating. One critical element is the use of organic addition agents and their role in copper plating. The function and use of these chemical compounds will be explored in more detail.