Samtec Signal E1 2022 by Samtec Inc.

THE

SAMTEC SIGNAL

STARTING NEW WITH SPRING’S ARRIVAL

WELCOME This issue of The Samtec Signal is all about spring, summer, and the fresh start it tends to bring within our lives. Within this issue you will find our Associates, our customers, and even the Sam Shine Foundation, who dedicates freetime to help make the world a better place for all. We hope this edition inspires you to take advantage of the new seasons, with spring cleaning, getting outside, being kinder to the enviornment and more!

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DID YOU KNOW?

World-wide, pollinator populations are shrinking. Several overlapping factors contribute to this disturbing global trend, including habitat fragmentation, pesticide use, climate change, and the spread of emergent pathogens, parasites, and predators.

WHY DO WE CARE?

Pollinators are vital to creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that many animals rely on for food and shelter. Worldwide, over half the diet of fats and oils comes from crops pollinated by animals. They facilitate the reproduction in 90% of the world’s flowering plants.

MEET Andy Baxter Andy is at our Samtec Optical Group facility in Santa Clara, California. He has been with Samtec for 8.5 years and is currently a Product Engineer focusing on Optics. He happily shared his beekeeping experience with us, below. The Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) that beekeepers manage, is not native to the US. The first hives were transported from Europe in the 17th century. Now a vital part of US agriculture (worth over $16 billion) they’re critical to the pollination of over 100 commercial crops. That said, native bees are still responsible for pollinating many other fruits and vegetables, including pumpkins, blueberries and tomatoes. My interest in bees goes back many years. Living in a cottage in rural England my garden was full of wildlife including a surprising number of bees. When I relocated to California to the heart of Berkeley, keeping bees wasn’t an option, but after moving to a rural area of Sonoma County five years ago I was able to finally get into this fascinating hobby. I currently manage a single hive that is now just coming through its second winter. According to a recent survey, almost half of all managed colonies in the US were lost between 2020 and 2021. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I won’t join that statistic this year. We have a thriving beekeeping association in Sonoma with over 500 members making it the largest in CA and probably the US. Since the start of 2021 I’ve served as secretary of the board of directors, helping to continue our mission of community education, habitat improvement, promoting sustainable practices and helping bee populations thrive in our county. Most people live within the footprint of at least one feral colony. There are typically about 2.5 of these per square mile, often located 20 ft or more up inside a hollow tree trunk. Bee colonies are a ‘super-organism’, a communal collective made up of a single queen, up to 100,000 of her daughters and perhaps a few hundred male drone bees. Each year these drones will fly to established congregation areas where up to 11,000 will loiter in the air. Queens arrive soon after and will mate with 10-20 of

the drones who die afterwards. Each queen will then return home and start laying up to 2500 eggs per day, collectively more than their own body weight. Honey is what people tend to think of if you mention the honeybee and it’s the energy that powers the hive. One lb of honey is the life’s work of around 700 worker bees who will visit over 2 million flowers during their 6-week lifespan to collect nectar. This nectar is mixed with enzymes from their stomachs, stored in the honeycomb cells, dried and converted to honey. A bee can fly 5-6 miles from the hive in search of food, meaning that each hive is pollinating an area of 80 square miles. How honeybees find food is an amazing cooperative endeavor. A returning forager goes to a ‘dance floor’ area inside the dark hive and performs a ‘waggle dance’ to describe where the food is in relation to the hive. The angle of the dance to the vertical represents the horizontal angle to the sun from the hive and the duration of the waggle reflects the distance to the food source. Could you find a specific group of flowers 5 miles away based only on a general indication of the angle and distance? Honeybees have adapted to all seven geographic regions of the US. Workers keep the brood area inside the hive at a constant temperature of 93F +/- 2F regardless of external temperatures. They vibrate their wing muscles to generate heat or fan air to cool the hive. In winter as temperatures drop below 50F, the bees form a tight cluster around the queen. They’ll keep this cluster warm enough to survive until spring. A typical hive might consume 35lb of honey stores to keep them going. The good news for beekeepers is that bees don’t know when to stop and can easily store 2-3 times more honey than they actually need. Spring is when honeybees swarm. It’s the natural reproductive activity of the super-organism. Under the right conditions the queen will depart with up to half the workers to find a new home, leaving the rest to raise a new queen. This is often the first-time people will encounter a bee colony. The footballsized buzzing ball of stinging insects can appear menacing when in fact it’s quite the opposite. Having gorged themselves with honey and with no supplies or young to defend, the swarm is perhaps the most docile that bees ever get. If you notice a bee swarm anywhere contact your local bee association. Most of them have swarm catchers who will be able to remove and relocate the swarm safely.

More Samtec Beekeepers!

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I have been beekeeping for the past four years. It all began about 6 years ago when I was deep into YouTube suggestions and kept getting suggested Beekeeping videos. I personally did not have any friends or family who knew anything about Beekeeping. So, I had to rely on the sparse informational videos on Swarming, Bee Removal, Queen Rearing, Hive Maintenance and many more areas. After years of learning, I finally decided to take the leap and purchase my first three hives.

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Since I began, Beekeeping has been my favorite activity, despite my many mistakes along the way. I’ve been stung countless times, lost my bees to swarming or freezing and have spent many days correcting my mistakes. I am very fortunate to have neighbors who support my bees and are always asking me if certain things can be sprayed with insecticides. I let them know that as long as they are not spraying flowers that are “In Bloom”, my bees should be fine. I currently have 7 hives and live on half an acre in the city. Even if you do not have much land to play with, Beekeeping is a fun activity that anyone can get into. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to give back to society in the form of housing pollinators for the surrounding area. -Dustin Keith, Samtec New Albany

I started the hobby last year and went all in getting equipment etc. for two hives and two full supers of bees. One left me, perhaps I did not shower enough, and the other sadly did not put on enough honey and froze to death this winter. I can tell you that is a gut wrenching moment finding a thousand + bees all stuck together, dead. I’m starting a new package now. It’s fun. Yesterday, I watched the funniest thing happen. A bee came in for a landing, tumbling end over end on top of the hive, just like the cartoons. She then fell down to the entrance board and walked on in. I think she had 10x her weight of pollen on her legs. -Henry Sipes, Samtec New Albany

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5 years ago, my wife and I said, “Let’s get bees, it will be fun!” She and I began researching everything we could on beekeeping, why bees were important to pollinating food crops, the dangers of having hives as well as the benefits. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot, like, don’t drop a frame of 1,000 bees on the ground, that a bee will chase you all the way around a house and how bees communicate with you, because they give you plenty of warning before they sting if you listen to them. I really enjoy building things for my bees, I’ve built a Langstroth hive and a top bar hive and am currently looking into a double deep horizontal Langstroth hive. -Bryan Ray, Samtec New Albany

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The picture above shows a “bee brood” which, is just baby bees growing in the cells before they hatch. I picked up beekeeping after talking with a family friend who makes a living beekeeping. I’m now up to 5 hives and likely going to double that by the end of this year. I didn’t exactly want to become a professional beekeeper, but the pollinating benefits that come from having honeybees was a worthwhile venture as my wife and I sell produce at the Madison Farmer’s Market and the bee’s do a fantastic job at pollinating our tomatoes, melons, apple trees, strawberries, and whatever else blooms. Of course, the honey we get, is a nice addition too. I’d encourage everyone to look at just how important the honeybee is and what it does for our food supply. They’ve been a fantastic addition to our farm, but you don’t need to farm like us to justify having a hive for yourself. -Alex Davis, Samtec New Albany

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You don’t have to be a beekeeper to make a difference! Bees face many challenges in the world, today. The loss of their natural habitat, Varroa (a rampant parasitic mite and vector for viruses), an increase in the use of pesticides, the rise in monocrop farming (see the Sam Shine Foundation article to see how this is one of the foundation’s HUGE points of focus), climate change, and poor beekeeping practices to name but a few. Even without becoming a beekeeper there are many things that people can do to help both honeybees as well as our native species. • Leave an area in the garden that is not mowed – flowering weeds are an important food source and in early spring may be the only one available. • Leave some soil bare to help ground nesting native bees • Plant a pollinator garden and select native plants and flowers rich in nectar • Don’t use pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in your garden. Go organic where possible. • Plant trees (an important food source and habitat for bees). • If possible, avoid planting lawns which are basically deserts for insects. • Support your local beekeeping association, donate if you can. • Only buy honey from local beekeepers whenever possible. SCBA: www.sonomabees.org

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My bee story begins with my son, Jared. Jared had a lot of energy at the time and needed a place to release that energy. It also helped him to take his mind off life’s challenges. While they are not too labor intense, he found bees to be very therapeutic and truly one of life’s many wonders. He began to share what he had learned about bees. This is where my interest in bees came in, not as a beekeeper but an observer. Jared eventually moved on and left dad with bees in the yard. I began to broaden my understanding of bees and can truly say they are fascinating creatures. My interest in bees became more than observing, it became my therapy. I love to hear the bees rumble around me while working with them, and I quickly learned that bees have temper. Sometimes you can walk right up to the hive and come out okay, others not so much, a stinger right between the eyes will certainly encourage you to learn when not to bother the bees. I have pulled 40 lbs. of honey which was donated to help my son Jared go on a mission trip, not skunked but close. Nowhere near cash flow positive, if BV asks. Bees die, they swarm, or they just simply disappear with no evidence. I have had up to ten hives back to zero hives in a matter of one winter/ spring. I am okay losing bees to swarms, over a hive that just dies. Either wildlife gained a healthy hive, or my neighbor John Kruer gets a new hive for his empty boxes. Win/Win. I now have three hives, in hopes to get honey one day. But if I don’t, oh well , I am okay with just the satisfaction of working with the bees. -Everett Koopman, Samtec New Albany

WELCOME ULTRA COMMUNICATIONS! By: Danny Boesing

On December 16, 2021, Samtec announced the acquisition of Ultra Communications, Inc., a manufacturer of high-speed digital and RF fiber optic components, based in Vista, CA. Ultra Communication’s core competencies include circuit design, optoelectronic package design, and manufacturing of fiber optic components. Founded in 2005, the company holds substantial IP and technology, with active programs in the mil-avionic, space/satellite, ground vehicles, radar, and shipboard connectivity arenas. The acquisition provides Samtec with an opportunity to strengthen and expand our fiber optic product offering for mil/aero and harsh environment applications. Ultra Communications’ expertise in high-speed mixed-signal circuit design, packaging for high fidelity electrical and optical coupling, and testing at the wafer and component level, combined with Samtec’s advanced interconnect design expertise, will provide advanced product and technology solutions for our customers. Samtec’s and Ultra Communications’ Products Samtec has an established customer base in the industrial and mil-aero markets with its optical FireFly™ product line. FireFly’s miniature footprint allows for greater density and closer proximity to the IC, simplifying board layout. Performance to 28 Gbps can be achieved in the same footprint covering an area of only 0.63 square inches for an aggregate 265 Gbps/in². FireFly Optical systems, the ECUO series, are available in x4 and x12 designs. They incorporate OM3 multi-mode fiber and are available in a variety of End 2 options and heat sinks for various cooling processes. The ETUO is an Extended Temperature FireFly with a -40 ºC to +85 ºC range for military and industrial applications. PCUO is a PCIe-Over-Fiber optical cable system with Gen 3/4 data transfer rates to 100 m. The PCOA is a PCIe-Over-Fiber adaptor card supports transparent and non-transparent bridging.

Ultra Communications’ products, which feature a Surface-MountTechnology (SMT) reflowable attach process, complement the FireFly family. The acquisition provides aerospace and mil-aero customers with another option to achieve small size, low weight and power (SWaP) in extreme environments. About Ultra Communications Founded in 2005, Ultra Communications is AS9100-certified and has a rich space heritage in high-speed mixed-signal circuit design for applications requiring radiation hardening (rad-hard), extended temperature range and high reliability performance. Ultra Communications serves the most advanced avionic, space, maritime and terrestrial applications with precision packaging for high fidelity electrical and optical coupling, and hardware and software platforms for monitoring networks’ health and security.

Earth Day April 22, 2022 Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 and is celebrated every April 22nd since.

“Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better”

-Albert Einstein

Samtec Lake’s Property Update Last summer, Purdue University Educator, Gina Anderson visited our lakes property and taught Associates about our local pollinators. She has a background in Horticulture and Natural Resources and is very enthusiastic about pollinators, as are many of our Associates. Some are more interested than others but our hope is to continue to share the effects each Associate can have in the enviornment and possibly grow more support for our Enviornmental team, our Lakes property, and everyday living. On April 22nd, we held our Earth Day event! New Albany Associates were given wildflower seeds and planted up and down a large hill around our Lakes property. These wildflower seeds contain a mixture of nectar-rich wildflowers to provide food and habitat for local pollinators. Once these grow, you’ll see more butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and more! It is still VERY early in discussion, but there may be a possibility of adding beekeeping to our Lake Property!

SAM SHINE FOUNDATION MALLORY SWAMP The Sam Shine Foundation was founded in 1995 and is a private foundation focusing on conserving native, natural environments, and wildlife while enhancing humans connectivity with the natural world. Mission Statement: Long term conservation, preservation, and restoration of natural ecosystems while focusing on maintaining and enhancing native wildlife habitats associated with unique lands and waters.

MALLORY SWAMP was the first significant restoration project for Sam Shine Foundation (SSF). Remarkably, Mallory Swamp eventually became the largest successful aquifer & swamp hydration project in North America! Because of detrimental activities of past landowners (harvesting of native trees and draining of the swamp), this 47.6 square miles (30,501 acres) of swampland was in dire need of restoration. This is where SSF efforts began and continued from 1997 to 2002.

Harvesting native timber between 1880s - 1920s Source: Florida Photographic Collection

Where is Mallory Swamp? Mallory Swamp is located south of Mayo, Florida in Lafayette County and is a portion of the Upper Steinhatchee Conservation Area. Native timber (mostly cypress) was harvested between 1880s-1920s from Mallory Swamp. Detrimental Activities of Past Owners Topographically, Mallory Swamp is unique because it’s a swamp on top of a hill, nearly 60 feet above sea level. Water would runoff this parcel easily, if given the opportunity. During the 1950s Procter & Gamble (P&G), a multinational consumer goods company, owned the land. P&G created the opportunity for water to drain by installing water canals that allowed water to easily drain into lower elevations, mostly toward the south. P&G was draining Mallory Swamp to plant dense stands of quick growing pine trees (slash & loblolly), the pine wood pulp was being used as absorbent materials for disposable diapers. Modifications of wetlands (or other environments) to grow specific trees by limiting the growth of other trees is known as silvicultural, where only one type of tree is cultivated. Foley Timber & Land Company purchased the area in 1994 and continued silvicultural practices for pine tree harvest, the once natural wetlands were continuing to be drained. 50 years of aggressive silviculture activities resulted in four major detrimental changes: 1. Significant reduction in production of fisheries because of the larger influx of freshwater runoff. 2. Reduced drinking water availability because the local aquifer was not hydrated. Surprisingly, water quality was not compromised.

3. Increased wildfires from lightning strikes (Florida is the lightning capital of the world) that destroyed homes, personal property, and required evacuations. 4. Significantly limited overall biodiversity. Many native species left Mallory Swamp because environment and related habitats were no longer native. Invasive species quickly replace native species. Sam Shine Foundation Obtained the Land In 1997, Sam Shine Foundation was able to obtain the Mallory Swamp property with a goal of restoration. Quick and proactive action by SSF prevented further land development or over use (offsite timber use). Restoring 47.6 square miles (30,501 acres) of swampland is a significant challenge, however SSF recognized the need for restoration and conservation of this area. This project would span multiple years, require millions of donated dollars, and have many unforeseen challenges. However, SSF recognized that Mallory Swamp was an important area adversely impacted by human activity and worth the effort. The action of SSF allowed the State of Florida to eventually purchase the property. A common practice of SSF is to assist Regional, State, and Federal level entities to acquire larger parcels of lands for restoration and conservation through property ownership transfers, which was the case with Mallory Swamp. Florida appreciated having the opportunity to purchase Mallory Swamp land at a reasonable price to increase the areas of Suwannee River Water Management District. SSF was instrumental in providing 14 northern Florida counties with a sustainable freshwater source for a daily demand of nearly 14 million gallons. This project had a direct positive impact on about 650,000 Florida residents!

NEW UPDATES! LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT SHAREPOINT https://samtec.sharepoint.com/sites/ LearningAndDevelopment/

New Section!

Visit L&D’s Sharepoint page at the link above to watch videos from Marshall Goldsmith and Simon Sinek, discussed in our Samtec University classes! More Influencers to come!

Upcomming Virtual Samtec Leads Courses All times are listed as Eastern Time EST. Delegation - July 7 from 12pm-2pm Situational Leadership - July 12 from 9am-12:30pm Working from Home - July 13 from 10am-11:30am Effective Meetings - July 13 from 9am-12pm Time Management - July 19 from 12pm-3pm Servant Leadership - July 20 from 9am-12pm Samtec Culture - July 26 from 8am-10am Managing Remote Teams - July 26 from 10am-11:30am Leadership Climate - July 28 from 12pm-3pm Emotional Intelligence - July 29 from 9am-12pm Managing Conflict - August 2 from 12pm-3pm Personal Accountability - August 3 from 9am-12pm Difficult Conversations - August 3 from 9pm-12am Giving & Receiving Feedback - August 9 from 9am-12pm Presentation Basics - August 10 from 12pm-3pm High-Performance Teams - August 17 from 12pm-3pm Time Management - August 18 from 9am-12pm Kolbe @ Work - August 22 from 2pm-3pm Managing Conflict - August 24 from 9am-12pm Interpersonal Communication - August 26 from 9am-12pm Managing Stress - August 30 from 10am-11:30am Negotiation - August 31 from 8am-12pm

New Podcast!

LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW EP 5 with David Gurtz

6 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SPRING CLEANING BY SARAH AGUIRRE

The flowers are blooming, the birds are serenading, and the house still feels like it’s stuck with winter blues. Spring cleaning is a tradition that allows us to freshen up our homes and get a head start on the often hectic seasons of spring and summer. It can feel like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Here are six spring cleaning tips to get you started. Clean Room by Room Approaching your house room by room is the most effective way to deep clean it. Create cleaning checklists for each room to help you get organized and to remind you of the areas that need extra attention. Feel free to skip the areas that have been cleaned recently, and focus on the parts of your home that were largely neglected over the winter. Organize and Clear the Clutter One of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is often getting rid of clutter. A systematic four-step approach can be helpful for this. Identify problem areas, analyze reasons for the clutter, determine solutions, and implement them. Sorting your belongings into four categories—trash, give away, store, or put away—can also be effective as you go through the spring-cleaning process. Move the clutter out as soon as possible, whether it’s bringing a donation box to a charity or planning a yard sale. Get the Household Involved Make spring cleaning a household endeavor. Even young children can be excellent helpers. Assign age-appropriate chores, so everyone feels included. Try throwing on some music as you all clean or establishing a household reward as an incentive to get the work done.

Tackle the Seasonal Chores Many chores need to be done seasonally, especially in preparation for warmer weather. So incorporate them into your spring-cleaning routine to get them out of the way early. For instance, tackle outdoor chores, such as cleaning the grill, patio, and outsides of windows, as soon as the weather warms up. Also, store winter clothing, bedding, decor, and other items. And pull out your spring items to give your home a refreshed look. Keep Cleaning Products to a Minimum If you need to shop for new cleaning products for spring cleaning, keep your items to a minimum. Myriad cleaning supplies can create unnecessary clutter, and you probably don’t need all of them to keep your home fresh and clean. Opt for a good all-purpose cleaner and microfiber cloths. Those items will cover the majority of surfaces in your home. Then, purchase other specialty cleaning supplies only as needed. Establish New Cleaning Habits A thorough spring cleaning that covers the whole house is a great opportunity to establish ongoing cleaning habits, which can make the next spring cleaning even easier. For instance, don’t try to do all of your spring cleaning in one day or even one weekend. Instead, tackle items on your spring cleaning to-do list for just 15 minutes each day. That will help to get you in the habit of tidying up for 10 to 15 minutes per day even after you’re done with your spring cleaning tasks.

C-V2X

TECHNOLOGY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD By David Pike

There is a new acronym that is being used in the world of automotive design, and that is C-V2X. In conversation, this is referred to as vehicle-to-X, or sometimes vehicle to everything. The leading “C” stands for cellular. These phrases are used to describe the latest vehiclebased electronics that is taking advantage of the cellular communications network. In particular, the 5G network that is being rolled out is allowing vehicles to communicate with other road users – the “X” or “everything” in the name. The latest vehicles are using an array of in-car sensors to monitor both their own status and to build a picture of the environment around them. This information is gathered by many different technologies, some of which we have looked at before including the latest vision systems. Vehicles are then using this information to help navigate and avoid potential hazards. Making Travel Safer In-vehicle computing systems will receive and process this information to make travel safer. The key element of C-V2X technology, however, is that vehicles share the information gathered with other road users – whether they are other vehicles, pedestrians with 5G smartphones or traffic control infrastructure. By communicating with other vehicles, the V2X network will allow them to use the same data to make splitsecond decisions that will improve traffic flow and avoid potential accidents. The potential results are certainly worth the investment required. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that, if C-V2X technology was widely adopted, potential road traffic accidents could

be reduced by more than 13%. That represents more than 400,000 fewer accidents per annum in the United States alone. Expanded to the global automotive marketplace, this represents a huge reduction in dangerous incidents. The key to making this system reach its potential is the speed of response. With vehicles traveling at speed in different directions, avoiding action needs to be taken with split-second timing. Low Latency makes for Rapid Reactions There are two elements to ensuring this rapid reaction. The first is to equip vehicles with high-speed computing systems that can process and then act upon the huge volume of information that is collected by sensors. This is edge computing – deploying sophisticated computing equipment close to the point of need. This means that cars are becoming their own little data centers, gathering and processing huge amounts of data onboard to keep latency to a minimum. The other pillar to a fully-functioning C-V2X network is rapid wireless communication. The latest 5G technology is central to this communication, enabling data sharing at the highest possible speed.

Samtec connectors are at the forefront of high-speed communication, with products that are specifically designed to provide superior board-to-board and boardto-wire solutions in harsh conditions, alongside precision RF connectors that are vital to wireless systems. Samtec has created the Severe Environment Testing (SET) program, which tests connectors far beyond conventional standards for service life, vibration, shock and temperature cycling. Certified to IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001, and with vertically integrated manufacturing processes, Samtec offers a range of automotive solutions to enable the latest C-V2X technology.

THE SAMTEC AQUARIUM IT’S COOL, AND WE COULDN’T GET A LIVE TIGER By Danny Boesing

Just about every visitor or guest to Samtec New Albany comments on the aquarium in the lobby. It’s big, fun, and unexpected. I’ve been in the lobby of hundreds of Samtec customers and vendors over the years, and I’ve never seen anything like it. The 2017 Remodel If you’re new to Samtec, our New Albany headquarters underwent a major expansion in 2017. This included a total renovation of the lobby. The original lobby was small with a few chairs that reflected the mindset of the company in its earlier days: hard-working, functional, and definitely not extravagant. The new lobby was reimagined into a spacious, modern, two-story welcome center that reflects the innovative, leading-edge technology company that Samtec has become. Wood and stone décor, with floor-to-ceiling windows welcome guests with abundant light, charm and warmth. The centerpiece of the lobby area is the Samtec aquarium. It grabs your attention, it’s peaceful, and besides, we couldn’t put a live tiger in the lobby. The Samtec aquarium was designed and built by Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, of Las Vegas, Nevada. You may recognize their name from the TV show “Tanked” on Animal Planet. If you’re not familiar with Tanked, it’s a cross between Pawn Stars, Duck Dynasty and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau. The design, construction, and installation of the aquarium are featured on an episode of Tanked. You can

find it online if you google “Tanked Samtec Shark Byte” (here’s a synopsis of the episode). Personally, I had a ton of questions about the aquarium. Questions like what types of fish are these, what do they eat, how long do they live, how does the lighting work, how do we keep them healthy, etc., etc.? I spoke to Chris Schickel, who oversees the aquarium’s maintenance and the fish’s wellbeing. Size and Filtration Systems The tank holds 6k gallons of water (22,712 liters), and at all times there’s another 500 gallons passing through the filtration system under it. Four pumps each cycle 8,500 gallons per hour, for a total of 34k gallons cycled per hour. The filtration system consists of two biological filters, the purpose of which is to grow bacteria, to lower ammonia, thereby reducing nitrites and nitrates and other toxins from building up in the tank. Two mechanical filters collect waste, debris, and other biologic elements (nasties). Two pumps in an adjacent room cycle water through a sand filter, and another pump sends the water through chilling units to maintain the 74° F (23° C) water temperature. While I usually think of protein as a good thing, that’s not the case with aquariums. Protein skimmers inject air into the filters, creating small bubbles. Proteins attach to the bubbles, and when they burst, protein levels are reduced. The tank is 21’ (6.4 meters) long, 6’ (1.8 meters) wide, and 6’ (1.8 meters) tall. It’s made of 3” (7.6 cm) thick acrylic. Acrylic is much lighter and stronger than glass. Acrylic will last a lifetime and is clear. Glass discolors, and the thicker

the glass, the harder it is to see through. Iron is more visible in thick glass, and the glass appears to have a green tint.

have about a 6-8 month gestation period. The smaller fish in our aquarium have a life expectancy of 12-15 years, while the sharks can live up to 25 years or more.

The Fish I asked Chris why these fish were selected for the Samtec aquarium. Chris explained that they were strategically selected to coexist. That’s aquarist code for they won’t eat each other. In the case of our aquarium, since we knew we wanted sharks, the other fish were selected because they can live and survive with sharks.

The sharks mainly eat squid, krill, and silversides (a saltwater minnow). The sharks are fed three days a week. All of the other fish daily are fed pellets through an automatic feeder. On the days sharks are fed, the other fish also get Mysis Shrimp and Brine Shrimp.

For example, all of the other fish are too big to be eaten by sharks, and they are not overly-aggressive by nature, so they won’t attack each other or the sharks. They are saltwater fish, mostly from the Indo-Pacific region, but some are native to the U.S. coastal waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. For example, the sting ray is a California Sting Ray, and the sharks — Horn Sharks and Smoothound Sharks – are also caught off the coast of California. How are the fish caught? Or are they bred somewhere? Many are still caught in the wild. Divers collect the fish with nets. Most saltwater fish are found in coral reefs. Chris explained that collecting these types of fish has become much more responsible and ecologically-friendly. The industry is now more regulated, permits and licenses are required to harvest, and there are limits on the number of fish that can be harvested. Chris explained that “the industry is very responsible and careful, and they help to maintain and grow the population.” Technology advances now allow more fish to come from captive breeding and fewer are taken from the ocean. You may have noticed the brown corkscrew objects on the bottom of the Samtec aquarium floor. Those are shark eggs. Several months ago one of the Horn Sharks laid about a dozen eggs, but they were not fertilized and therefore never hatched. Apparently, this isn’t unusual for a young female shark when she lays eggs for the first time. But we have at least two new eggs in the aquarium, and Chris is watching them to see if they’re fertilized. Instead of spring chickens we’ll have spring sharks. Shark eggs

Is there a size limit for fish in this size aquarium? The fish in the Samtec aquarium will not outgrow the tank. For this size tank, six feet is about the maximum length. The biggest fish in our tank are the Smoothhound Sharks, which are about 4’ long, and may grow another 1 to 2 feet. Lighting The Samtec aquarium has an automated lighting system. The white lights are on during the daytime, from 9am – 4pm. Blue lights are on for one hour in the morning, from 8 – 9am, and then for one hour at the end of the day, from 4– 5pm. Fish don’t need any more light, and too much light promotes algae growth in the aquarium. Shades descend at night because, like us, fish need rest. Lights and movement in the building make it difficult for them to rest, and protecting them from these types of distractions maintains their wellbeing. Do fish sleep? Fish go into a state of resting, behind plants, in sandy areas, behind rocks, and in safe places, but they don’t fall asleep like humans. Chris explained that they rest and their metabolism slows down, but they don’t actually lose consciousness. Links to websites mentioned in this article: Acrylic Tank Manufacturing: acrylictankmanufacturing.com “Tanked” on Animal Planet: animalplanet.com/show/tanked-animal-planet Synopsis of the Tanked episode: theworkprint.com/tanked-recap-shark-byte/123 Short video of the Samtec aquarium: vimeo.com/672540771

ADDICTION TO INSPIRATION Joshua Rohl works at our New Albany location. He has been with Samtec since Spring 2018 and began as a second shift team lead in Traffic. Josh’s energetic spirit and hardworking mindset lead him on a path of sucess throughout Samtec. If you’ve ever met Josh, you know he doesn’t meet a stranger and enjoys sharing his journey if there is even a slim possibility to help others going through similar situations. As he shares his journey on addiction below, keep in mind he is open to be a resource and friend to you. Thank you so much for sharing Josh! My Childhood and Growing up I was born and raised in Indianapolis, IN. I am the oldest of four children. I had a pretty typical childhood, nothing out of the ordinary. I went to Catholic schools from kindergarten all the way through high school. High school was difficult, as I was bullied and then had a very traumatic experience my Senior year where the school humiliated me at a school dance. At 17 years old, I did not understand how to process and cope with those emotions, so I started drinking at the age of 17, and drank pretty much every day for the next 14 years. I got married in 2009, and my wife at the time wasn’t concerned with my drinking, mostly because I kept it hidden. I never suffered consequences from my drinking; no DUI’s, no one harmed, never missed work, etc. I never thought I had a problem until the end of 2010 I decided I didn’t want to drink anymore. That is when I realized I had a problem because I couldn’t just stop. I confessed to my wife that I wanted to quit but couldn’t, so she read some passages from her Bible and prayed with me. But I continued to drink. We started going to church per her suggestion. We went to several Christian churches and found one we enjoyed on January 2nd, 2011. On February 20th, 2011, I woke up to go to church and my wife wasn’t able to go because she was sick. After Sunday school, I went to the auditorium and approached the associate pastor about being saved. We went into a small room near the auditorium and we talked and then I prayed to be saved. In that moment, my desire to drink was immediately removed! I have never had another

drink of alcohol since February 19th, 2011! But that’s not the end of my story. I had never dealt with the internal pain that led me to drink, so I still had the inner pain. I was in a car accident in 2013 and was hit by a drunk driver. I cracked a few ribs and injured my neck. I was prescribed pain pills and then that was the beginning of a very long, painful battle with addiction. It progressed rapidly and I was consumed with the addiction. I lied about it the whole time, thinking I could continue living two separate lives forever. I’m here to tell you, that is exhausting. My wife finally caught me in a lie and I had no choice but to tell the truth, but that wasn’t enough to make me quit buying and taking the pain pills. In the beginning of 2018, I got the news that they were laying off a percentage of managers at AT&T where I was employed, and I was on that list. I had moved from Indianapolis to Sellersburg in 2015 for AT&T. I had traveled to Indianapolis for a meeting on March 23rd, 2018, and I was standing outside in the parking lot, completely exhausted and broken. I Googled ‘addiction centers’ and called a 1-800 number.

The rep asked if I could be to the Indianapolis airport in 45 minutes. I explained I was 2 hours away from home with no extra clothes, no toothbrush, no contacts, etc.. He said that if I didn’t go then, I’d likely never go. So, I humbled myself and asked my boss to take me, and she gladly obliged. I explained to her on the trip over and she was absolutely heartbroken. They flew me to Tampa, FL to a rehab facility where I stayed 32 days. When I initially went, I thought I was there to try and save my marriage. But shortly after, I prayed and realized I needed to work on me before anything else would be resolved. I was able to openly express the pain from childhood and high school and was surrounded by others with very similar stories as mine. It was life-changing! I left rehab on April 25th, 2018 and flew to Louisville, KY. My wife was very upset, which I absolutely could not blame her. She filed for divorce, our divorce was finalized in October of 2018, and I ended up moving in with my uncle and living in the spare room of his apartment in St. Matthews, KY. I lived with him for 2 years. I ended up being laid off from AT&T in April of 2018 and had no idea what I was going to do for a job. Through Divine appointments, I applied for a job at Samtec and was hired! I started as the 2nd shift lead for Traffic and worked a lot of hours to understand how it all worked! I was promoted to Traffic supervisor at the beginning of 2019 and truly loved that job. I was then promoted to my current role, Product Owner, right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, so I actually took on this role in July of 2020. My motto has always been to work hard and learn as much as I can! I began dating Becca in April of 2019, we broke up in the beginning of 2020, and spent some time alone. I had things I still needed to heal from and work through. We rekindled our relationship in January of 2021 and then married on 10/22/2021. We are both in recovery and share our stories as often as we have the opportunity. There is so much more to my story, but I believe those are the highlights! If this story is similar to yours, if it speaks to you, if you know someone who would be encouraged to hear or read it, please share! I am always ready and willing to speak to anyone about any aspect of my life! I want my story to show that there is hope on the other side of whatever you may be going through!

Samtec Cares Samtec Penang DONATIONS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS On December 20, Malaysia’s worst floods in years have caused widespread damage, including the area of Shah Alam. Our Samtec Penang facility was shocked with news. The heavy downpour has been described as a “once in 100 years”event. 47 people killed and more than 50,000 displaced due to this flood disaster. Samtec Penang immediately launch a flash donation campaign. Every Ringgit collected from our Associates, Samtec contributed two Ringgit in addition. With less than 24 hours, we successfully collected rm 2300 from Samtec Penang Associates which was donated to the national welfare foundation, Malaysia (YKN) is rm 7300 (about $1,730 USD total)!

Rescuers evacuate residents on a boat in Shah Alam, Malaysia.

DONATIONS TO RETIREMENT HOMES Samtec Penang’s CSR (corporate social responsibility) program delivered donations to retirement homes Permatang Tinggi in Malaysia. Associate’s donated items like rice packs, cooking oil, adult pampers, toilet tissue, biscuits, and more. We managed to collect a total donation amount of about 3100 Malaysian ringgit (about $735 USD) from our Samtec Associates and company. Poh Ling (right) is a representative from Samtec Penang and delivered the cash & donation items to old folk’s homes.

By: Danny Boesing According to the AKC, the #1 (best) dog breed for families is the Labrador Retriever. That’s a matter of opinion, but Labs are great dogs. But one ranking that’s not debatable is Samtec is once again ranked #1 in the Bishop and Associates “2021 North American Customer Survey of the Electronic Connector Industry.” This is the 18th time Samtec has been recognized as the Service Leader in the connector industry. Key Results Samtec received the overall #1 ranking in the survey. Results specific to Samtec include: Ranked as the Top Performing Connector Company # 1 in product quality # 1 in meeting requested ship dates # 1 in on-time delivery to requested date # 1 in company responsiveness during Covid-19 # 1 in meeting promised ship date # 1 in lead time # 1 in technical support and expertise # 1 in usefulness of website # 1 in ease of finding the connector product you need on website # 1 in availability of technical documentation on website # 1 in satisfaction with placing orders electronically # 1 with Inside Sales / Customer Service function # 1 in overall effectiveness in handling problems # 1 with product samples When sorted by job function, Samtec received the highest ranking by both Engineers and Purchasing.

About The Bishop and Associates Survey Bishop and Associates is a research firm specializing in the global electronic connector market. They annually conduct a survey of electronic original equipment manufacturers (EOEMs), assembly manufacturers, contract manufacturers (CEMs) and distributors to determine how the Connector Industry, and selected connector manufacturers, are performing. Bishop developed a detailed questionnaire, asking the target groups to answer eighteen (18) questions about thirty-seven (37) connector manufacturers, including TE Connectivity, Amphenol, Molex, Phoenix Contact, among others. The survey questionnaire was transmitted electronically to engineers and purchasing personnel in those target groups who design, specify, and purchase connectors. Industries surveyed include Automotive, Computer/Peripheral, Telecom/Datacom, Medical Electronics, Aircraft/Space/Missiles, Military/ Government, Office/Business Equipment, Consumer Electronics, Test/Measurement/ Instrumentation, Industrial Controls, and Transportation (Non-Automotive). BTW, Samtec is also ranked #1 in Bishop and Associates‘ European Customer Service Survey. A Little History Samtec was founded in the late 1970’s on a simple formula: “Provide superior customer service, treat associates (employees) with respect, and make them owners and partners in success.” Said another way, the goal was to be the “easiest company to do business with,” and provide what we called “Sudden Service.” As a 33 year Samtec veteran, I can tell you from personal experience that service is the foundation of the company, and while the definition of service has evolved over the years, the commitment to it has not waned. It’s truly in the company’s DNA.

Costa Rica

RECIPES AROUND THE WORLD

Take a journey with us to Samtec Costa Rica! Not only is it a beautiful country, but the food is seen as art. We’ve asked our Associates in Costa Rica to share their favorite traditional dishes so you can try them at home! If you try a recipe, reach out and let them know!

RICE AND BEANS WITH CHICKEN Recipe by: Deivid Sancho Montero Ingredients: • Coconut • Rice • Red beans • Thyme • Panamanian pepper • Garlic

• Onion • Chicken (preferably thigh and hip) • Tomato • Salt, red pepper, chicken consommé • Ripe bananas • Lettuce and/or cabbage

Preparation: 1. Grate all the coconut and blend to remove the milk 2. Cook the beans with the coconut milk, thyme, garlic, Panamanian pepper (3 or 4 small holes are made in the pepper with the tip of a knife or a toothpick so that the pepper does not burst). 3. Once the beans are cooked, we start with the rice which is simmered with the bean broth, thyme, Panamanian pepper, garlic and salt to taste, when it is almost burst into rice we add the beans, all this is stirred cook over low heat 4. Now we continue with the chicken the important thing about this is to marinate it preferably a day before, then in a non-sticky pot add oil and a few handfuls of sugar and wait until it is black and bubbly. Finally, we put the chicken to caramelize. 5. In another pot we make the chicken sauce with well-chopped tomatoes, the onion, and salt. Then add coconut milk, thyme, Panamanian pepper and a little soy sauce. 6. Once the chicken is caramelized (almost as if it were black), add it to the tomato sauce and let it cook. 7. Cook the ripe banana with butter and sprinkle it with a little salt. 8. Make tomato salad with cabbage, lettuce, lemon and salt to taste. I would like to finish this recipe dedicating it to my mother since it is one of the few recipes that she remembers, she suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, that is why it is of great importance in my life.

GREEN PAPAYA PICADILLO WITH CHICASQUIL Recipe by: Víctor Villarreal Jiménez

ONION BREAD Recipe by: Jonathan Guerrero Álvarez

Ingredients: • ½ kg ground beef, beef tenderloin or sausage (chorizo) • 1 medium green papaya or two small ones • 1 bunch of chicasquil leaves • 1 tbsp. vegetable shortening • 1/2 tsp. turmeric or achiote • 1/2 stalk of celery, thinly sliced • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • Cumin, salt and pepper to taste

Beyond this recipe: I would like to share this family recipe. We usually make these exquisite breads when the San Juan festivities are celebrated (Saint festivities of my town Patarrá, on June 24) when it is Holy Week and Christmas. I inherited it from my beloved grandmother, who helped me get a taste for cooking.

Preparation: 1. Cut papaya lengthwise to release the latex milky white liquid that contains the enzyme papain). Let stand about 10 minutes. 2. Cook the meat and season it to taste. In case of using beef tenderloin, chop very finely. 3. Peel the papaya and cut it into very small pieces. 4. In a pot, bring water to a boil and cook the chopped papaya for 4 minutes. 5. Remove from the water and drain very well. You can use a paper towel to get the most water out of it. Reserve. 6. In the same water where you cooked the papaya, cook the chicasquil leaves without the stems for 4 minutes just to soften 7. Chop the leaves very finely. 8. In a medium saucepan or pot, add vegetable shortening and turmeric, add the onion, celery, and garlic, cook until crystallized. 9. Add the meat, the papaya and the chicasquil leaves, mix very well. Add the cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 4 more minutes. Eat it with corn tortillas.

Ingredients: Dough: • 2 packages of wheat flour. • 4 sticks of margarine. • Salt to taste. • A splash of crema dulce (closest to heavy cream). • Frozen water. Filling: • Mayonnaise. If it’s homemade, the better. • Finely grated onion. Preparation: 1. First use your hand and gently stir to combine the butter with the flour. 2. Add the crema dulce and the salt. 3. Slowly add ice water to create non-sticky dough. 4. Divide the dough into parts. Each part is flattened until it is about 0.5 cm thick. 5. Divide the flattened parts into rectangles and add a little bit of filling, close them and shape. 6. Place the parts into a lightly greased, floured trays. 7. Beat an egg and brush it on top to give the buns shine. 8. Bake at 180°C for approximately 25 to 30 min.

TRIPE IN SAUCE Recipe by: María Morera Sibaja

BAKED CHEESE STICKS Recipe by: Gabriela Monge Brenes

Ingredients: • Beef Tripe • Garbanzo beans • Carrot • Celery • Cilantro

Ingredients: • Flour • Shredded dry cheese • Butter stick

• Red pepper, onion and garlic • Thyme and bay leaf • Tomato • Salt • Beef bouillon • Achiote

Preparation: 1. Combine water, tripe, salt, thyme and bay leaf in a large stockpot over high heat. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that accumulates. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Transfer tripe to a plate and set aside to cool. Reserve 1 to 2 cups of the cooking liquid. 2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and onion; cook and stir until pancetta is browned and onion is translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir garlic into pancetta mixture; cook and stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir marinara sauce, 1 cup reserved tripe liquid, and red pepper flakes into the pancetta mixture. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. 4. Cut tripe into 1-inch cubes and add to marinara-pancetta sauce; stir to combine. If needed, add 1 cup of the reserved tripe liquid. Simmer for 30 minutes. 5. Mix garbanzo beans and mint into the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with ParmigianoReggiano cheese and serve.

Quantities: For each cup of flour you should add half a cup of shredded cheese and a stick of butter at room temperature. Preparation: 1. In a deep bowl, mix together the flour and cheese. 2. Add the butter and with your hands begin to combine all the ingredients until it forms a compact ball with a semi-soft texture. If it’s a little hard, add more butter this time slightly melted. 3. Once the dough is ready, make balls and place them in a piping bag with tip cut. Push with the big finger, thus forming the stick. 4. Put the sticks in a pan and bake at a temperature of 350°F for approximately 20 minutes (depending on the type of oven) or until they are golden brown. They cook fast so you have to be careful that they do not burn.

GREEN BANANA PICADILLO WITH PEEL Recipe by: Daniela Varela Alfaro Ingredients: • 5 bananas with tender peel • 1 onion • 3 garlic • Oregano • Thyme

• Complete seasoning • Curry • Salt • Achiote • 1 teaspoon black pepper • 3/4 of beef tenderloin

Preparation: 1. Cook the beef with a sprig of oregano and thyme, condiments to taste and a teaspoon of complete seasoning and salt. 2. Cut the bananas in half, removing the tips. Bring to boil. 3. Once the beef is cooked, crumble and fry with the garlic, chopped onion, curry, complete seasoning, salt & achiote. Add a cup of meat broth & leave for ten minutes on low heat. 4. Add banana and chopped peels and stir little by little. Add one or two more cups of meat broth to finish cooking. 5. Wait a few minutes until it dries a little then remove from heat.

RICE PUDDING Recipe by: Leyni Agüero Argüello Ingredients: • 2 cups of rice • 2 liters of milk • 1 ½ cup sugar • ½ can of condensed milk • 1 can of evaporated milk

• ½ stick of margarine • Vanilla to taste • 3 cinnamon sticks • Cloves to taste • Pinch of salt

Preparation: 1. In a pot boil the rice with a little water with the cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of salt. 2. Add the milk, the sweetened condensed milk, the evaporated milk, the sugar and the margarine when it is boiling. 3. Stir constantly until rice is smooth. Note: You can add cheese, raisins, or coconut.

CHORREADAS (100% CORN) Recipe by: Alice González Molina Ingredients: - Corn. Preparation: 1. Scrape and ground the corn. 2. In a pan, put the oil and pour the mixture until it spread. Flip it over so it cooks on both sides. 3. Enjoy it with sour cream.

PHONE ATTACKS

Smishing: Text-based social engineering.

Vishing: Over-the-phone-based social engineering. Stop, look, and think before you surrender confidential information or take action on an urgent request.

Pay attention to these warning signs as they can alert you to a social engineering attack!

Thanks so much. This really helps me out! Your CEO

Hi Judy,

From: To: Date: Subject:

TO • You were copied on an email and

https://survey-monkee.com/

organization), but the email is unexpected or out of character.

the link, the link address is for a different website.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation!

CONTENT • The sender is asking you to click

on a link or open an attachment.

• The email is asking you to look

at a compromising or embarrassing picture of yourself or someone you know. • You have an uncomfortable feeling, or it just seems odd or illogical.

unknown address.

asking you to take an action.

• When you hover your cursor over

Click here to take the [Survey] or download the attachment.

irrelevant or doesn’t match the message content. • It’s an email about something you never requested or a receipt for something you never purchased.

• You know the sender (or the

HYPERLINKS • There are misspellings in the link. • The email contains hyperlinks

Now that our new CFO has been selected and starting soon, I’m asking everyone to fill out this quick survey so all the accounting functions can be captured. It should take you only few minutes. Must be completed by the end of the day.

SUBJECT • The subject line of an email is

FROM • An email coming from an

would usually get during normal business hours, but it was sent at 3:00 a.m.

Stop, look, and think before you surrender confidential information or take action on an urgent request.

DATE • You receive an email that you

Vishing: Over-the-phone-based social engineering.

you don’t know the other people it was sent to.

Hi Judy,

hr@yourorganization.cnet judy@yourorganization.net Tuesday, December 3:00 AM Urgent Notice

Smishing: Text-based social engineering.

IN-PERSON ATTACKS

TO • You were copied on an email and

From: To: Date: Subject:

PHONE ATTACKS

Phishing: Email-based social engineering targeting an organization.

organization), but the email is unexpected or out of character.

Stop, look, and think before allowing someone in that you don’t recognize or plugging any external media into your computer.

Stop, look, and think before you click that link or open that attachment.

unknown address.

• You know the sender (or the

Tailgating: When a hacker bypasses physical access controls by following an authorized person inside.

Spear Phishing: Email-based social engineering targeting a specific person or role.

FROM • An email coming from an

USB Attacks: An attack that uses a thumb drive to install malware on your computer.

Since phishing is the most common form of social engineering, let’s take a closer look at seven areas in an email and their corresponding red flags.

ATTACHMENTS • Any attachment you

receive that you aren’t expecting.

CONTENT • The sender is asking you to click

Red Flags

Red flags are a sign of danger or a problem. They can be as subtle as an uneasy feeling or as obvious as an email about “suspicious charges” from a bank that you don’t even have an account with.

Now that our new CFO has been selected and starting soon, I’m asking everyone to fill out this quick survey so all the accounting functions can be captured. It

Stop, look, and think before allowing someone in that you don’t recognize or plugging any external media into your computer.

The goal of social engineers is to obtain your trust, then exploit that relationship to coax you into either divulging sensitive information about yourself or your organization or giving them access to your network.

you don’t know the other people it was sent to.

Tailgating: When a hacker bypasses physical access controls by following an authorized person inside.

irrelevant or doesn’t match the message content. • It’s an email about something you never requested or a receipt for something you never purchased.

USB Attacks: An attack that uses a thumb drive to install malware on your computer.

Social engineering is the art of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving you into taking some action that isn’t in your own best interest or in the best interest of your organization.

hr@yourorganization.cnet judy@yourorganization.net Tuesday, December 3:00 AM Urgent Notice

Red Flags

IN-PERSON ATTACKS

Social Engineering SUBJECT • The subject line of an email is

Stop, look, and think before you click that link or open that attachment.

Pay attention to these warning signs as they can alert you to a social engineering attack!

Social Engineering

Spear Phishing: Email-based social engineering targeting a specific person or role.

Social engineering is the art of manipulating, influencing, or deceiving you into taking some action that isn’t in your own best interest or in the best interest of your organization.

Phishing: Email-based social engineering targeting an organization.

Since phishing is the most common form of social engineering, let’s take a closer look at seven areas in an email and their corresponding red flags.

and cracking, it’s tricking you into letting them in.

DIGITAL ATTACKS

Y0U are a target!

Cybercriminals are quite effective at getting what they want. They’ve learned that the easiest way around your organization’s defenses isn’t hacking and cracking, it’s tricking you into letting them in.

Y0U are a target!

SPRING/SUMMER BUCKET LIST Practice Yoga in the Park

Start Gardening

Try Paddle Boarding

Go for a Walk

Go to Your Local Beach

Go for a Long Drive

Watch the Sunrise

Visit an Aquarium

Check Out a Farmer’s Market

Go for a Swim

Go Cycling

Watch a funny movie and laugh out loud

Sit Around a Campfire

Relax in a Hammock

Go Fishing

Watch Live Music

Meditate while breathing deeply from your abdomen to relax your mind and body

Customer Spotlights!

One of the many divisions of General Electric is GE Renewable Energy. They use wind, solar, and hydro (water) energy to deliver green electrons to power industry and residential buildings. Focusing on wind energy today, GE has more than 49,000 wind turbines installed across the world. The countries that use the most wind power include China, the United States, and Germany. GE produces both onshore and offshore turbines. We have several connectors in GE’s new 5 MW and 2.5 MW wind turbines. Samtec products used in these turbines include FFSD cable assemblies, EHF ejector headers, CLP sockets, and an ASP version of an FW stacker.

Our customer Sollum Technologies designs and manufactures smart LED lighting systems for greenhouses. Their solutions recreate the full spectrum of the sun’s natural light, which leads to increased crop yield, productivity, and energy savings. Sollum recently won LEDs Magazine’s Sapphire Award for Horticultural Lighting. Sollum uses our HW, SSM, TSM, and TSSH products. Pictured below are some of their SF05A lighting units in a greenhouse. Thanks to Rene Legault for telling us about this application.

Our customer Flux Marine designs and builds electric outboard motors for boats. Their electric outboard engine was recently named the “Best New Boating Operation, Maintenance or Safety Product” at the recent Newport International Boat Show. Their motors are available in 15, 40 and 70 horsepower ratings. This is similar to gaspowered outboards, which generate 15 to 135 horsepower. Flux Marine has used our 2mm pitch TCSD, TCMD, and MTMM series.

9 WAYS TO NAVIGATE CHANGE MINDFULLY

The only constant in life is change. Yet that doesn’t mean it’s easy to navigate. Whether positive or painful, it can be tricky to adjust to changes in our lives, particularly when they feel unexpected or beyond our control. Being able to cope better with change is about holding space for our feelings, fine-tuning our resilience, and meeting ourselves with patience as we recalibrate to our new reality. Here are nine ways to support yourself as you navigate periods of change. And remember… “There is no right way to show up in moments of great change, only accompanying yourself with as much understanding as you can muster.” — Chani Nicholas

1 Resist resisting Our first instinct when confronted with change is often to want to fight or resist. Allow yourself to sit with the uncertainty, no matter how uncomfortable. See if you can accept the way things are and open yourself to the possibility of a new opportunity and growth. 2 Validate your feelings Change isn’t easy. Even positive change can feel challenging. Instead of forcing yourself to react a certain way, honor the way you’re feeling in each moment. Holding space for our emotions allows us to cultivate the acceptance, compassion and ease we need to navigate the swirls. 3 Manage your expectations It’s natural to want to adapt to change quickly. But adjusting takes time. Notice whether you are expecting too much from yourself, too soon, or if you’re comparing yourself to others. It’s okay to take things slowly. The important thing is to pace yourself.

4 Flex your equanimity muscle Equanimity is the mind’s ability to be okay with whatever is happening—good, bad or ugly. It teaches us that no matter what tumbles our way, we will be okay. Practice equanimity by regularly pausing before you respond, observing your breath, tuning into your body, and meditating. 5 Lean into routine When we’re thrown into times of change, our routines can bring us the comfort and stability we crave. Whether it’s your morning cup of coffee, a familiar walk in nature, or heading to bed at the same time each night, reinforce your routines and rituals. 6 Reflect on your resilience Consider the big changes you’ve moved through in your life. Even if change hasn’t felt positive to begin with, chances are that moving out of your comfort zone has been where you’ve learned and grown the most. You’ve gotten through it before, you’ll be okay this time too.

7 Prioritize self-care The simple act of sharing our experience can make us feel lighter and less alone. So seek support if you need it and allow people to step up for you. They want to help. Remember: “When the world comes crashing at your feet, it’s okay to let others help pick up the pieces” — Rupi Kaur 8 Savor the good When life is shifting, it’s especially important to tap into the good in your life, and to enjoy the things that bring you joy. Savoring these moments rewires your brain for happiness and builds resilience. Your senses can help. What can you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste? 9 Express yourself Feelings of anxiety, fear and being overwhelmed are common when we’re facing change. Talk to someone who’s in the same boat, share how you’re feeling with a friend who’s been there, or pour your worries onto the page with some journaling.