Industry Insider: Getting to Know the People That Make Up Our World
We’ll begin 2010 by introducing you to several accomplished connector manufacturing company leaders—because you asked for it! We’ll be looking for other interesting personalities to feature in the months ahead. Send your Industry Insider suggestions to atanghe@comcast.net.

Molex CEO Martin Slark
Martin Slark was able to advance from an inside sales position within Molex U.K. to the chief executive officer role because Molex encourages all employees to take initiative, make decisions, and take positive action on behalf of the customer. Molex cross-trains promising employees in various management disciplines, including transfers to international assignments. As a result, many of the company's second- and third-tier managers have international experience, know the connector industry intimately, and have developed leadership skills. Many have been with the company for over a quarter of a century. People like to work at Molex.

It is this kind of environment that allows talented people with outstanding leadership skills, such as those demonstrated by Mr. Slark, to move up through management ranks. Since becoming CEO, Mr. Slark has piloted the company through difficult economic times, while continuing to keep Molex focused on engineering and developing the next-generation products that will fuel its future growth.
                                                                      —Ronald E. Bishop, Bishop & Associates Inc.

Name: Martin Slark
Location: Lisle, Illinois, U.S.
Current position: C.E.O., Molex Incorporated
Industry affiliations or organizations: Center for Corporate Innovation, National Electronic Distributors Association, World Presidents’ Organization
Accomplishments you’re proud of: My family; qualifying to run the Boston Marathon; and working at Molex for 33 years.
First job: Inside sales, Molex U.K.
Favorite website: www.economist.com
The last book I read: Three Feet from Gold, by Sharon L. Lechter and Greg S. Reid. These are inspirational stories about the importance of persistence.
If I knew then what I know now, I would have: Learned to speak Mandarin.
The best advice anyone ever gave me was: It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.
What trend in the industry is affecting your job and what would you like to do about it? Globalization. I want to be part of the team that makes Molex a high-performing company on a global basis.