New Board for WiMEF Education Foundation
The Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation ( WiMEF ) in the U . S . has announced the election of 21 members to its 2023 Board of Directors , whose terms begin on 1 April 2023 .
The Board is led by Chair Veronica Braker , Senior Vice President of Global Operations , ADM , Decatur , IL ; Vice Chair Mary Ellen Grom , Executive Director , Customer Experience Solutions , AFL , Duncan , SC ; Secretary Steve Speich , Intelligent Solutions Group Factory Manager , John Deere , Fargo , ND ; and Past Chair / Treasurer Cara Herzog , Director , Diversity , Equity and Inclusion , People and Culture , Southwire Company , Carrollton , GA .
First-term members of the 2023 WiMEF board are :
■ Kori Carlson , President , Brooklyn Tool Co ., Minneapolis , MN .
■ Joanna Perz , Global Sustainability Leader , Ingersoll Rand , Davidson , NC .
“ On behalf of the entire WiM organisation , I am excited to welcome Kori and Joanna to the WiMEF Board of Directors ,” said WiM President and Founder , Allison Grealis . “ Education creates a roadmap for progress and , with this new Board at WiMEF , we will continue to pave the way for women in the manufacturing industry to reach their full potential .”
WiMEF funds the Leadership Institute for Women in Manufacturing and STEM , the Leadership Consortium , the Management Development Programme and the Empowering Women in Production Programme as well as a Virtual Learning Series that provides monthly webinars . These programmes have helped thousands of women and men in the industry grow professionally and personally since the Foundation ’ s inception .
Grealis also thanked outgoing members of the WiMEF board for their outstanding service : Rachel Camarillo , Erin Air , and Kaitlyn Kelly , Trane Technologies .
The WiM Education Foundation ( WiMEF ) is the 501 ( c )( 3 ) arm of the Women in Manufacturing ® Association . n
Andrew Blackwell has been appointed managing director of Wilson Tool International ( Europe ) Ltd . He started his career in mechanical engineering in the automotive sector and has held senior operational and commercial leadership positions in the aerospace , defence and industrial sectors .
“ I ’ m excited to have joined a well-established company in Wilson Tool . It ’ s well known in the punching and forming industries , focused on next day shipping of products across many OE ranges with high levels of customer service . Our aim is to keep increasing that range and expanding our press brake products with the same level of service that our customers expect and require in their own sectors ,” he explained .
Wilson Tool provides a wide range of tooling solutions for punching and bending around the globe with sales offices across Europe and press brake tooling manufacturing in Italy and the UK . Fifty years of growth has seen the company specialise in lean manufacturing processes and application training . Its Swindon
PEOPLE WATCH
New MD for Wilson Tool International ( Europe ) Ltd .
Andrew Blackwell .
headquarters has a Technical Centre with punching and bending facilities that customers can utilise to support development of their products and define their processes for challenging fabrication issues , with Wilson Tool engineering support .
Andrew takes over from Colin Blackwell who retires at the end of March after 41 years in the business .
“ I would like to thank Colin on behalf of Wilson Tool for helping to build and grow the company into what it is today . It ’ s a great legacy and one that I am proud to be guiding into the future ,” concluded Andrew Blackwell . n
Atkin Automation appoints technical consultant
Atkin Automation , a division of Group wealth of experience in the press feeding Rhodes , has appointed Richard Priest as sector and has worked with our customers technical consultant for its coil processing for many years on their specific machinery division . requirements . As demand for bespoke
Richard Priest was formerly contracts and often complex equipment increases , director for Atkin Automation and has 40 Richard ’ s skills will be invaluable in enhancing years ’ experience in the press feeding our technical service to customers .” industry , having started with the business Atkin Automation has over 70 years ’ as a draughtsman in 1982 . His new role experience in manufacturing coil processing involves assisting customers with the equipment to suit a wide range of specification and design of the international industry sectors . From its UK
Atkin Automation range of factory in Wakefield , West Yorkshire ( UK ), products . it manufacturers a range of coil processing
Mark Ridgway , CEO products with punching ; notching ; shearing ; of Group Rhodes , said : roll forming and other automated equipment .
Right : Richard Priest .