MCLEAN, VA — The Association For Manufacturing Technology elected its 2016-2017 officers and directors. The 2016-2017 board year begins April 1.

The AMT Board of Directors—which represents the American manufacturing technology industry—named Richard L. Simons, president/CEO, Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y., to serve as chairman. He follows Chairman Jerry Rex, executive vice president, Concept Machine Tool, Plymouth, Minn.

“It is an honor and privilege to step into this leadership role at AMT after a long career in this industry that I love,” said Simons. “For many years Hardinge has been an active participant in this organization and I am proud to keep that legacy alive. The staff and the Board of AMT are committed to providing its members with information, resources, and a great IMTS 2016 to help manufacturing thrive as a most critical component of the global economy. Under Jerry Rex’s leadership, we have gained important forward momentum and I promise to do my best to keep that going in the coming year.”

The board elected Ronald S. Karaisz II, president, Novi Precision Products, Inc., Brighton, Mich., to serve as first vice chairman.

Steven R. Stokey, executive vice president/owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio, will serve as second vice chairman/treasurer. Brian J. Papke, president, Mazak Corporation, Florence, Ky., was elected Secretary.

Newly elected to a three-year term as a member of the association’s Board of Directors are Donald D. Lane, CEO, Makino, Mason, Ohio; and Ralph Resnick, president and executive director, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, Blairsville, Pa.

Chairman

Richard L. Simons has served as president/CEO of Hardinge Inc., located in Elmira, N.Y., since May 2008. Hardinge, Inc. is a leading international provider of advanced metal-cutting solutions. The company has a very diverse international customer base and serves a wide variety of end-user markets including aerospace, agricultural, transportation, basic consumer goods, communications and electronics, construction, defense, energy, pharmaceutical and medical equipment, and recreation industries, among others. Hardinge employs approximately 1,450 employees worldwide with manufacturing operations in Switzerland, Taiwan, United States, China and United Kingdom. Prior to rejoining Hardinge in 2008, he was vice president and corporate controller at Carpenter Technology, a publicly-traded specialty steel manufacturer (2005-2008).

Simons originally joined Hardinge in 1983 and held various management roles before being named executive vice president/chief financial officer (1999-2005).

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.

First Vice Chairman

Ronald S. Karaisz II is the President of Novi Precision Products, Inc. located in Brighton, Mich. Karaisz joined the machine tool industry in 1981, created Kar Enterprises in 1987 and became president at Novi Precision Products in 1999. Kar Enterprises, a machine tool distributor/representative of world-class machine tools from around the globe, includes premier lines of 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 and 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.

Second Vice Chairman/Treasurer

Steven R. Stokey is the executive vice president/owner of Allied Machine & Engineering Corp. located in Dover, Ohio. Allied is a world leader in metal cutting, serving all facets of manufacturing, which include the aerospace, defense, agriculture, automotive, heavy equipment, general machining, machine tool, mining, petrochemical, energy, renewable energy, structural steel, tool and die, and water treatment industries.

Secretary

Brian J. Papke is President of Mazak Corporation located in Florence, Ky.

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. Papke is a graduate of the University of Illinois.

For more information, visit www.AMTonline.org.