Association For Manufacturing Technology Elects New Board of Directors and Officers

The Board of Directors of the Association—which represents approximately 600 American manufacturers and distributors of machine tools, manufacturing machinery and related products— named Kevin J. Kilgallen, President, Mid Atlantic Machinery, Inc., to serve as Chairman. He follows Chairman R. Stephen Flynn, President, Optical Gaging Products, Inc.

The Board elected Jerry Rex, President, Hegman Machinery, LLC, A Morris Group, Inc. Company to serve as First Vice Chairman in the coming year. Richard L. Simons, Chairman, President and CEO, Hardinge Inc. will serve as Second Vice Chairman/Treasurer. Brian J. Papke, President, Mazak was elected Secretary.

Returning Board members include David J. Burns, President and COO, The Ex One Company, LLC; Thomas R. Dillon, Vice Chairman, DMG/Mori Seiki USA, Inc.; Richard Gilchrist, Chairman, Felsomat USA, Inc.; Ronald S. Karaisz, President, Novi Precision Products; Lee Morris, CEO and Chairman, The Morris Group; and Steven R. Stokey, Executive Vice President/Owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp.

“After 17 years of participation, I look forward to representing AMT for all groups and members. Our new AMT board is made up of committed, dynamic and reputable stewards of the manufacturing industry who will provide guidance to the organization,” said Kilgallen. “I look forward to serving alongside the executive committee and board of directors. My focus for the upcoming year will be to encourage members to engage their association and their industry in three ways: try a new AMT program that will have an impact on future success; support a community college or trade school that is promoting skill developments specific to the manufacturing industry; and finally, make our industry’s voice heard by writing your U.S. Senators and Representatives regarding what we need to advance and maintain our competitiveness in the global manufacturing world.”

Chairman: Kevin J. Kilgallen is President, Mid Atlantic Machinery. He co-founded the company in 1991. He also co-founded Southern States Machinery, Greensboro, N.C., in 2002. Prior to that, he was with Fox Machinery Associates, Bridgeport, Pa.; Teledyne Rodney Metals, New Bedford, Mass.; and York Steel Co., York, Pa. He began his career as a machine operator at York Steel Co., York, Pa. Mr. Kilgallen previously served on the AMTDA Executive Committee and was a member of the Association’s R3 Leadership Group. He has been involved with the association for over 17 years. He is a graduate of York College.

First Vice Chairman: Jerry Rex is President of Hegman Machinery, LLC, A Morris Group, Inc. Company, Maple Grove, Minn. Prior to that, he was President of Morris South, Charlotte, N.C., for 10 years. Before joining Morris, he managed sales and applications efforts in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the eastern two-thirds of North Carolina, as well as showroom and support staff in Ashland, Va. He was Vice President at Gosiger, Inc., and a Regional Sales Manager at Carboloy. Mr. Rex began his career in manufacturing technology more than 37 years ago as a machinist apprentice at GE Locomotive in Erie, Pa.

Second Vice Chairman/Treasurer: Richard (Rick) L. Simons has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y., 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. degree from Bloomsburg University and an M.B.A. degree 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. 

Secretary: Brian J. Papke is President of Mazak Corporation, Florence, Ky. Mr. Papke was named President of Mazak Corporation in 1989. Mazak Corporation 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, Ill. Mr. Papke is a graduate of the University of Illinois.

2014-2015 Officers and Directors AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology

Chairman: Kevin J. Kilgallen, President, Mid Atlantic Machinery, Inc., Harrisburg, Pa.

First Vice Chairman and Treasurer: Jerry Rex, President, Hegman Machinery, LLC, A Morris Group, Inc. Company, Maple Grove, Minn.

Second Vice Chairman: Richard L. Simons, Chairman, President and CEO, Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y.

Secretary: Brian J. Papke, President, Mazak Corporation, Florence, Ky.

Directors:

David J. Burns, President & COO, The Ex One Company, Irwin, Pa.

Thomas R. Dillon, Vice Chairman, DMG/Mori Seiki USA, Inc., Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Richard Gilchrist, Chairman, Felsomat USA, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.

Ronald S. Karaisz, President, Novi Precision Products, Inc., Brighton, Mich.

Lee Morris, CEO and Chairman, The Morris Group, Inc., Windsor, Conn.

Steven R. Stokey, Executive Vice President/Owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio

Ex-Officio:

R. Stephen Flynn, President, Optical Gaging Products, Inc., Rochester, N.Y.

Timothy B. Dining, President, Greenerd Press & Machine Company, Inc., Nashua, N.H.

Ronald J. Mager, President & CEO, Machinery Systems, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.