Mini-Circuits President Ted Heil and Board Chair Alicia Kaylie Yacoby announced that Jin Bains will join Mini-Circuits as CEO starting in July. Heil, who plans to step down as president, will continue in his current role through the remainder of 2023 supporting Bains during the transition. He will remain engaged on special projects and in governance and oversight indefinitely. Bains will serve as the third chief executive in Mini-Circuits' nearly 55-year history, following founder Harvey Kaylie and Ted Heil in leading the company, which is privately held.
Kaylie founded Mini-Circuits in the kitchen of his Brooklyn apartment in 1968 and built it into an RF industry icon with design, manufacturing, sales, and distribution facilities across the globe. Heil joined the company in 2008 as vice president and chief operating officer and became Kaylie's successor apparent. He was appointed as president in 2015 and led the organization to multiple consecutive years of record growth, expanding the executive leadership team and investing heavily in new technologies to support future customer needs.
Kaylie Yacoby described Heil as "an engine that's driven Mini-Circuits to a new level. He's been a constant example of the passion, judgment, and innovative spirit that we pride ourselves on."
Bains is a 30-year RF and microwave industry veteran who began his career as an RF engineer and research and development manager at Hewlett-Packard. He went on to build the RF/wireless division of National Instruments before serving as the head of SoCal Connectivity for cellular and satellite programs at Facebook (now Meta). His most recent role has been as a director of Project Kuiper at Amazon. Bains has been a Mini-Circuits customer throughout his career and a longtime friend of the business. He has been an advisor to the Board since 2019 and played an organizing role in Mini-Circuits' technology advisory committee.
Addressing Mini-Circuits team members worldwide via video conference, Bains commented, "I truly believe Mini-Circuits is one of the greatest companies in the world, and it comes down to the organization's values, its outstanding line of products, and its sharp focus on customers and the markets we serve with some of the best team members anywhere. You couldn't ask for a better team. I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as CEO of this incredible company."
Heil and Kaylie Yacoby both emphasized Bains' strong history with Mini-Circuits, his experience in the RF and Microwave industry, and the alignment of his personal values with the company's culture as key factors in his appointment to the company's top role.
"Jin is known throughout the industry as a brilliant technologist and a dynamic leader," Ted Heil said. "On a personal level, I consider him a close friend, and I know his ability to dig in and connect at all levels of the organization will carry on the culture that Harvey set in place many years ago and lead Mini-Circuits to new places we haven't even imagined."
Kaylie Yacoby commented, "In our time together, we've come to know Jin as one of us. He shares many of the qualities of character that made HK and Ted such remarkable leaders and that draw us together as a team while contributing his own rich experience to the work he does. We're extremely fortunate to welcome him to the Mini-Circuits family and have him at the helm."