Message from the CPMT Society President

I first joined the Components Packaging and Manufacturing Society in 1995, when I began my career as a packaging engineer at the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft. Fifteen years later, I am honored to be the Society's 2010/11 President. While I welcome this great opportunity to serve the just over 3000 CPMT members, it is also a great responsibility, especially in today's global economic climate.

The CPMT Society is the primary international forum for scientists and engineers. It provides a platform for developing and realizing innovative concepts and supports the professional community by:

• providing opportunities for information exchange, continuing education, and professional growth;
• publishing journals, sponsoring conferences, and supporting local chapter and student activities;
• formally recognizing the professional contributions of members;
• representing the microelectronic and microsystem packaging community and serving as its advocate within the IEEE, the broader scientific and technical community, and society at large.

In my term as President, I hope to work together with you to create a new, extended vision for our professional association's future. Crucially, we have to identify cutting-edge research opportunities and new application areas, and then further their progress with activities, workshops, conferences and publications. I also plan to proactively pursue four fundamental strategies that secure the Society's ability to provide high-quality products and services to our members:

• improving the effectiveness of the Society's organizational processes;
• reversing the negative membership trend by creating new value for our members;
• encouraging volunteer leadership;
• continuing the path of globalization in CPMT begun by past Presidents.

In closing, I encourage every member of the Society to provide me with comments, suggestions, criticism – anything at all that you feel will help us provide a better service to our members.