James Barnhart started as a 2M Miniature/Mico-miniature repair technician in the Navy and progressed to being an ‘A’ level instructor in the Navy’s excellent 2M program. During his tenure in the Navy James was so proficient that he was involved in training other instructors as well as developing new repair processes that were adopted by the military. He is a certified master instructor for IPC-A-610, J-STD-001, IPC 7711/21 and IPC-A-620. He is also active on several IPC committees as well as being a certified GEEK. jbarnhart@solder.net
Kris Roberson brings a diversified background to BEST in terms of his 20 plus years as a corporate trainer in both mechanics and electronics. Kris also deeply understands the what and why of the IPC standards having served as the director of training at IPC. He is an MIT in the IPC J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620, and IPC 7711/21 certifications. kroberson@solder.net
Norman is a U.S. Marine Corp. retired veteran with over 20 years of experience in the electronics rework and repair industry. He received his training through the Navy’s Micro Miniature (2M) Electronic Repair Program. He has progressed through every level of rework and repair recognized in the industry. Norman has also earned the highest certifications awarded by IPC in electronics training, being certified as a Master Instructor in IPC A-610D, J-STD-001D, IPC A-620 and 7711/7721.
He has worked through BEST for several electronics industry leaders and created tailored courses for their equipment. This also includes providing training to technicians and engineers in surface mount and advanced surface mount technology. The knowledge Norm has brought to these companies has been invaluable to their process improvement efforts. His skill has also been a major factor in keeping BEST training at the forefront in the electronics-training field. nmier@solder.net
Jodi comes to BEST with over 25 years of extensive soldering experience. She has worked in all areas of the electronics industry, from assembly to PCB rework/repair and inspection. Jodi brings excitement and personality to every class that she teaches. Whether she’s teaching a beginner level course such as Soldering 101 or an advanced IPC course like IPC 7711/21, Jodi has the ability to bring her real world experiences to the classroom and relate to students on a personal level. Jodi is a MIT in the IPC J-STD-001, IPC-A-610, and IPC 7711/21 certifications. When Jodi isn’t training, she’s assisting the BEST in-house technicians with various rework projects and making improvements to the production processes at BEST. jjohnson@solder.net
Matthew Reed, CIT has been in the electronics industry for over 20 years. After working as an electrical/electronics technician in college his career began in servicing and repairing portable devices for a large telecom company. He also worked in the manufacturing and installation of data and power wiring. After gaining experience with numerous corporations he started training to become an IPC certified instructor. In 2005 Matthew began working for D.R. Reed Consulting and continues his career as a traveling instructor.