The Counterfeit Fight — Dane Reynolds, VP of Operations | The Astute Engineer

Counterfeit components don't just fail, they put lives at risk. In Episode 15 of The Astute Engineer, Dane Reynolds, VP of Operations, reveals how Astute fights counterfeit electronic parts to protect the people building the equipment that protects us. From the fragility of the global semiconductor supply chain to the geopolitics of the CHIPS Act, Taiwan and China, Dane breaks down why anti-counterfeit testing has never mattered more and what it really takes to keep mission-critical components traceable and authentic. We also get the personal side: the music that shaped him, the books that changed how he leads, and a deceptively simple lesson about measuring the right things (it starts with a drive-through and a smile). In this episode: — Why the electronic component supply chain is more fragile than you think — How counterfeit parts infiltrate defence, aerospace and medical systems — The geopolitics driving today's chip shortages — Lessons on leadership, KPIs and doing what you say you'll do — Why, for Astute, failure is not an option CHAPTERS 00:00 — Intro: meet Dane Reynolds, VP of Operations 00:38 — The music that shaped him 33:10 — Chip War, the CHIPS Act and a fragile supply chain 34:29 — Measuring what matters: the drive-through smile test 35:38 — Atomic Habits and incremental change 36:16 — Protecting the people who protect us ABOUT THE ASTUTE ENGINEER The Astute Engineer is the podcast from Astute Group, a global electronics supply chain partner with 35+ years protecting mission-critical industries — defence, aerospace, maritime, medical and beyond. Real conversations with the people keeping the supply chain authentic, traceable and resilient. Subscribe for new episodes. Learn more at astutegroup.com. ABOUT ASTUTE Astute is a global electronics supply chain partner founded in 1989. Operating across 27 offices worldwide with 400+ personnel, Astute supports the defence, aerospace, maritime, industrial, and medical sectors through franchised distribution, engineering support, component sourcing, anti-counterfeit testing, and obsolescence management. Failure is not an option. 🔗 Learn more about Astute: https://www.astutegroup.com/ 👍 Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for new episodes of The Astute Engineer Podcast. 💬 Got a question for a future guest? Drop it in the comments. #CounterfeitPrevention #ElectronicComponents #SupplyChain #DefenceElectronics #Aerospace #Semiconductors #ObsolescenceManagement #TheAstuteEngineer