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www.us-tech.com


August, 2018


All in the Family: Family Businesses of the Electronics Industry


By Michael Skinner, Editor I


n an industry founded on science, technology, engineering, and math, it is easy to focus on the


latest buzzwords: Industry 4.0, Inter- net of Things (IoT), artificial intelli- gence, automation, etc. It is not often that we walk the halls of a trade show and hear about “mom and pop” shops, but there are many well- known and highly successful family- run electronics companies all around the globe.


STI: Madison, Alabama


In 1982, the Alabama-based Raby family went into business for them- selves. The late Jim Raby, Ellen Raby, and their son David, utilized Jim’s experience at NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD) (Navy) to form STI Electronics, Inc. — originally Soldering Technology International. Jim had written specifications


and standards for DoD contractors to pattern their manufacturing and processes and constantly faced push- back over the perceived costs. He knew, however, that if the right processes and procedures were in place, the contractors would actually be able to reduce costs in the end. This inspired the creation of STI. For the first two years, while si-


multaneously working “day jobs,” the Raby family traveled the country putting on seminars that explained how to implement DoD specifications and requirements. Eventually, the


family realized that this venture would need their full attention and began working at STI full-time. “Working with my mom and dad


was special,” comments David Raby, president and CEO of STI. “Dad was known worldwide in our industry for his previous work, and while I had some understanding of that in high school and college, it was still inter- esting to see him treated almost as a celebrity in many cases. It was a true


n’t matter if we were having Thanks- giving dinner or on a family vacation, STI was always a prominent topic. We were all incredibly close and I’ll al- ways be thankful for that. We would have disagreements, but nobody ever doubted each other’s motives. We all knew we had each other’s back on anything outside the family.” STI is now a premier, full-serv-


ice organization for training, consult- ing, laboratory analysis, prototyping, and small- to medium-volume PCB assembly. STI also provides a com- plete line of solder training kits and training support products. While Ellen and Jim retired


Ellen Raby, David Raby, and the late Jim Raby.


family company, which means it had many pros and some cons. As with any new or small company, we all had to make decisions that would de- termine whether or not we would survive. There is nobody I’d trust more than a family member to make those decisions.” Speaking with David it is clear


to see how close the Raby clan was, even when that meant the impossible task of separating work life from home life. “There was never an off switch for work,” adds David. “It did-


There's no getting past us


several years ago, David maintains that STI is still a family-oriented business. STI strives to create an in- clusive culture and cultivate a fami- ly-like setting. In June 2017, Jim passed away, leaving behind a legacy that is carried on by his son. Jim not only started and ran a successful family business for more than 30 years, but he left behind a lasting name in the electronics industry through his work and relationships, along with the Jim D. Raby/STI Scholarship Fund, which supports local college students.


SHENMAO: Taiwan


In October 1973, 22-year-old San- lien Lee had a dream to build a com- pany from scratch. At an age where many people are struggling with a direction for their lives, San-lien,


Founder of SHENMAO San-lien Lee (left) and his son Kelvin (right).


SHENMAO has more than 10


global offices and has positioned it- self well in the industry through global expansion, technological ad- vancements and excellent customer retention and satisfaction. The company has successfully


supplied electronics assembly mate- rials, including solder paste, BGA spheres, solder wire, solder bar, flux, and solder preforms, for the past 45 years. In 2003, the SHENMAO Micro Materials Institute was estab- lished to research and develop a new generation of products and technolo- gy. The company studied and fo-


Continued on next page


now chairman of SHENMAO Tech- nology, showed remarkable leader- ship skills, founding and growing the company from a local supplier to one of the world’s top solder materi- al manufacturers.


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