Brian Haken
15/06/2015
It is with regret that one of our leading industry figures has sadly passed away. Brian was an inspiration to many of us and helped form the close ties and friendships that have bonded our industry together for many years.
The UK Printed Circuit Industry was flourishing in the 1980's. The Institute of Circuit Technology represented individual members and the Printed Circuit Association was the domain of corporate members. Brian had worked for E K Cole TV then Multitone Electronics and was the Sales Director at South East Printed Circuits. In 1987 Brian was instrumental in forming the PCIF which he led as Director from its inception until the merger with the FEI and later Intellect in 2000.
The PCIF was the lead federation representing UK printed circuit manufacturers, suppliers and assembly companies. Brian had a constant stream of new ideas and the success of the PCIF was a testament to his energy and drive. The regular quarterly meetings were eagerly attended and the annual conferences at Runnymede were always exceptional. One of the highlights was having Michael Hesseltine as our after dinner speaker!
Brian helped steer the UK PCB industry to wider markets and the close ties with the IPC in the USA and JPCA in Japan meant the UK was respected worldwide and actively involved in a number of world conferences and international events.
Brian's golfing skills were not quite so exceptional though he had a knack of contributing to some very memorable times at our annual golf days.
It is particularly sad to note that Brian's wife Eileen also passed away a week before and our thoughts are with his family at such a sad time.
Brian's funeral was on Tuesday 23rd June at Southend crematorium, Sutton Road, West Chapel at 11.20 am. If you wish to make a donation to cancer research in his memory, then there is a link to the web site here: http://donateinmemory.cancerresearchuk.org/0006126
Richard Wood-Roe
20/06/2015
A comment from the Editor of EIPC SpeedNews
I had the great pleasure of working with Brian when I was working with Coates Circuit Products, and chaired the Suppliers Group within the PCIF for a few years. Meetings with Brian were always positive affairs, with great attention to detail, and he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the industry, the milestones, those who worked within it, and those who, like him, were great contributors in both skills and effort.
Brian was a natural leader, and always convivial company, with admirable stamina when conferences hummed on long into the night. Brian had that gift of not being content with the reactive approach; his was an entirely proactive one, and his ability to see events unfolding was usually uncannily accurate.
To have known and worked with Brian was an honour, a pleasure, and an education, and I am indebted to him.
John Ling.
