MCLEAN, VA, Mar 24, 2015 – AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology has elected its 2015-2016 officers and directors. The 2015-2016 board year begins April 1, 2015.

The AMT Board of Directors – which represent the American manufacturing technology industry – named Jerry Rex, executive vice president, Concept Machine Tool, Plymouth, MN, to serve as chairman. He follows chairman Kevin J. Kilgallen, president, Mid Atlantic Machinery, Harrisburg, PA.

“I am both honored and excited to serve our industry as AMT’s chairman for the upcoming year,” said Rex. “In my 23 years of activity with AMT, and previously with the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association, I have been blessed to meet and learn from some of the best minds and leaders in our industry. I believe you can and should be a leader, no matter the title or position you hold. In my 38-plus years in manufacturing, I have seen incredible advances in the technology we deploy, sell, service and support, as well as how it is used. I look forward to being a strong advocate for AMT members as the industry continues to evolve in the coming year.”

The Board elected Richard L. Simons, chairman, president and CEO, Hardinge Inc., Elmira, NY, to serve as first vice chairman. Ronald S. Karaisz, president/CEO of Kar Enterprises, Inc./Novi Precision Products, Inc., Brighton, MI, will serve as second vice chairman/treasurer. Brian J. Papke, president, Mazak Corp., Florence, KY, was elected Secretary.

Newly elected to a three-year term as a member of the association’s Board of Directors are Christopher A. Bailey, vice president, Global Automation Solutions, Cleveland, OH; Dr. John B. Cheung, CEO and co-founder, OMAX Corp., Kent, WA; and Paul Ricard, president, DP Technology Corp – ESPRIT, Camarillo, CA.

Board members that were re-elected for a three-year term include: Jerry Rex, executive vice president, Concept Machine Tool; David J. Burns, global head of sales, The Ex One Company, Irwin, PA, and; Lee Morris, CEO and chairman, The Morris Group, Windsor, CT.

Chairman

Jerry Rex is executive vice president of Concept Machine Tool, located in Plymouth, MN. Concept Machine Tool has been providing world-class products and solutions to the manufacturing industry since 1974. Concept is a full service distributor of Methods, Kitamura, Minster, Zeiss, Mitsubishi EDM/Laser and other fine metal cutting, forming and metrology products. Previously, Jerry served for 12 years as a president of major distributor companies, the last assignment involving a move to Minnesota where he integrated a recently acquired distributorship into the corporate company and culture. He has served in leadership roles for key builders, manufacturers and distributors in his 38-plus years in the industry, beginning his career as a Machinist Apprentice at GE in his home town of Erie, PA. At AMT, he has chaired the CMTSE Committee and been actively involved on the Board of Directors.

First Vice Chairman

Richard (Rick) L. Simons has served as president and chief executive officer of Hardinge Inc., Elmira, NY, since May 2008 and became chairman of the Board in February 2012. Prior to rejoining Hardinge in 2008, he was vice president and corporate controller at Carpenter Technology, a publicly-traded specialty steel manufacturer (2005-2008). Mr. Simons originally joined Hardinge in 1983 and held various management roles before being named executive vice president/chief financial officer (1999-2005). Mr. Simons has a B.S. from Bloomsburg University and an M.B.A. from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also a director of Sunnen Products Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of honing and bore sizing equipment and related accessories.

Second Vice Chairman/Treasurer

Ronald (Ron) S. Karaisz II is the president/CEO of Kar Enterprises, Inc./Novi Precision Products, Inc. both located in Brighton, MI. Ron joined the machine tool industry in 1981, created Kar Enterprises in 1987 and became president at Novi Precision Products in 1999. Kar Enterprises is a machine tool distributor/representative of world class machine tools from around the globe. Their premier lines over the years have been Hegenscheidt, Hydromat, Novi Precision Products, Supfina and Witzig & Frank. Novi Precision Products is a custom machine tool builder and integrator, whose products include: automation, assembly lines, presses, pierce & notch, leak and functional test, single-station and multi-station metal removal machines. Most of their projects are complete turnkeys, which include automation and robotics.

Secretary

Brian J. Papke is president of Mazak Corp., Florence, KY. Mr. Papke was named president of Mazak Corp. in 1989. Mazak Corp. is the North American manufacturing and marketing unit of Yamazaki Mazak, headquartered in Oguchi, Japan. Since joining Mazak in 1987, Mazak has completed 14 expansions, including the establishment of a National Technology Center and Customer Service and Support Center and a network of technology centers throughout North America. Recently, expansions have included $15 million on the Kentucky manufacturing plant and new Versatech bridge-style machining centers. Further expansion of Technology Centers is in progress, with a new building in Houston and an expansion in Schaumburg, IL. Mr. Papke is a graduate of the University of Illinois.

2015-2016 Officers and Directors
AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology

Chairman: Jerry Rex, executive vice president, Concept Machine Tool, Plymouth, MN.

First Vice Chairman: Richard L. Simons, chairman, president and CEO, Hardinge Inc., Elmira, NY.

Second Vice Chairman and Treasurer: Ronald S. Karaisz, president/CEO of Kar Enterprises, Inc./Novi Precision Products, Inc., Brighton, MI.

Secretary: Brian J. Papke, president, Mazak Corp., Florence, KY.

Directors

• Christopher A. Bailey, vice president, Global Automation Solutions, Cleveland, OH.
• David J. Burns, global head of sales, The Ex One Company, North Huntingdon, PA.
• Dr. John B. Cheung, CEO and co-founder, OMAX Corporation, Kent, WA.
• Thomas R. Dillon, vice chairman, DMG Mori USA, Inc., Hoffman Estates, IL.
• Richard Gilchrist, chairman, Felsomat USA, Inc., Schaumburg, IL.
• Lee Morris, CEO and chairman, The Morris Group, Inc., Windsor, CT.
• Paul Ricard, president, DP Technology Corp. – ESPRIT, Camarillo, CA.
• Steven R. Stokey, executive vice president/owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, OH.

Ex-Officio

• R. Stephen Flynn, president, Optical Gaging Products, A Division of Quality Vision International, Inc., Rochester, NY.
• Kevin J. Kilgallen, president, Mid Atlantic Machinery, Inc., Harrisburg, PA.

About AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology

AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents and promotes US-based manufacturing technology and its members – those who design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT is the voice that communicates the importance of policies and programs that encourage research and innovation, and the development of educational initiatives to create tomorrow’s Smartforce. AMT owns and manages IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show, which is the premier manufacturing technology event in North America.

For more information, please visit www.AMTonline.org.