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| Lew Lerner – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Metal finishing process development, New Product Development, Supplier development, Project Management and Problem Solving. Bio: Lew has a total of 43 years’ experience with AMP (Tyco Electronics, TE Connectivity) in plating for the connector industry, from research and process design to direction of new product development. In that time he spent 23 years in Research and Development specializing in both new chemical and mechanical process design, and 3 years in Materials Engineering concentrating on customer problem solving. Lew spent 5 years in purchasing and supplier management and 12 years as plating project manager for new product development in the computer and consumer electronics group. Cost savings in metal finishing by either process or product design or use of alternative finishes has long been his focus. Patents and Technical Papers: 9 patents and 4 technical papers. |
| Ronald P. Locati – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Product Design, Creativity and Brainstorming, Patent Claims Assessment, Failure Diagnostics, Reverse Engineering, Litigation Expert Witness, Communications and Technical Writing. Bio: Ron’s 37 years of connector industry experience encompasses the product development, technology, intellectual property, and engineering areas. Ron brings a specialized skill set as expert witness in the area of attorney support with respect to patent validity and infringement. He honed his technical skills at AMP, Inc. (formerly Tyco, now TE Connectivity), directed Engineering Departments at LRC Electronics (formerly Augat, then PPC, now Belden) and served as Engineering VP at Stewart Connector Systems (formerly Insilco, now Bel-Stewart Connector). His in-depth experience spans a wide array of interconnections, switches, and electromechanical devices – including those used by the Military / Aerospace, Medical Equipment, Cable TV / Coax, Appliance, Telco / Data, Industrial Product, Toys and Consumer Product, Power / Utility, Desktop, Portable, and Mainframe Computer, and Automotive industries. Ron organizes and applies his expertise to determine the cause of failure, accelerate time to market, improve design manufacturability, and as he details guidance to enhance product reliability. His insight, knowledge, and familiarity with patent interpretation and U.S. Patent Office protocols allow him to write concise expert reports in support of plaintiff or defendant attorneys in patent cases Ron holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, attained the Engineer-in-Training proficiency level, completed Graduate studies toward an MBA, and holds 32 U.S. patents in the connector field. |
| Randy M. Manning – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Product and manufacturing methods development for fiber optic and electrical connectors. Product development including conceptualization, design, simulation and testing; manufacturing methods including, stamping, molding, machining, assembly and metrology; intellectual property development; including patent application review, issued patent review, designing around valid U.S. patents and patent portfolio management. Bio: Randy Manning has over 45 years experience in interconnection technology in fiber optic and electrical interconnection products. As a private practice consultant, he has been involved in fiber optic interconnection and electrical connector technology development and standardization. Previously, he was a Development Manager and Principal Engineer at Tyco Electronics and AMP Incorporated. Randy has served as a U. S. Technical Expert to IEC SC86B, Fiber Optic Interconnection Devices and Passive Components for more than 30 years and received the IEC 1906 award for sustained technical contributions. Randy received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Pennsylvania State University, Capitol College in 1973 and an M.B.A. in Management from Shippensburg University in 1981. He was admitted to the patent bar in 1999 and is registered to practice patent law before the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office. Patents and Technical Papers: Randy has been granted 30 patents and has authored several technical papers and IEC standards publications. |
| C. Edward Reynolds – Principal ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Product Conceptualization and Design; Stamping, Molding and Assembly; Surface Mount Technology; Application Tooling; Failure Analysis, Trouble Shooting. Bio: Ed has over 54 years experience with most aspects of interconnection products. He has worked on a wide range of products including switches, fiber optics, fasteners, magnet wire terminations, sockets, modular jacks, high speed I/Os, flex circuits, MID (molded-in-devices), and many surface mount products. He has experience in the computer, peripheral, telecommunications, automotive, consumer durable, consumer electronics, motor, transformer, small appliance, and power tool industries. Ed held the title of Principal Engineer and Director of Development Engineering at AMP. He is noted for his ability to develop new product lines from the initial concept and carry them through volume production. Patents and Technical Papers: 55 patents and 6 technical papers. |
| Joseph Russo – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Quality Management, Lean, and Six Sigma Bio: Joe Russo has over 40 years of comprehensive experience in Quality Management, Lean, and Six Sigma working in the commercial and defense business sectors both domestically and internationally. Joe is a certified Master Black Belt from NC State University in Raleigh, NC, a certified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor with BSI America and holds a Bachelor of Science from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA. . |
| John M. Sharp – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: ISO Quality Management System, Six Sigma and Lean process and quality metrics.. Bio: Mr. Sharp’s previous responsibilities include administering and directing the North American ISO Quality Management System, Six Sigma and Lean process and quality metrics reporting and analysis. Mr. Sharp was responsible for establishing strategic plans, policies and procedures at all levels to ensure the QA/QC program will meet or exceed internal and external customers’ needs and expectations. Mr. Sharp coordinated and managed the Six Sigma champions, black and green belt training, project selection and cost savings reporting process as well as ongoing quality metrics reporting. He was the project manager, who led the initiative resulting in three Tyco Business Units within North America becoming the first organizations in the world to be certified to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 in May, 2001. Prior to joining TE, Mr. Sharp was employed with AMP Inc. for 16 years in quality engineering as well as engineering assurance, global sourcing and corporate consulting and self-assessment positions for worldwide business units utilizing operational excellence models. Mr. Sharp teaches a variety of courses and seminars in TQM, Statistical Process Control, Quality Engineering and Auditing, Management, Marketing, Organizational Behavior, and Operations Management for the Penn State University, Harrisburg University and Harrisburg Area Community College, Lebanon Valley College and the American Society for Quality. Mr. Sharp holds a BSBI and MBA degrees from Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA. His certifications include Certified Quality Engineer, American Society for Quality (ASQ), Certified Quality Auditor, Certified Quality Manager, Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, all ASQ. |
| Larry Wasser – Senior ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Quality system implementation or re-engineering, LEAN production systems, Procurement strategies, Product Management portfolio management and Key Performance Indicator identification and implementation. Bio: Over 35 years’ experience in quality systems, production, and procurement. Have many successful implementations in quality scorecards and LEAN office / production systems. Larry has worked with a variety of industries, in local and global assignments. He has experience in managing large global organizations for production and procurement. He also has in depth experience in simultaneous engineering teams for rapid time to market of products. He has held key management positions at AMP / TE Connectivity and Phoenix Contact USA. Larry has a BS in Industrial Engineering from Drexel, and a MS in Management Science from Lehigh. |
| I-yuan Wei, Ph.D., AESF Fellow – Principal ConsultantKey Technical Areas: Electroplating Technologies, New Contact Coatings, Thin Gold Technology, Palladium and Alloy Plating, Reel-to-Reel Plating Process/Control Development, Design of Experiments, Troubleshooting. Bio: I-yuan has over 35 years of connector industry experience developing new contact finishes and high-speed reel-to-reel plating processes including: ultra thin gold technology, palladium and palladium alloy plating, non-corrosive coating, hydrogen embrittlement, pulse plating, alternatives to tin-lead, graphite composite coating, and high temperature coating. He worked at AMP for 17 years and had a last position of Director, Contact Materials Technology. He served on the Board of Directors of the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Society (AESF), was chairman of the Electronics Finishing Committee and chairman of the Meetings and Symposia Section. He received an AESF Recognition Award in 1994 and was elected as an AESF Fellow in 2000. I-yuan holds a Ph.D. degree from Tufts University. Patents and Technical Papers: 2 patents and 20 technical papers. |
