Keynote and Featured Speakers

Jim Clarke is the director of the Quantum Hardware research group within Intel’s Components Research Organization. Jim launched Intel’s Quantum Computing effort in 2015, as well as a research partnership with QuTech (TU Delft and TNO). His group’s primary focus is to use Intel’s process expertise to develop scalable qubit arrays. Prior to his current […]

Born and raised in Mexico City, Lupita moved to the Bay Area of California to attend California State University, East Bay where she received a BS degree in Computer Science. She then moved to Portland and worked for Tektronix as a Software Quality Engineer. After over twenty-two years with the company, she took a position […]

Session and Panel Speakers

Phil Bride, over his career, has developed successful teams and organizations. As an executive mentor, coach and trainer, Phil brings over 30 years’ management, business growth experience to new and experienced business leaders. Phil built and ran multiple companies for others and himself. His latest is Rogue River Consulting, a consulting firm focused on leading […]

Graduated from University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Engineering Science in 1985, focus on materials. Materials and Process Engineer at Lockheed Missiles and Space in Austin, Texas for 5 years. Manufacturing Engineer at Oki Semiconductor Manufacturing plant in Tualatin, Oregon for 10 years building memory chips and ICs for Honda engines. 15 […]

Meredith Berg is an accomplished EOS Implementer with an MBA and a wealth of firsthand experience in helping entrepreneurial organizations achieve success. Her background includes roles at Fortune 500 companies, where she focused on strategic development, execution, and leadership. Over her 20+ years in the corporate world, she demonstrated a keen ability to drive results […]

Dr. Isil Berkun received the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University. She is a former Staff AI Software Engineer at Intel Corporation. She is an AI Educator on LinkedIn Learning with over 300K learners. She has been an instructor at Columbia University (Data Science) and Portland State University (Marketing Analytics). She is the […]

Sebastian Chedal has spent over 25 years helping industry and manufacturing companies navigate digital transformation—from major brands like Heineken and SonyEricsson to specialized manufacturers like MITCO and OPI. He founded Fountain City in 1998 and has since co-founded three additional businesses, building deep expertise in modernizing legacy systems, implementing AI solutions, and creating data-driven growth […]

Mike Galloway is a Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Screaming Circuits. His 30+ years of boots-on-the-ground experience in electronics manufacturing environments reflect his strong foundation in both engineering execution and technical training. He regularly shares his knowledge through industry webinars and regional events where he is known for breaking down complex manufacturing topics—such as SMT, through-hole, […]

Darren Hitchcock (Panasonic Electronic Materials) has over 30 years of experience in the PCB industry. He obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University in 1992. He started his career at Tektronix as a mechanical process engineer in their circuit board division (Building 38). This division of Tektronix was later spun off as Merix Corporation in 1994 […]

Jim Kaigh is a seasoned sales consultant and Outsourced VP of Sales for Sales Xceleration, with over two decades of commercial leadership experience. He specializes in helping small to medium-sized businesses optimize their sales processes and achieve sustainable growth. Operating most often as a part-time, fractional VP of Sales, Jim builds robust sales infrastructures for […]

I have been a mergers & acquisition intermediary since 1994. I have been the President/CEO of IBA, the region’s oldest & largest business brokerage firm since 2000. One of the firm’s and my areas of expertise is the facilitation of transactions involving the purchase & sale of manufacturing industry companies in Washington & Oregon.

My career started in manufacturing at a factory in Portland. I worked in warehousing and redesigned much of the process flow and inventory management systems. Then, I moved into software engineering and became a partner in Isolary Design, a Portland company that specializes in marketing and software design and development. After that, I took on […]

I have 25+ years of experience in process improvement, accounting, reconciliation, training, mentoring, and HR recruitment in my diverse skill set. This helps me identify a variety of creative solutions for solving both business and personal organizational challenges. It’s my passion! As a member of the American Association of Daily Money Managers (AADMM) and the […]

Dawn Ratashak is Senior Workforce Consultant at Oregon Manufacturing Extension partnership (OMEP). Dawn is an accomplished executive manager with over a decade of experience in the human resources field. With a passion for elevating the employee experience, Dawn thrives on delivering exceptional value to organizations while leaning on her experience working within manufacturing environments to […]

Mike Schindele has over 40 years’ experience with high technology companies in a leadership role within global operations & supply-chain management. Specific responsibilities included manufacturing operations, manufacturing outsourcing, materials management, logistics, planning, and supply-chain management.  Prior experience with local companies ranges from start-ups to fortune 100 companies including InFocus Systems, FLIR Systems, Solectron, RadiSys, VersaLogic, […]

Matt Stevenson brings nearly 30 years of PCB industry experience to his role as Vice President and General Manager at ASC Sunstone Circuits. With a background that spans quality, engineering, operations, and marketing, Matt has played a key role in driving innovation and growth at both Sunstone Circuits and, more recently, the combined ASC Sunstone […]

Mark Veary brings over three decades of experience in the electronics manufacturing industry, having launched his career in 1991 as an engineering technician at Intel. Over the years, he has held engineering roles at Radisys, Suntron, Benchmark Electronics, and currently serves as Director of Engineering at Fusion-EMS, an AS9100-certified contract manufacturer of electronic devices. Known […]

Jerry Vieira is a Certified Management Consultant and President & Founder of The QMP Group, a Portland-based consulting firm specializing in market strategy and marketing and sales organizational effectiveness. QMP has helped clients from Montreal to New Mexico, Seattle to San Diego, and Chicago to Dallas meet the challenges of growth. Author of three books, […]

Justin is a Senior Member of IEEE and served as Chair and other positions with the IEEE Oregon Section for several years. Justin has over 20 years of experience in patent matters, including the preparation and prosecution of patent applications before the USPTO, portfolio strategy development, patentability studies, validity evaluations, and infringement analysis. Justin has […]

Blaine Watson has over 17 years of experience in successfully leading start-ups and growing businesses in the B2B and B2C markets. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University where he studied cognitive psychology, evolutionary neuroscience, and human-computer-interaction. Blaine’s research includes work in human perceptual & memory systems at OSU and exploring the network […]

Leonard Weitman provides executive coaching and manufacturing consulting services.  He has managed operations around the US and overseas with titles that included VP Technical Operations, Project Director, Director of Operations, and Manufacturing Manager, at technology companies including Tektronix, Applied Materials, Mentor Graphics, Bend Broadband, ASM International, and Veeco.  In addition to working across the US, […]

Laura serves as Director, IP Counsel for Software and Artificial Intelligence at Thermo Fisher Scientific, joining Thermo Fisher in 2021 after 13 years in private practice.  Laura holds undergraduate degrees in engineering and mathematics from Swarthmore College, master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a […]

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