The Shaughnessy Report: Watt About Power Integrity?
Global PCB Connections: Understanding Your Fabricator’s Capabilities (or Niche)
Elementary Mr. Watson: Chasing Checkmarks, Not Signal Integrity
Walt Custer: Making Data Interesting
September 3, 2025 | Andy Shaughnessy, I-Connect007Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
I just learned that IPC Hall of Famer Walt Custer has passed away at 81. I first met Walt about 20 years ago when I started covering the fabrication industry. Right away, he started telling me which companies to watch and which trends to follow. This was in the years following 9/11, and things were still pretty fluid.
I still remember the first time I saw him do a presentation at a TMRC conference years ago—was it Scottsdale, Arizona? I thought it was going to be a snooze-fest, but I needed the content. Maybe I could get some other work done while I was taking notes.
I got zero other work done. Walt walked us through his data like an attorney laying out the case for his client. And he zealously represented his client—data!
He opened by acknowledging that, yes, this was going to be somewhat dry, but to bear with him. The content itself was borderline boring, but Walt’s delivery was anything but; he was almost bursting with data that he needed to get out of his system. He could have talked for days about “rest of world” semiconductor volumes.
Walt would post these seemingly disparate slides about, say, global PCB material prices, and just when the audience was wondering where this was all going, he would display a slide that tied everything together, and Walt would smile like a new dad.
But for a lot of audience members, the best part of a Custer presentation was the selection of cartoons that peppered his slide shows. Walt was the first presenter I ever saw use cartoons throughout a presentation, not just at the beginning or end. You never knew what cartoons would make it into his slide deck; it might be something from The Far Side or The New Yorker, or some cartoon you’d never heard of. After a dozen or so graphs and charts, you knew a cartoon was on the way.
Walt got the joke: As important as this data was to him, he understood that it was hard for the audience to pay attention for an hour after lunch.
Walt taught us to pay attention to the data, even from “rest of world.” His son Jonathan is now leading Custer Consulting Group, the company Walt founded 26 years ago. We all wish Walt’s family the best.
Click here to read Jonathan Custer's letter to the industry regarding Walt's passing.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Advertising in PCB007 Magazine has been a great way to showcase our bare board testers to the right audience. The I-Connect007 team makes the process smooth and professional. We’re proud to be featured in such a trusted publication."
Klaus Koziol - atgSuggested Items
ICT Symposium Review: Sustainability and the Circular Economy
10/09/2025 | Pete Starkey, I-Connect007It was pleasant autumnal weather as we made our way once again to Meriden, the nominal centre of England, for the 2025 Annual Symposium of the Institute of Circuit Technology. Delegates were welcomed by technical director Emma Hudson who introduced and moderated a skilfully coordinated programme, focused on the highly relevant theme of sustainability.
Taiwan Rejects U.S. Proposal for 50-50 Semiconductor Production Split
10/03/2025 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamTaiwan stated on October 1 that it will not agree to a U.S. proposal to shift half of its semiconductor production to the United States, despite mounting pressure from Washington over tariffs and chip supply security, according to Reuters.
PCB West 2025 Showcases Success: An Interview with Mike Buetow
10/03/2025 | Marcy LaRont, I-Connect007For more than 30 years, PCB West has served the PCB and design industries in Silicon Valley, bringing together engineers, fabricators, and designers for technical sessions and networking. The show is organized by the Printed Circuit Engineering Association (PCEA), and this year, PCEA President Mike Buetow was named the association’s first Hall of Fame award recipient. Marcy LaRont spoke with Mike at PCB West to learn firsthand about its origins and mission.
Technica Hosts In-House Visit from PCBAA
10/01/2025 | Technica USADavid Schild, Executive Director of PCBAA (Printed Circuit Board Association of America) visited Technica USA to discuss the activity in the market and the advocacy of the PCBAA. The organization was formed to work on Capitol Hill, educating, advocating and getting congressional support to legislate on behalf of building a stronger PCB and substrate manufacturing base in the U.S.A.
HyRel Technologies Showcases Summer Intern Success Through Hands-On Innovation
09/16/2025 | HyRel TechnologiesHyRel Technologies, a global provider of quick turn semiconductor modification solutions, proudly highlights the accomplishments of its two recent summer interns, Danny Hoang and Nisarg Jadav.