Additive Manufacturing User Group awards ten DINOs

The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG; Milwaukee, Wisc.) presented on July 14 its Distinguished INnovator Operator (DINO) award for additive manufacturing (AM) expertise and service to ten individuals. In lieu of an on-stage ceremony at the annual AMUG Conference, the DINO award presentations were a virtual event.

“These are unprecedented times, so we took the unprecedented step of making virtual award presentations,” says Carl Dekker, AMUG president. “We did everything we could to preserve the suspense and surprise to make this a special moment in the additive manufacturing careers of our new DINOs.” Rather than being called to the stage from the crowd at the conference, Dekker says the DINOs learned of the honor when an unannounced delivery arrived at their doorsteps.

“We considered postponing the awards to coincide with the 2021 AMUG Conference,” notes Gary Rabinovitz, AMUG chairman and chair of the DINO Selection Committee, “but the committee unanimously agreed that DINO recognitions should not be delayed.”

According to AMUG, the 2020 DINOs have a long history in additive manufacturing and years of contributions to the AM industry and AMUG itself. “It would be unfair to make them wait nearly a year for recognition of all that they have done,” Rabinovitz adds.

The 2020 DINOs are:

• Jeff DeGrange, Impossible Objects Inc. 
• Bob Diaz, College of Southern Nevada
• Leslie Frost, GE Additive
• Youping Gao, Castheon
• Ed Graham, ProtoCAM
• Paul Hojan, Christie Digital
• Evan Kirby, Materialise
• Ulf Lindhe, Oqton
• Dana McCallum, Carbon, Inc.
• Bob Wood, ExOne

The DINO Award recognizes those that have contributed to the AM industry with the intent to advance the industry as a whole or to advance the skills and knowledge of individuals. Rabinovitz says, “At the heart of this award is a passion for, and dedication to additive manufacturing coupled with a desire to share and to be accessible to others. The new DINOs truly embody what the DINO Award stands for.”

AMUG says a recorded broadcast of the DINO Awards presentation is available at www.amug.com. This video also includes footage that captures the shock, surprise and disbelief of the new DINOs learning that they had been received the award.

Over its 32-year history, AMUG says it has awarded DINOs to only 168 individuals. Although there are many deserving of the recognition as a DINO, AMUG limits this prestigious award to no more than ten individuals each year. Nominations for 2021 DINO candidates will be accepted beginning Oct. 1, 2020.