25th
Anniversary Dinner Was an Event to Remember
With highly intriguing presentations by Ken Gilleo and Dr. Ron Lasky as
well as warm recognition and fond memories shared by many, the
Anniversary Dinner held on Monday night, October 5, 2009 in San Diego, CA was truly an event to remember.
View the Image Gallery from the celebration
The album is also available on Facebook
2009 marked a very special occasion for the SMTA:
25 years of building skills, sharing practical experience and developing solutions in the industry. SMTA will mark this occasion by reflecting on the theme of past, present, and future.
Though the development of the industry has been a collaborative effort, especially thanks to the effort of organizations like the SMTA, we wanted to take this opportunity to inspire our current membership by recognizing luminary individuals, products, and companies that played important and innovative roles in 25 important events in SMTA history which helped bring the SMT industry from where it was in 1984 to the present.
Looking back at the state of the industry in 1984
when the SMTA first got on its feet, the technology
was relatively immature. There was uncertainty as to
which direction processing should take to be “best in
class.” That tone is not too dissimilar to today with the
constant packaging and product innovations and material
advances. We need to remember that the industry
is always changing and that in order to be competitive,
we must be agile and willing to change along with it.
To accommodate this movement, SMTA International
will be jumping from East Coast to West
Coast, this year being held in San Diego, CA. While
we anticipate loyal attendees embracing the change of
scenery, we will be offering a window of opportunity
for new attendees who have not attended in the past
due to travel time or budget constraints. San Diego
will offer us the opportunity to expand our attendee
base, and attract some new people to both the conference
and the exhibition.
By now, everyone has surely felt the squeeze of the
struggling economy. It is during hard times like these
that process evaluation, education, and technical innovation
is crucial for success. It is also when the value of
SMTA membership is the richest because professional
networking, job resources, technical exchange, and
education are in greatest demand.
Thank you very much for being such a valued member
of the SMTA. We wish you the very best in the
New Year and look forward to collaborating with you
at our various events celebrating 25 years of innovations
and the people and companies that drive them.
Daniel F. Baldwin, Ph.D.
SMTA President
President and CEO, Engent, Inc.
