A1 Tool Corp. (Melrose Park, Illinois)

---

Gregory Zaucha, 27
Design Engineer 

Gregory attended East Leyden High School and worked summers at A1 Tool Corp. (A1 Tool). He then went on to Triton College and later to the University of Illinois–Chicago for engineering. He worked as he earned his degree in 2015, and then he became a design engineer at A1 Tool. Gregory has worked on the design, mechanics and implementation of multiple organizational improvements at the company. He has not been able to implement all his leadership efforts yet, but there are many more to come as he continues working in the design engineering department, improving mold designs and complex mold-action capabilities.

Both the industry and his peers have recognized Gregory for his efforts. He won the TMA High School Student Award and the American Mold Builders Association Apprentice of the Year Award. He won second place in the University of Illinois–Chicago Senior Design Project to improve manufacturing processes at Magenta LLC, and A1 Tool awarded him the “Employee of the Year” title.

Rafal Kras, 26
Design Engineer

Rafal started working part-time at A1 Tool Corp. (A1 Tool) while attending Triton College full-time. He then transferred to the University of Illinois–Chicago for engineering, where he went to school full-time and worked part-time until he earned his degree. Rafal has been working as a design engineer since 2015. During his tenure at A1 Tool, he has worked on the design, mechanics and implementation of multiple organizational improvements.

Rafal won second place in the University of Illinois–Chicago Senior Design Project to improve manufacturing processes at Magenta LLC, and in January 2018 he decided to continue his education by attending graduate school at University of Illinois–Chicago.

Westminster Tool (Plainfield, Connecticut)

---

Regina Byrne, 20
Production Planner

Regina came to Westminster Tool on a tour while a student at Grasso Technical High School in the mechanical design and engineering technology program. She applied and was ultimately selected for a work-based learning internship while still attending high school. After her graduation in June 2015, Regina accepted a full-time position. In her three years at Westminster Tool, she has spent a year in sales, a year in engineering and design and the last year in production planning and scheduling. In each area, Regina recommended and implemented improvements that not only streamlined processes but have better-enabled the company to exceed customer expectations. Beyond this, she documented and created training documents for Westminster Academy to ensure continuity and consistency in training. One of Regina’s most influential contributions to Westminster Tool is her vast knowledge and expertise because of exposure to several departments. She possesses a deep understanding of processes from conception to production that is way beyond her years. Regina is the go-to person at Westminster Tool, as she has the responsibility, wisdom and respect of the entire shop and all with only three years out of high school. Regina perfectly embodies the types of opportunities that this industry provides—while most young adults would be entering their last year of college with a mound of debt, she is running a shop floor.

Danielle O’Connor, 23
EDM Specialist

Danielle is not what you typically would envision as an EDM specialist, but that is exactly the role she has filled at Westminster Tool. Danielle graduated in 2013 from Windham Technical High School in Windham, Connecticut, from the manufacturing technology program. She was easily considered best in the class. Not only has Danielle mastered the programming and operation of an EDM machine in four years, she is leading the department. Her commitment to continuously improve and take ownership of improving processes has made her a critical part of the team. Danielle also has created and provided EDM training for all employees. Her dedication ensures the future talent development of the shop with consistent and repeatable measures. Danielle is a key component for all shop tours, customer visits and community outreach. Her ability to communicate and share the innovation about a career in manufacturing with the public is exceptional. Danielle volunteers at all the company’s school outreach programs and is enthusiastic about the opportunities that manufacturing provides. Westminster Tool says that she is a great example of a young moldmaking star.

Ameritech Die & Mold (Mooresville, North Carolina)

---

Clint Seeley, 21
EDM Operator

Clint joined Ameritech Die & Mold (Ameritech) through the Apprenticeship 2000 program in 2014 while starting his senior year of high school. He just graduated with an associate of applied science degree in mechatronics technology and will receive his journeyman’s certificate. Clint started in the small components department using the manual lathe, Bridgeport and surface grinders to manufacture ejector pins and small injection mold components. Typically, apprentices spend the first year in this area before moving onto the 2D, CNC machining department. However, because of his level of maturity, stellar work ethic and methodical questions, the company presented Clint with a unique career opportunity. Clint happily accepted and was eager to begin immediately. After only two months, he moved to fill a need in the EDM department, which consisted of a CAD/CAM workstation for designing and programming electrodes, a CNC graphite mill equipped with a robot capable of holding 144 electrodes and two sinker EDM machines fed by a single robot capable of holding 180 electrodes.

By the end of the first week, he was mounting electrodes, loading them in the graphite mill robot, checking and changing out necessary tooling and loading preprogrammed tool paths in the machine so that the graphite mill would machine unattended. Within a few months, Clint was able to inspect the electrodes, load them into the EDM cell robot and set up the EDM machines to run unattended on his own. Next, he learned to use CAD/CAM software to model and program electrodes. By the end of his first year, he was trained and capable of performing all tasks in the EDM department.

Clint now runs the EDM department and is currently training a second-year apprentice to take over his position so he can continue to move and grow within the company. Clint has learned all aspects of moldmaking. His character, ambition and work ethic make him a very important part of the team. He broke the boundaries at a very young age and has set an example for future Ameritech apprentices by showing them that anything is possible.

Michael Shinn, 28
Lead Assembly Technician

Michael enrolled in the Apprenticeship 2000 program during his senior year in high school and has been with Ameritech Die & Mold (Ameritech) since 2007. He has worked extensively in each department. Mold assembly became his preferred work, which led him to the role of lead assembly technician in 2013. Michael quickly began making changes to improve work-flow efficiency in assembly. For example, he reorganized the assembly area with a cart system using multiple shelves for the BOM components for a new job, increasing work space. He set up cabinets and work benches for better tool storage and management. He also added a computer workstation with CAD to share the entire mold assembly with the team. Michael focused on continual improvement, which cut assembly time in half. He also is involved with the shop’s apprenticeship program. He enjoys teaching and acts as a mentor to potential apprentices during a four-day evaluation workshop. Michael’s training results in better-qualified apprentices entering the CNC department.

Mike Merzke, 19
Moldmaker Apprentice

Mike started as an apprentice at Ameritech Die & Mold (Ameritech) in 2016, and although his experience in this industry is limited, his injection mold knowledge is typical of employees after four or five years. He has always been very inquisitive and never misses an opportunity to learn from his mentors. What stands out most about Mike is the level of responsibility that he has demonstrated. Between helping with younger siblings, completing his Eagle Scout award and working long hours in the assembly area, he always shows dedication to the task at hand. Over the past few months, Mike has continued to grow his capabilities by taking on a role in the EDM department. During this time, he has become proficient at using the wire EDM machine to burn pockets in workpieces that are typically 70 to 80 percent complete in the overall manufacturing process.

Mike’s attention to detail ensures that the job is completed promptly and without mistakes. He is passionate about learning every aspect of injection moldmaking, from the time he spends in assembly to speaking with processers during mold sampling. Mike desires to understand the whole picture and not just one area. His maturity and ambition are refreshing.

Daniel Wolf, 22
Machinist, Ameritech Die & Mold South (Ormond Beach, Florida)

Daniel started sweeping floors and emptying trash cans at Ameritech Die & Mold South (Ameritech South) after high school. Immediately, he interacted with coworkers, asking questions and showing a genuine excitement for the trade. Daniel pursued a college degree in the evenings while working as a general unskilled laborer at Ameritech South. After two years, he earned an associate degree in industrial management and received various accolades, including a NIMS Certificate, a Machining Certificate and an Entrepreneur Excellence award. Around the time of his college graduation, the shop needed to fill a position working with EDM machines, high-speed mills and CNC lathes. Daniel started working on the sinker EDM machine and quickly learned EDM theory and general machining principles. He then moved on to wire EDM. He also went back to college to earn a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology. At the same time, Daniel moved to EDM electrode manufacturing and CAD/CAM. When Ameritech South moved locations, Daniel took over the EDM sinker cell, including a high-speed graphite mill, electrode handling robot, and a sinker EDM machine. He also ran a high-speed mill for finishing mold cavities and an older three-axis mill for basic component machining. Ameritech South says that Daniel has become an integral part of its shop. Ameritech South says that he is great to work with and always exhibits a calm demeanor with a smile and a high degree of personal integrity. He is always ready to jump in and help, no matter what the task is or how dirty the job. Plus, he constantly thinks outside the box when challenges arise.

Franchino Mold & Engineering (Lansing, Michigan)

---

Chris Cook, 28
Machining Team Leader 

Chris accepted a position at Franchino Mold & Engineering (Franchino Mold) in 2014. He is one of the brightest stars in machining at the company. He has already proven himself to be a leader by furthering his education, taking on new projects and overseeing company initiatives involving long-time employees who are twice his age. Chris currently holds a general associate degree and is in pursuit of his manufacturing engineering technology degree from Lansing Community College. He is also earning his designation as a journeyman precision machinist. Chris is proficient in all phases of machining, including both horizontal and vertical machining. Franchino Mold trusts Chris to both program and run the most expensive and complex machines, which he does while mentoring younger employees. Chris works with multiple apprentices teaching the moldmaking process. Instead of simply showing them what to do when a problem arises, Chris teaches them to work the problem and find solutions. He focuses on both hard and soft skills. Most recently, he developed strategies for deploying a new five-axis machine with multiple heads, decreased programming and run times for his machine and increased machine use for his area. Chris was recently promoted to team leader, overseeing all horizontal machining.

The team, team leaders, plant managers and executives respect Chris. His quiet, “can-do” attitude is an example to all those around him, which is why many apprentices seek out his guidance when they have questions. Franchino Mold says it is lucky to have Chris as an employee, not only for his machining skills but for his ability to guide future leaders in moldmaking as they work their way through school and through Franchino Mold’s in-house apprenticeship program. 

Brandon Schafer, 29
Mold Designer

Brandon was hired at Franchino Mold in 2012 while attending the Manufacturing Engineering Technology/Design Associates program at Lansing Community College. He continued his studies while working full-time and completed the program in 2013. Brandon quickly took his school learning and applied it to his daily work and took the initiative to ask questions and learn the entire process of mold building beyond the scope of design. In addition to embracing knowledge beyond his job title, Brandon is always eager to help future designers and toolmakers and regularly volunteers to speak about the design process to students on tours from local-area talent centers. He took a leadership position to help his fellow designers with program-specific support and with computer support. Most recently, Brandon was asked to contribute to an in-house committee tasked with shaping the way that the design department uses and shares files within a network to reduce redundancy and increase uptime. Brandon regularly works overtime to meet customer expectations, possesses an excellent attendance record and refuses to shy away from a tough project. In short, Brandon finds a way to get things done and does it while creating productive working relationships with co-workers and customers.

Mantz Automation (Hartford, Wisconsin)

---

Adam Wagner, 29
CNC Programmer

Adam has helped Mantz Automation (Mantz) change the way its people use programming software, and along the way, his quiet and steady leadership has completely changed the way the company cuts steel. Leadership like that is no surprise from a U.S. Marine veteran who is now building a career in moldmaking. He is also an example of a new generation of toolmakers who possesses the perfect blend of new-age thinking and old-school work ethic. Hired as a boring bar operator on second shift, Adam started to work and learn as he moved quickly through the CNC department. His experience with boring bars and five-axis machining revealed the benefits and flaws of both old and new technologies, which he shared between departments. He then changed the way the departments worked. This would not be an easy task for a typical 20-something, but Adam’s leadership style and personality made it all happen naturally. His calm exterior and burning desire to improve everything he touches have positively impacted the people around him. Although Adam writes computer code for the company’s CAM system today, he always jumps in to do what is necessary.

Rebecca Kluever, 21
Design Engineer

Rebecca is exactly what the tool and die industry needs. As a high school senior, she already had all the technical education classes under her belt, solidified her welding skills and held a part-time job at a local metal fabricator running a brake press. Rebecca also wanted to become an engineer, so she took some college courses. At Mantz Automation (Mantz), she did mold teardowns for maintenance and repair for a few months. She also worked with toolmakers to pound out inserts, ground pins and make slide components before moving to the CNC department to set up blocks and run programs. Next came EDM, polishing and sampling. Rebecca now has a solid overview of what it takes to make a mold. It was then on to design, where her natural enthusiasm took over. Although there were struggles, Rebecca stuck with it, and today she is a solid member of the design department, designing her molds and taking a leadership role in the department helping others. She gained friends and respect. The effort Rebecca put forth and the questions she asked proved that she was serious about learning the trade. Rebecca also works with Mantz high-school and tech-school recruitment, encouraging women to enter the trades and giving shop tours to parents. Her speaking skills and enthusiastic personality maker her a perfect fit for this role.

Brian Goda, 28
Mold Design Engineer
Aptiv (Warren, Ohio)

Brian is a results-driven engineer who has been in the injection molding industry for five years. He is a graduate of the plastics engineering technology program at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College and started at Aptiv (formerly Delphi) in 2017 as a mold design engineer. Brian also was a member of the Army National Guard where he served in the A-BTRY 107th as a field artillery tactical datum systems specialist for six years. He was honorably discharged from the military in 2015 with the rank of E-5 (sergeant) and was the leader of his squad.

Brian has a successful track record in new tooling project management (both domestic and international) and overall program management. His process-engineering and program-management experience exposed him to thermoplastic and thermoset applications in the medical, automotive and consumer products industries. This experience affords him a broad perspective and a unique skillset for becoming a top tool designer. Brian takes an interest in new technologies and is always seeking to learn and implement new information into his daily and long-term goals. He is hungry to learn, and his attention to detail is evident in his work. He is always willing to go above and beyond to complete a task.

Mandy Lewandowski, 24
Laser/TIG Welding Specialist
Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales (Wauconda, Illinois)

Mandy has been with Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales since 2016 and has quickly developed into a trusted, go-to resource. She started mainly as a driver for the company’s delivery service, but she had a desire to do more. She joined the welding team this year and has been a great asset to the laser- and TIG- welding departments. Although Mandy prefers TIG welding, she takes every opportunity available to improve her skills in both technologies. The characteristic that sets Many apart is her willingness to help and get involved wherever and whenever necessary, including handling a delivery, staying late to complete a welding project or taking a car for its emissions test. Mandy is an example of the hardworking, curious, ambitious team members that the company employs who contributes to the company making a difference for customers every day.

Cody Proctor, 24
Journeyman Moldmaker
CS Tool Engineering (Cedar Springs, Michigan)

Cody started working part-time at CS Tool Engineering during high school. Immediately upon graduation, he became a full-time employee and earned his journeyman’s certificate. He is starting his fifth year as a moldmaker. Cody is a shining example of next-generation employees who are excited about working with their hands. They like taking raw blocks of steel and turning them into molds that produce products people see and use every day. Cody understands the meaning of a full day’s work and eagerly listens to the more experienced moldmakers as they work. He is also always willing to participate and represent the company at its local Career Tech Center, help with student evaluations and man the booth during annual career fairs. If given the opportunity, Cody shares his knowledge with other young people about the possibilities in moldmaking.

Cameron Larimie, 29
Five-Axis Machine Operator and Programmer
Calframax (Ontario, Canada)

Cameron started his career at Calframax in 2006 through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), which taught him how to use a surface grinder, Bridgeport and manual lathe, providing foundational knowledge for his future. Cameron worked his way through the assembly process and cycled through each machining department, allowing him to gain experience and knowledge and create innovative ways to improve throughput, efficiency and tool life. A year later, Cameron started full-time at Calframax and continued his education at St. Clair College at night twice a week. He then moved on to programming and using larger, more complex machines, such as a manual and CNC boring mill, CNC lathe and a five-axis milling and turning center. The management team relies on Cameron’s experience and skill to train employees on this technology. For example, he has condensed three machine operations into one, saving time and increasing efficiency. He transferred a milling operation into a turning operation, reducing machining time from nine hours to one, and he implemented Power Inspect for two Okuma milling and turning centers, reducing wait times for the verification of coordinate measuring machines.

Jim Nowak, 26
Apprentice
Tri-Par Die and Mold Corp. (South Elgin, Illinois)

Jim is a second-year apprentice with all the qualities necessary for a future moldmaker. He completed many metalworking programs offered at a nearby community college at his own expense before beginning his journey in the metalworking profession. Jim is intrigued by how things work, pays attention to details and is not afraid to ask questions when disassembling a tool or programming a CNC machine. He has recognized that moldmaking is a highly rewarding profession, as it requires skill and education to operate today’s manufacturing technologies.

Jenny Kotulak, 29
Program/Account Manager
Concours Mold Inc. (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Jenny joined Concours Mold Inc. (Concours Mold) in 2012 with a strong work ethic and ambition but without moldmaking experience. She has worked her way up through several positions over the last six years. She started as an estimating administrator who received RFQs from the sales team and then organized and processed the information for quote completion by the tool estimator. Jenny also worked as a production control administrator. In that role, she presented design and customer requirement data to the management team to help organize team schedules to increase throughput and overall shopfloor capacity. She then advanced to program manager and was responsible for all direct customer contact from the design and manufacturing phases to tool shipment to the customer’s production line. Today, Jenny is the program manager with added-account manager duties, including communicating and retrieving information from current and potential customers and providing quoting and negotiating requirements from the Concours Mold team to the customer. She learned and mastered every challenge along the way to her current position.

Jenny is also taking extra courses at Atocrates/St. Clair College to earn her master’s certificate in project management working toward a project management professional designation through the Project Management Institute. This program teaches students the skills and knowledge necessary to bring projects to completion on time, on budget and within the requirements. Along with her extraordinary work ethic, Jenny has brought great organizational and time-management skills to each of her roles at Concours Mold.

Timothy Baker, 24
Project Engineer
Burteck (Windsor, Connecticut)

Tim completed his internship at NyproMold and has a long family history in the moldmaking and plastics industries. Burteck hired him as a project engineer immediately after he graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in electromechanical engineering. He began making an impact on the business immediately. Tim offers a unique perspective and maintains a level of maturity beyond his years, which has allowed him to mesh well with the team and gain the respect of his colleagues.

Tim has worked on the mold-assembly benches alongside moldmakers, performed CNC programming with CNC specialists, acquired new skills running injection molding machines with process engineers and assisted program managers on highly technical development projects while demonstrating the necessary soft skills to deal effectively with customers.

In every instance, Tim has added value and technical insight. For example, one of Tim’s side projects was revamping the company website. His biggest achievement to date is acting as the project lead, managing the planning and execution for the company’s NPE2018 booth. Tim understands that to be truly successful in this industry, he must have a combination of hands-on experience, critical thinking skills, emotional intelligence and long-term vision.

Jake Zielinski, 23
Lead Moldmaker
Extreme Tool and Engineering (Wakefield, Michigan)

Jake’s moral compass is pointed solidly in the right direction, and he truly cares about his fellow men and women more than he does himself. He is a selfless, caring, honest and responsible young man. Jake originally aspired to become an engineer but found the shop’s hands-on work environment more interesting. He is a young man on a mission, despite the newness of his moldmaking career. After completing the moldmaker apprenticeship program, he decided to earn his bachelor’s degree in business while working full-time. At work, Jake leads by example yet understands that lifelong learning is part of the process. He is a joy to be around and excited about the overall manufacturing experience.

Jake is equally committed to the local area and loves where he lives. He is an avid outdoorsman and finds great pleasure in the woods (hunting and trapping) as well as on the water (fishing and boating). As a former multi-season athlete, Jake keeps himself busy and healthy. He is an active young volunteer, supporting many local causes. He also coaches the local high-school football team and mentors young men to help them realize their ultimate potential, which is important as the company moves toward mentoring versus managing the next generation of manufacturing talent. He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and participates in and supports a local musical club called Marty’s Goldenaires Drum and Bugle Corp. Jake is proud of his faith and not afraid to show it. He says he is grateful for all his God-given gifts and talents.

Mina Girges, 27
Manager of Advanced Planning & Analytics
Omega Tool Corp. (Tecumseh, Ontario, Canada)

Mina is a problem solver who goes beyond the call of duty. He has demonstrated leadership and initiative in helping Omega Tool Corp. (Omega) reach its goals and has helped his co-workers to embrace change by understanding the pain points and finding simple, innovative solutions. Mina successfully learned the fundamentals of moldmaking and machining while applying his other industry knowledge. He has been instrumental in the design, development and implementation of a new management and production system. Mina’s organizational and leadership skills helped him guide staff in defining new roles and duties while streamlining the use of resources. Also, he worked with the software developer to tailor a new management software to the company’s needs and wants.

Currently, Mina is working on automating the scheduling department with software and is spearheading a paperless initiative. Since Mina started working at Omega two years ago, he has made countless improvements to machine utilization and data tracking. He also fully automated the metric reports for transparent, easy access. Mina has the right mindset to help Omega move forward.

Nicole Nettesheim, 24
HR Generalist
Sussex IM (Sussex, Wisconsin)

Nicole exceeds the traditional scope of human resources and employee support. She helps care for more than 400 employees and has an active, leading role in workforce development, including benefits administration, records management, interviewing, conflict resolution and training initiatives. She also is directly involved in the management, setup, execution and follow-up of career fairs and educational events and is becoming the company spokesperson in communications efforts to reach and motivate the young workforce. Candid Conversations, a series of video interviews with Milwaukee-area manufacturers willing to share insights and best practices, recently featured Nicole. She also co-manages the company's social channels about employee communications and recruiting while developing content for the corporate website. She is an optimistic and energized performer, strengthening the industry through her dedicated efforts, fresh insight and a willingness to learn.

Mitchell Fox, 23
Moldmaker
Accede Mold & Tool (Rochester, New York)

Mitchell is a third-generation moldmaker. His grandfather, Al Fox, established Accede Mold & Tool (Accede) in 1981 and his father, Roger Fox, was a moldmaker and is the current owner and president of Accede. Mitchell started his moldmaking apprenticeship at Accede when he was 18 in 2012. He continued to work as an apprentice while attending college, graduating from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2017 with a degree in mechanical engineering technology. After graduation, Mitchell began to work full time at Accede, continuing his moldmaking apprenticeship. Throughout high school, Mitchell was active with FIRST Robotics as a member of Webster Schroeder/Thomas High School’s team, SPARX 1126. The mission of FIRST is to inspire and encourage students as young as six years old to embrace STEM concepts and careers. Mitchell’s latest endeavor at Accede is building a four-cavity Class 101 pilot mold with multiple side-actions, including hydraulically actuated lift and strip slides and a direct valve-gated hot manifold.

Britteny Willis, 28
Human Resources
Paragon D&E (Grand Rapids, Michigan)

A lot of things are teachable, but passion is not one of them. Britteny is an energetic and enthusiastic advocate for not only Paragon D&E (Paragon), but for the moldmaking industry as well. Part of her role in human resources is to fill open positions. She noticed early on that there just were not enough applicants and quickly realized that it is up to industry itself to develop and nurture excitement for careers in moldmaking. Britteny helped organize outreach and educational programs for local middle schools and high schools and set up plant tours with students and teachers. She is the champion at Paragon for Career Quest in Grand Rapids, which exposes students to high-growth occupations in advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and information technology via various activities and engagement with professionals like Britteny. She has made a positive impact steering people toward manufacturing, and moldmaking in particular. Britteny also is on the team that brought Paragon the title of “Best and Brightest Top 100 Companies to Work For” in 2017. She has participated in panel discussions at the American Mold Builders Association National Conference and at Amerimold 2018.

Steven Kronenberger, 25
Associate Mold Designer
Wepco Plastics (Middlefield, Connecticut)

Steven joined Wepco Plastics (Wepco) one year ago without injection molding experience but with a strong product design background, which enables Wepco to offer customers product development and design work. He currently designs 90 percent of the molds that come through the shop, designs all the electrodes for new molds and assembles the projects for the moldmakers. He essentially manages each mold project by tracking the time from design to completion. Since he has become a part of the team, Steven has worked very closely with the moldmakers and toolroom workers to understand the company’s capabilities and goals better. Steven has quickly become an integral part of the team. In the future, he will be learning programing, machine setup, grinding and many other skills. He also serves as part of the communication chain as products move from a design to a tangible part. He provides a means for moldmakers and customers to interact and to understand each other’s needs better, which strengthens customer relationships and improves the end product. Steven’s can-do attitude and ability to learn and adapt quickly earns him a very bright future at Wepco.

Marshall Collis, 27
Moldmaker
Maximum Mold/Max 3 LLC (Benton Harbor, Michigan)

Marshall has been with Maximum Mold for the past five years as a trained journeyman moldmaker. He shows leadership and compassion while sharing his determination, hard work, productivity and positive attitude. He never hesitates to take on a challenge or a difficult task.

Marshall comes from a family of toolmakers. He has always had an interest in computers and technology while enjoying a challenge, so moldmaking was a perfect fit. Marshall began his apprenticeship in June of 2013 at Max 3. He mastered all the required technical classes with above-average grades and ultimately completed his apprenticeship in May 2017. During his five years at Max 3, he has worked closely with other trained journeyman toolmakers, affording him the experience to complete new mold builds on his own.

Marshall even took a leadership position on a time-sensitive project with high-level quality and quantity requirements. He completely machined 1,100 parts (in which two pieces were assembled into one unit with a total of 550 assemblies) from start to finish and managed the customer delivery in under two weeks. This project demonstrated Marshall’s determination and competency to complete a difficult job, which required the skills for CNC setup and programing using both 2D and 3D data, running two or more machines simultaneously and managing continuous quality control and part inspection.

Marshall also has the gift of creating a team-oriented mindset across the shop. He can “rally the troops” to complete a common goal. Marshall’s hard work and “I’ll-give-it-a-shot” attitude has paid off for the company and for his career

Benjamin Warner, 28
Project Manager
Xometry (Bethesda, Maryland)

Ben is one of the most exciting young talents at Xometry. He has both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland and is a certified project management professional. He has been with the company for three years and plays a crucial role in helping the company develop its injection molding offerings. He manages an injection molding team and engages in part and mold design review with customers. He has become known for his hands-on, insightful approach to projects. Ben also manages complex injection molding projects from start to finish, delivering excellent customer service throughout the process. He has played a key role in Xometry's growth from a tiny startup to where the company is today.

Matthew Graves, 25
Project Manager
HTS International (Knoxville, Tennessee)

Matt started with HTS International (HTS) in 2016, helping to open the company’s first North American operations. A graduate of the University of Tennessee’s mechanical engineering program, he was the first engineering hire at HTS, bringing CAD and FEA simulation experience to the team. Matt plays a leading role in driving customer success with new technology. He works as a project manager, managing conformal-cooling channel design, simulation and deliveries. His projects interface with several leading molding companies and original equipment manufacturers in the packaging and automotive sectors, including several members of the Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500.

Matt’s engineering background enables him to develop a simple, equation-based, steady-state simulation approach to conformal cooling analysis that cuts typical simulation time for customers from 25–30 hours for full, transient analysis, down to 5–10 minutes for a steady-state approach. This approach has resulted in faster decision-making analysis for customers, greatly speeding the timeline involved in conformal cooling design. HTS project managers work in a hybrid sales-engineering role in which Matt has flourished. Recruiting several key accounts, Matt has demonstrated sales prowess beyond his years. This has made a key impact for a company just getting started in the United States.

Project management is not always easy. In the face of a critical mold build lead time in late 2017, Matt took a leading role in developing solutions on a timeline that worked for the customer. This resulted in turning a sour experience into a positive one, earning the trust of a new user of conformal cooling.

Jared Newman, 26
Class A Moldmaker
MME Group (Pine City, Minnesota)

Jared came to MME Group (MME) six years ago as a part-time employee while attending trade school. He immediately fit in with the company culture of “see-it, own-it, solve-it, do-it” and quickly made an impact in the toolmaking division. Jared moved to building complete, highly complex injection molds in fewer than five years. His quick rise to a Class A moldmaker is due to his mechanical ability and emotional intelligence. He also participated in extending training and multi-faceted teams throughout the organization. Recently, the toolroom manager took very ill, and Jared became the unofficial leader of the new tooling side of the shop without being asked. He took charge while the manager was on extended leave. Jared’s amazing attitude and smile is a blessing to be around every day. His technical ability coupled with innate people skills has made him a go-to guy for problem solving and “how-do-we-get-this-done” questions. In his continuous desire to learn, Jared attends industry events, offsite classes and company motivational team meetings. MME partners with local schools to grow future toolmakers, and Jared leads company tours and trains incoming apprentices.

Joe Charette, 24
Owner
JC Machine Ltd (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Joe is a visionary. He started his own company at the age of 19 as a precision machining contract shop for several industries, including moldmaking. He purchased a Toshiba boring mill three years ago and just added a Hermle C42U five-axis machine, making his company one of the only companies in Southwest Ontario to possess such high-end technology for mold and die work. Joe also has great work ethic and leads six employees by example on the shop floor. Although he is an extremely busy man, and he does not have a lot of time for small talk, he is kind and down-to-earth. To date, Joe has made a trade mission overseas to visit and evaluate other high-level builders to help him decide where the future is for his company.