BIG WIN in VEGAS
The 50th ECTC was the Best ever! With over 1350 people attending and over 280 papers and poster presented. We set all the attendance and papers records for this annual CPMT major conference. In addition, the 12 short courses had over 550 people, and 75 vendors exhibited their products and technologies at the Technology Corner exhibition.
One of the main purposes of this meeting is to honor the excellent work of CPMT members. At the luncheon on Tuesday, May 22, excellence was recognized. Awards for Best Paper 49th ECTC went to Kevin Chen and Robert Zenner (3M) and Michael Arneson and David Mountain (MRL) for "Ultra-Thin Electronic Device Package." The Outstanding Paper award went to R. L. Shook and J. P. Goodelle of Lucent Technologies for "Handling of Highly-Moisture Sensitive Components - An Analysis of Low-Humidity Containment and Baking Schedules." The best poster paper went to Mototola engineers Lei L. Mercado and Vijay Sarihan for "Predictive Design and Flip-Chip PBGA For High Reliability and Cost."
At the CPMT Wednesday Luncheon 3 new IEEE Fellows were announced from within our Society Ranks: Phillip E. Garrou of Dow Chemical, James E. Morris of New York University Binghamton, and Naoaki Yamanaka of NTT Network Service Systems of Japan.
CPMT honors were given to 5 volunteers: John H. Lau earned the "CPMT Society David Feldman Outstanding Contribution Award;" Ephraim Suhir was named "CPMT Society Outstanding Sustained Technical Contributions Award;" Rama Shukla received the "CPMT Society Electronic Manufacturing Technology Award;" Matt Schwiebert was awarded "CPMT Society Outstanding Young Engineer Award;" and the West Ukraine Chapter received the CPMT Chapter of the Year Award.
Seventeen CPMT volunteers lined up in front of the filled hall to receive the IEEE Millennium Award. This was followed by many of the past CPMT Presidents being saluted for shaping and expanding the role of our Society for over 50 years. President Rao Tummala had everyone who was attending their first ECTC stand up (about 15% of the audience). He also had every IEEE Fellow stand up (at least 25% of the Fellows in CPMT must have been at this year’s ECTC).
To celebrate the 50th year of ECTC and CPMT Society at this conference, the traditional Tuesday night reception was full of live entertainment and the six drawings for Palm III personal organizers on Wednesday luncheon was edge of the seat excitement. Many ECTC past chairs and CPMT past presidents as well as many first -time attendees were at this meeting to celebrate this special occasion. The next 51st ECTC will be at Orlando in early June, 2000.
¨ From the notes of C. P. Wong, Georgia Tech