Mike Buetow is editor-in-chief of PCD&F/Circuits Assembly magazine, the world’s leading publication for electronics design and manufacturing, and editorial director of UP Media Group, for which he oversees all editorial and production aspects. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the electronics industry, including six years at IPC, an electronics trade association, at which he was a technical projects manager and communications director. He has also held editorial positions at SMT Magazine, community newspapers and book publishing. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois.

Materials expert Dr. Ron Lasky (left) is a professor of engineering and senior lecturer at Dartmouth, and senior technologist at Indium Corp. He has a Ph.D. in materials science from Cornell University, and is a prolific author and lecturer, having published more than 40 papers. He received the SMTA Founders Award in 2003.

Duane Benson (right) is marketing manager at Screaming Circuits, an EMS company based in Canby, Oregon. He has been blogging since September 2006, which is only 20 years fewer than he’s spent in electrical engineering. He blogs regularly on matters ranging from circuit board design and assembly to general industry observations.

Akber Roy is chief executive office of RUSH PCB, a printed circuit design, fabrication and assembly company located in San Jose. He writes on design and assembly issues.

Pete Waddell, who doubles as Design Technical Editor, founded UPMG in 2002. He previously was publisher and editor-in-chief of Printed Circuit Design magazine and also conference director of the PCB Design Conferences. He spent over 20 years as a draftsman and designer in the electronics industry, working for some of the largest military and commercial contractors in the US. He is based in Atlanta.

Gene Weiner has spent his entire career — spanning more than 50 years — in the printed circuit industry.  He spent the early part of his career in chemical engineering at MIT Lincoln Laboratories, then became employee no. 4 at Shipley, and later vice president of sales and marketing of Dynachem and president of New England Laminates. He has been a consultant to leading materials, circuit board and semiconductor companies for several years, and sits on the boards of Wong’s Kong King International and PD Circuits. He was inducted to the IPC Hall of Fame in 2006.

Thomas Smiley (right) is founder and president of Precision Circuit Board Source (Precision PCBs). An electronic components industry veteran and previously divisional executive of Emerson Electric, Thomas has spent a career manufacturing and marketing electronic components from all corners of Asia. He is on the board of IceMOS Technologies.