The Interface

Episode 169: Sean Herman

A conversation with Sean Herman, Applications Engineer for the Amphenol Commercial Air Division in Sidney, NY. Sean has been with Amphenol for over five years. We talk about his customer-facing role, which, for him, is the perfect blend of engineering and learning what his customers do. We talk about the struggles during the commercial aerospace market downturn for a couple of years but then pivot to its current rebound and the emergence of new markets like EVTOL. We talk about the unique performance requirements for new connector designs in these emerging programs and the satisfaction of finally seeing them take off. We talk about growing up in a small, rural town in upstate New York, going to college for engineering, then lucking out by finding the perfect first job for him at Amphenol. We talk about some of his hiking recommendations around New York. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: email ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or send a LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 168: Tony Pallone

A conversation with Tony Pallone, R&D Director for Amphenol Antenna Solutions. Tony is based in France and has been with Antenna Solutions for 25 years. We talk about his role in leading the research and development team, staying on top of the latest and greatest technologies, and continuing to develop a great team. We talk about the challenge and excitement of working in a shorter market cycle where new technologies are implemented quickly. We talk about his previous work as an IT manager and setting up a new ERP system with the Y2K issue looming on the horizon. We talk about his love of drawing and playing music and his dream to create an Amphenol band playing music on an Amphenol 5G private network. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: email ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or send a LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 167: Dan Kennedy

A conversation with Dan Kennedy, Vice President of Strategic Accounts for Amphenol's RF, Optics, and Broadband Group. Dan has been with Amphenol for just over one year but has been in the industry for nearly 25 years. We talk about the challenges of managing strategic accounts -- from getting to know them, understanding their needs, and how Amphenol can help. We talk about the exciting new technologies in his group and how he's constantly amazed at their applications. We talk about how Amphenol's unique structure is ultimately a huge benefit when discussing the broad spectrum of solutions he can offer. We talk about growing up in Long Island, deciding to major in electrical engineering, and finishing his degree while he was already working in the field. We discuss his love of boating and his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: email ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or send a LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 166: Zak Raley

A conversation with Zak Raley, Senior Advisor to the CEO of Amphenol Corporation. Zak has been with Amphenol for 27 years in various leadership positions, mainly within the ARFOB Group. We talk about how his current role as advisor allows him opportunities to work with high-level business development projects and mergers and acquisitions across the entire corporation. We talk about the staggering potential of quantum computing, what it could mean to all of us, and how Amphenol is helping with the development. We talk about working in the Amphenol operations cycle as the best business school you can ever attend. We talk about his and his wife's incredible work at their Colorado ranch providing physical rehabilitation for spinal injury patients. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions, email ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or send a LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 165: Josh DuRousseau

A conversation with Josh DuRousseau, Technical Director & Business Development Manager for Amphenol Borisch Technologies. Josh has been with Amphenol for three years and is based in Pasadena, CA's military and aerospace engineering offices. We talk a bit about Borisch's capabilities and their place at the top of the value-add pyramid for the military and aerospace businesses. We talk about his role at Borisch on the West Coast, working with customers and overseeing projects with local engineers from around the mil-aero group. We talk about how life-changing his moving from Georgia to southern California was at age 10. We have fun relating his various college and working experiences to the movie, The Karate Kid. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 164: Jesús Martínez

A conversation with Jesús Martínez, General Manager of Piher Sensing Systems in Spain. Jesus has been with Piher and Amphenol for 24 years. We talk about Piher's work designing and manufacturing sensor technologies for position, speed, and current measurement. We talk about the importance of their sustainability efforts and how they get buy-in from everyone involved with the company. We talk about helping his father repair tractors and wanting to work in the automotive industry, and now coming full circle by designing sensors for that industry. We talk about growing up a few miles from where Piher is headquartered and enjoying the beautiful mountain life of Northern Spain. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 163: Brandon Wicks

A conversation with Brandon Wicks, RF and Electrical Engineer for Amphenol Advanced Sensors. Brandon is based out of St. Marys, PA, and has been with Advanced Sensors for ten years. We discuss his broad role as an engineer and technology expert for multiple sensor types, solving complicated customer issues. We talk about the genuine fun, not work, of being in the lab running experiments to find the right product solutions, including some complex problems that can take years to solve. We talk about growing up in the St. Marys area, spending time in his uncle's garage, and then overhauling and rebuilding a '79 pickup truck before he finished high school. We talk about moving to New York City, working in Long Island as an RF engineer, then coming back home. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 162: Hakan Saracoglu

A conversation with Hakan Saracoglu, General Manager of the Amphenol Turkey and Middle East sales office. Hakan has been with Amphenol for 19 years. We talk about his team's unique mission to sell all Amphenol products in the Turkey and Middle East region. We talk about what he looks for when finding team members -- a strong engineering background, sharp technical skills, and a willingness to go above and beyond for their customers. We talk about how emotional intelligence with his customers is paramount to his success. We talk about growing up in Turkey and learning to play billiards and table tennis at a young age, even if he had to stand on a chair to compete. We talk about how his taking apart every toy as a child got him interested in electronics. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 161: Breiana Villella

A conversation with Breiana Villella, Mid-West Key Account Manager of Kaye Instruments. Breiana is based out of St. Marys, PA, and has been with Amphenol for 12 years. We talk about her multi-faceted role, from customer service and customer care to sales support and account management -- in other words, being all things Kaye for her customers. We talk about Kaye Instruments' vaunted status in the pharmaceutical industry regarding thermal validation, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. We talk about growing up in the St. Marys area and going to college for hotel and restaurant management and how much she learned about customer service from her time in the restaurant industry. We talk about returning home to be near family again and finding Kaye was the perfect place for her. And we discuss her desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.

Episode 160: Jose Aguillon

A conversation with Jose Aguillon, Sales Engineer for Amphenol Military and Aerospace Group. Jose has been with Amphenol for four years and is based in San Diego, CA. We talk about studying engineering in college in Los Angeles, working locally in the connector industry, then making the cross-country move to become an Amphenol Aerospace design engineer in Sidney, NY. We talk about his positive experience in engineering, then transitioning to his sales role just as the Covid-19 pandemic began. We talk about how he approaches the sales and customer relationship process from the mindset of a former design engineer. We talk about his recent completion of the Ironman Triathlon, what it was like to mentally and physically prepare, and what he felt once the race was completed. And we discuss his desert island album, book, and movie. This is The Interface.

Hosted by Chris Cappello. Music by Square Seed.

For The Interface podcast guest inquiries and suggestions: send an email to ccappello@amphenol-aao.com or LinkedIn message to https://www.linkedin.com/in/cjcappello.