-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- smt007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueCounterfeit Concerns
The distribution of counterfeit parts has become much more sophisticated in the past decade, and there's no reason to believe that trend is going to be stopping any time soon. What might crop up in the near future?
Solder Printing
In this issue, we turn a discerning eye to solder paste printing. As apertures shrink, and the requirement for multiple thicknesses of paste on the same board becomes more commonplace, consistently and accurately applying paste becomes ever more challenging.
A Culture of Thriving
One cannot simply command thriving; it must be nurtured, developed, and encouraged. In this issue, we explore strategies to improve your working relationship model—both internally and externally. In this culture of thriving, your business will grow in the process.
- Articles
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Media kit
||| MENU - smt007 Magazine
Bob Wettermann: Making the ‘Best’ of His Career
April 19, 2023 | Nolan Johnson, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Bob Wetterman started his career in the semiconductor industry, but after a series of industry and economic changes, he tapped into his entrepreneurial spirit he learned from his father. For more than 20 years, Bob has been leading and developing BEST, Inc., a PCB rework/repair service provider, solder training company, and stencil manufacturer. In this interview, Bob reflects on highlights of his long career, and we meet Nash Bell, who will be leading BEST through its next phase.
Nolan Johnson: Bob, congratulations on your retirement; we have much to talk about. Let’s go back to before you bought BEST. Tell me about your background.
Bob Wettermann: I’m an electrical engineer by training, starting out in the semiconductor industry. I worked in applications engineering for Advanced Micro Devices, but cut my teeth as a co-op engineer at IBM, learning the front end of the semiconductor manufacturing process. When the great PC bust happened in 1985, AMD CEO Jerry Sanders sent everybody home for four weeks. He said, “People are the most important thing and we're never going to lay anybody off.” Of course, he didn't say you would be home for six weeks without pay.
I realized I didn't want a career in the semiconductor industry because it was too cyclical, so I came back to Chicago, where I started my career with Eaton Corporation as an applications engineer in industrial controls. The company funded my master’s in business administration and with that, I wanted to be CEO and champion of the world. That dream was squashed pretty quickly (laughs). So, I switched gears.
My parents are both first-generation German immigrants and “forced” us to attend German school on Saturdays, which I hated at the time. But I searched for entrepreneurs in the Chicago area that could use my German language skills and found a startup in the secondary plastics processing equipment industry—working for a European-based plasma and corona treating and static control systems company. I did that for 10 years. I learned to love small business because you can make decisions rapidly as opportunities or problems come up. We had to package up our own products and send them out via UPS to customers, but it was a really fun job.
I was able to leverage my German experience again, this time with my MBA and some industry knowledge. as I looked for a new job. I traveled to Europe frequently, speaking German to my Danish and German counterparts. I really loved small business, but when the owner died, and his daughter took over, it just wasn't fun anymore.
Johnson: I think that’s when you started to pivot and BEST came into the picture. Tell me about that.
Wettermann: At first, I went to a publicly traded company, Woodhead Industries, where I learned all about corporate decision-making, decision by committee, and so forth. I stuck that out for five years, saved my nickels, then bought BEST.
My father was an entrepreneur, and I started my entrepreneur career with BEST which was right down the street from my childhood house, with eight employees performing contract rework and repair services as well as some solder training.
To continue reading the rest of this interesting article about Bob which appears in the April 2023 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Suggested Items
AIM to Highlight NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste at SMTA Space Coast Expo & Tech Forum
10/22/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming SMTA Space Coast Expo & Tech Forum taking place on November 14 at the Melbourne Auditorium in Melbourne, Florida.
AIM to Present on High Reliability and Highlight NC259FPA Ultrafine No Clean Solder Paste at SMTA South China Expo & Tech Forum
10/18/2024 | AIMAIM Solder, a leading global manufacturer of solder assembly materials for the electronics industry, is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming SMTA South China Expo & Tech Forum taking place November 6-7 at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Shenzhen, China.
All Flex Solutions Invests in Assembly Inspection Automation
10/17/2024 | All Flex SolutionsAll Flex has acquired an Omron VP9000 3D Solder Paste Inspection System and an Omron VT-S1080 3D Automatic Optical Inspection System for their flexible circuit assembly facility in Bloomington, Minnesota. These acquisitions are one part of All Flex Solutions’ four-year SMT Roadmap to expand the scale and capability of their assembly operations.
TopLine to Exhibit 'Drop-in Replacement' for BGA at Electronica
10/16/2024 | TopLineTopLine Corporation will exhibit its latest technology solutions at Electronica in Munich, Germany, November 12 – 15, 2024, in stand B4.428.
Indium Experts to Present at International Electronics Manufacturing Technology Conference
10/15/2024 | Indium CorporationIndium Corporation is proud to announce its participation in the upcoming International Electronics Manufacturing Technology Conference (IEMT), taking place October 16-18 in Penang, Malaysia.