History

ITM was founded in 1993 by Phil Zarrow and Debra (Kopp) Dresser. Phil was formerly Director of Technology Development for GSS/Array Technology, a California based contract assembly firm and Debra, a Process Engineer with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland. ITM was incorporated in 1994.

From its inception, ITM worked with both electronic assemblers as well as suppliers of electronic assembly equipment and materials. Much of the early end-user business centered around education at in-house seminars and tradeshows and conferences through the SMTA, the IPC and NEPCON. Education is still at the core of our business.

Phil's experience with equipment manufacturers led to techno-marketing work with many of leading manufacturers. One service, unique to electronics consulting, was equipment benchmarking. This service, often copied but never duplicated, thoroughly tests and evaluates equipment performance, level of technology and substantiates or refutes claims made by the manufacturer. Regardless of the service provided, ITM practices the edict:

We don't tell you what you want to hear
--- we tell you what you need to know.

During the first few years, ITM began to take assignments from OEMs and Contract Assemblers (CEM) that focused on assembly process troubleshooting. ITM became known for its thorough and comprehensive Process Audits wherein an electronic assembler's entire process is reviewed, evaluated and yield improvement recommendations are given.

ITM also began working with OEMs in helping them evaluate and select the CEM that best fits their needs. Phil's experience working with a major contract assembler (GSS/Array Technology) proved beneficial to clients who did not want to make mistakes in their outsourcing endeavors.

In 1997, ITM began offering technical expertise to the legal community, serving in both advisory and expert witness capacities (both in the US and internationally).

In 1998, ITM expanded it services to include Process Dispute Mediation, typically between OEMs and the CEMs as well as between electronic assemblers and material and component suppliers. ITM's knowledgeable and objective approach to such matters has earned high commendation from clients. In God We Trust, All Others Bring Data is the by-word here.

In 1999, ITM expanded its services to include market research. Shirley Klenke joined ITM as Manager of Market Research. Through her work, ITM was able to produce several ground-breaking studies dealing with AOI, Selective Soldering and Solder Paste. This innovative work has lead to single-client confidential market research studies.

In 1999, Jim Hall joined ITM as Principal Consultant. A pioneer in reflow technology, Jim spent 10 years with Vitronics-Soltec, most recently as Manager of SMT Technology. He has also worked, in various engineering positions, at Dynapert and HTC. Bringing a wealth of knowledge and background in soldering and thermal technology as well as equipment and process basics, Jim has been a welcome edition. Jim has greatly enhanced ITM's teaching, troubleshooting, equipment & process evaluation, and techno-marketing.

In 2001, Ron Daniels joined Jim and Phil as a Principal Consultant with ITM. With an extensive engineering background that has spanned more than 30 years. Ron is the former editor and publisher of Circuits Assembly magazine, a career in publishing that has spanned more than 15 years. His most recent venture was founding High Density Interconnect magazine and tradeshows. Ron is ITM's powerhouse in marketing, mergers and acquisition evaluations and related projects as well as an expert in PCB fabrication and high density interconnect devices.

2002 has witnessed the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts with regard to the Phil, Ron and Jim team. Besides continued excellence and dedication to the best interests of our clients, ITM Consulting continues to innovate in all areas of its work.

Process Certification

ITM has become the first and only entity in the world to offer Electronic Assembly Process Certification (patent pending). ITM has also introduced some new products including Design For Manufacturability and Assembly Guidelines that can be adapted to any SMT assembly process, third party merger and acquisition evaluation and equipment and materials marketing and sales analysis.

Today, as in the past, ITM continues to best serve our clients through interaction that not only solves today's problems but also prepares them for tomorrow's challenges.

We don't tell you want you want to hear
--- we tell you what you need to know.