Many of you know me or have learned a bit about me from the UP Media Group staff. For the past six years I have contributed to the direction of PC FAB and Printed Circuit Design & Manufacture magazines from a position on the Editorial Review Board. I have helped the editors by providing insights, guidance and, yes, constructive critiques. Now my role has changed and I am taking on the stewardship of this dynamic publication and the responsibility to define the focus and direction for the years to come. I already know I am really going to love my job!

So you know the boring stuff about me - the résumé highlights and biographical details. Here, I thought I would offer a few less well-known "facts." For more years than I care to admit, my office has displayed a small sign that reads: Circuit boards are my life. It's true, down to the license plates on my car (PC * BORD). I met my husband in the industry 23 years ago. Unlike other couples, we love to talk about work. At our house electronics is on the agenda 24/7. We have six kids who know more than they ever wanted about how to make a board and all things related to the industry. Where I am going with this? Simply stated, for me the electronic interconnect industry has been much more than a job; it is an integral part of my daily routine. The good news for PCD&M readers is that there can never be too much useful, top quality information available at your fingertips. And it is my goal to make sure that our printed pages and Web site are filled with high caliber material on relevant cutting-edge topics. Through a balance of data-driven feature articles and knowledgeable columnists, we will cover all the critical areas of printed circuit design and fabrication that are of interest to you.

I have a hard act to follow. Andy is a great editor. He has provided a level of journalistic expertise that will be hard to match. His capacity for telling a story has helped make PCD&M what it is today. He has done an excellent job of positioning the magazine as a valuable resource to you. I will try to build on that. My background is in neither journalism nor publishing, so I have a lot to learn. My previous experiences in the industry as process engineer and technical marketing/business manager do, however, provide me with an excellent understanding of the electronic interconnect industry as a whole. It is from this strength that I take the helm of PCD&M. I hope that my insights and acumen on topics relevant to the design and manufacture of circuit boards will add a new level of distinction for the PCD&M readers and marketing partners.

In closing, I would like to share with you my thoughts on PCD&M's role in your future.

• We will provide the PCD&M readership and marketing partners with a premier publication that is focused on current and critical printed circuit design and fabrication topics. We will create a print environment and provide a supporting Web-based vehicle that facilitates an alliance among all disciplines related to the conception and creation of printed circuit boards, from the OEM's vision and circuit design through fabrication and relevant assembly topics. And we will actualize a place where designer and fabricator can come together to share a common vision of success.
• PCD&M is dedicated to the printed circuit design and fabrication professional. PCD&M will not dilute or recast its message for the masses. PCD&M is a serious trade journal that strives for the highest level of technical impact. PCD&M is dedicated to those industry leaders, engineers, managers and technicians who need hard facts and well-documented data to support their business planning and technical decisions.
• We are: Technical. Relevant. Topical. We guarantee to instruct and enlighten on the topics you need to know about to maintain and improve your business performance.

I am sure that you value our professionalism and approach to features and columns that minimize the flash and cut to the real story, developing true intelligence on the topic and reporting in a fashion that is worthy of your business and technical insight. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues and topics you want to read more about. I guarantee, it is going to be a great year!