What an incredible year this has been. Each President starts his term with a Strategic Plan, in my case, based upon the plans started by Jim Cook and Paul Van Loan. Each of us, since this process was initiated, has augmented the plan with our own ideas, but has continued tasks started by our predecessors. I identified with 8 goals, with many objectives requiring completion. They are:

1. Present the Membership with a focused portfolio of appropriate, current and emerging, technologies by providing premier technical conferences, symposia and workshops.

2. Continue implementation of the IMAPS Marketing Plan.

3. Extend IMAPS web-based electronic access of information for the design, development manufacturing, and marketing of microelectronics applications.

4. Encourage the growth and development of local Chapters and foster Student Chapters.

5.Investigate opportunities to collaborate with industry trade organizations, testing each for its support of our vision and long-term goals.

6.Increase organizational/MMRC membership by targeting OEMs and all segments of the industry “food chain.”

7. Strengthen our International Outreach by maintaining collegial ties with existing International Chapters, and fostering development of new ones.

8. Continue to investigate development of a Certified Packaging Engineer Program.

How did we do this year? I’ll respond by following each of the goals listed above:

1. We started the year with the highly successful Symposium in Boston; we have produced several Advanced Technology Workshops that were all successful. These programs focused on CSP, MEMS, Digital Interconnect above 2001 MHz, Ceramic Technologies for Microwave: Handsets, Bluetooth, Broadband and LMDS, Thermal Management, and Optoelectronics; The First Flip Chip Conference and Exhibition also exceeded our expectations. Fifty-one suppliers exhibited, 155 people attended the technical program, and 60 attended the short course programs. Look for photos in this issue. Finally, the Baltimore Symposium is upon us, with sold out exhibitor space and an incomparable technical program; we will end the year as successfully as we began it.

2. We have incorporated an aggressive public relations program for the society. I was asked to compare the performance of our current Public Relations firm, Martel Communications, to previous PR support we had received. I am pleased to report that the society has had an increase in exposure (based upon an aggregate of papers published, press releases, invited editorials, calendar announcements, etc.) of 30% this past year. I think that this help from Mike Martel and his firm is part of the reason why all of the IMAPS-sponsored activities performed this year were successful. Thanks, Mike!!

3.Brian Schieman continues to do a superb job for us in the transition to a web-based society. The Journal, Proceedings and ATW presentations are all now available via the IMAPS web site. We are also doing our first web-based advertising and initial reaction looks good. The Industry Guide is also available on-line and has current information on both corporate and individual members. IMAPS also supports links to both local and international chapters so that our members are well informed about both domestic and international programs.

4.We continue to provide a basis for continued growth of local and student chapters. This year we coupled the Optoelectronics ATW with a strong local and student chapter for the first time. This event followed the Symposium in Bethlehem, PA, and clearly demonstrated that this concept was valid. Congratulations to Tom Green and Bill Heffner for a job well done.

5.IMAPS has established a relationship with ACerS, where their expertise in ceramic-based materials and our expertise in applications of the materials would provide benefit to the membership of both societies. We have formed a liaison committee consisting of three individuals from IMAPS and 3 from ACerS to develop a methodology for generating a common event(s) that benefits both of our members. Paul Van Loan, Mike Ehlert and Peter Barnwell will be representing IMAPS. We are also in discussions with IEEE and SMTA to ascertain means for collaboration.

6.Jan Vardaman has put together the first MMRC program of the year which was held in Washington, DC, just prior to the Baltimore Symposium. This event demonstrates the growth of the Optoelectronics Industry and the importance of packaging in advancing the technology. Thanks, Jan.

7.I recently attended the European Microelectronics Conference held in Strasbourg, France, and the 1 st meeting of the “Brand New” Russian Chapter in Moscow. I also had the pleasure of speaking at the Brazilian Chapter meeting in Sao Paulo. I would like to take the opportunity to personally thank those individuals responsible for the development of the meetings, as they were all very successful. Particularly, I would like to thank Yves Le Goff, Jean-Claude Rames and their committee for making the EMC such a marvelous event. Petite France was a wonderful place to visit and the program presented was excellent. Photos from the event are elsewhere in this issue of Advancing Microelectronics. I would also like to thank Vladimir Krivoshapko, Yuri Chaplygin, Alexander Taran, Igor Verner and Igor Alexanian for all their hard work in preparing the 1 st meeting in Moscow. The technical program was comprehensive and presented several new technologies. I would also like to especially thank Igor Alexanian for taking a full day of his time to show all of us around the Kremlin, Red Square, and St. Basil’s Cathedral. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Photos from this event are also included in this issue. If you would like to see more pictures you can go to www.imaps.org/photos. Finally, I would like to thank Marcio Biasoli and Newton Camarcho for the diligent effort they provided in putting together the event in Brazil.

In all of the above instances we approached the members of the international chapters and asked how we could better serve them. The chapters in the Far East are forming an Asian Liaison Committee that will function similarly to the ELC. After that integration process is completed we will form an International Liaison Committee where all chapters will coordinate activities, calendars, speakers, etc. Paul Van Loan came up with this concept and it has been well received internationally. Look for more activity in this area during Chuck Bauer’s term as President.

8. Jim Cook has been developing the Certified Packaging Engineer program and we believe that this program may be launched during the coming year.

In addition, we completed the HQ 2000 activity by moving into our new headquarters in Washington, DC. The dedication was recently held and as soon as you get an opportunity, you should stop by and visit with the staff.

I would also like to take a moment to thank the members of the Executive Council, and the Advisory Board for their continued support throughout the year. Their collective wisdom, while often peppered with spirited discussions and emails, assures that the decisions made are well thought out and are done in the best interest of IMAPS.