Free Offerings in Abundance at IPC Printed Circuits Expo� 2003

NORTHBROOK, Ill., February 18, 2003--IPC�Association Connecting Electronics Industries� has planned several complimentary events at IPC Printed Circuits Expo� 2003, which takes place March 23-27 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. From the free forums to the free keynote addresses, attendees and exhibitors will be able to discover upcoming technology and examine market trends from respected industry leaders and distinguished experts.

This year, the IPC Printed Circuits Expo 2003 Trade Show Subcommittee has invited Dick Rutan and Walt Custer to deliver the Tuesday and Wednesday morning keynote addresses. Rutan, an aviation expert and former U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Command fighter pilot, will present, "A Global Vision�Literally," on Tuesday, March 25, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. In his address, Rutan will share the exhilarating experiences during his nine-day, around-the-world flight in the Voyager airplane.

Then on Wednesday, March 26, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., Walt Custer, president of Custer Consulting Group, will present "A PCB Market Outlook�the Ins and Outs." Previously a 24-year employee of Morton Electronic Materials and a longtime authority on all aspects of the PCB industry, Custer will uncover the PCB market trends, analyze business conditions and deliver vital industry data.

The 2003 Trade Show Subcommittee, under the direction of Chairman Fred Floer, Schmid Systems, Inc., has also developed nine free forums to take place Tuesday, March 25 through Thursday, March 27.

For more information about these free events and the entire IPC Printed Circuits Expo 2003 exhibition and conference, visit http://www.ipcprintedcircuitexpo.org or e-mail expoinfo@ipc.org.