SME Selects 2011 President and Board of Directors

DEARBORN, MI-Reaching beyond the North American borders for the first time, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) has elected Paul D. Bradley, PE, managing director, Peterson Industries out of Adelaide, South Australia, as its 2011 president. Bradley was sworn in-along with the rest of the 2011 SME Executive Committee and Board of Directors - at the Society’s Awards and Installation Banquet held November 14, in Dearborn, MI.

As president, Bradley will lead the board in developing the SME Strategic Plan 2015 and plans to strengthen the Society’s brand as “the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking.”

“SME has been an essential part of my professional growth,” said Bradley. “I would like other manufacturing professionals to recognize the need to be part of SME if they want to advance their careers.”

Bradley credits the support of his boss Gwen Peterson and his mentor, the late Max Peterson, for encouraging his interest in the engineering profession by inviting him to join the former SME Adelaide No. 169 chapter back in 1989.

“I had a thirst for knowledge, and I still have a thirst for knowledge,” Bradley said. “And SME offers more manufacturing knowledge than anyone could absorb.”

Bradley’s career path gives him a broad view of manufacturing-apprenticing with Peterson’s in 1980 to his current role of professional engineer and managing director. Throughout Bradley’s more than two decades with the Society, he’s held a number of leadership roles, including terms on the SME Executive Committee and Board of Directors, the Ad Hoc International Strategies Committee, nominated as an international representative on the SME Region Chairs Committee and twice as chair of the Adelaide No. 169. He is also a recipient of the 1997 SME Ralph E. Cross Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award.

Bradley also served as a member of the Board Work Group on International Alliances, which developed key recommendations leading to a new alliance with the Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Ltd (AMTIL). In 2001, he received the South Australian Governor’s Leadership Foundation Fellowship Award. Bradley completed a four-year apprenticeship as a fitter and turner, and is a registered professional engineer in South Australia. He earned a diploma of management from O’Halloran Hill College.

Also elected to serve on the 2011 SME Executive Committee:

President-Elect: LaRoux K. Gillespie, Dr. Eng., FSME, CMfgE, PE

Gillespie retired as quality assurance manager of Honeywell’s Federal Manufacturing & Technologies division where he led a 200-employee group responsible for product and operating quality for the 2,800-employee plant. He has been extremely active in SME since becoming a student member in 1962. An SME Fellow, Gillespie has served on numerous SME committees over the years and led numerous SME technical conferences. He has degrees in both manufacturing engineering and mechanical engineering.

Vice-President: Dennis S. Bray, PhD, FSME

Bray is the owner of Bray Innovation Group LLC. Previously, he was president and CEO of Cincinnati Inc. His entire career has been devoted to broadening the knowledge base of manufacturing. A member of the Society since 2002, Bray was elected to the SME College of Fellows in 2003. Additional honors include the SME Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award and the Ford Foundation Fellowship-University of Wisconsin. He holds a bachelors degree in engineering and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Secretary/Treasurer: Michael F. Molnar, FSME, CMfgE, PE

Molnar is the director of environmental policy and sustainable development for Cummins Inc. and is responsible for corporate initiatives such as energy efficiency, sustainability of operations and compliance affairs. He has more than 25 years of industrial experience in leadership roles across functions. He has held many leadership positions with SME since joining in 1982, including chair of the SME Member Council. Molnar was elected an SME Fellow in 2008 and holds BSME and MSMSE degrees from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.

At-Large Executive Committee Member: Wayne Frost, CMfgE

Frost recently retired from John Deere Waterloo Works where he managed the lean manufacturing program. With John Deere for 37 years, he accepted increasingly responsible positions in manufacturing management, quality assurance and supply management. An active SME member since 1983, Frost has served at the international, regional and chapter levels. His honors include the SME Award of Merit, SME President’s Award, the SME Waterloo Chapter Kurt E. Lear Award and the John Deere General Manager’s Award. He earned a BS and MS from the University of Northern Iowa.

The full roster of the 2011 SME Board of Directors is below:

Directors

Dean L. Bartles, PhD
General Dynamics Corporation

Warren R. DeVries, PhD, FSME
University of Maryland-Baltimore County

Barbara M. Fossum, PhD, FSME
University of Texas at Austin (Retired)

Thomas R. Kurfess, PhD, FSME, CMfgT, PE
Clemson University

Mark L. Michalski
MKS Instruments

Robert R. Nesbitt, CMfgE
Eli Lilly and Company

Richard C. Peters, LSME, CMfgE, PE
Timken Aerospace Aftermarket Solutions

James W. Schlusemann
Navistar Inc.

George E. West, Jr.
PACCAR Inc.

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