New role supports the Association’s rapid expansion and leadership position in the global automation industry
ANN ARBOR, Michigan – January 9, 2025 – The Association for Advancing Automation (A3), North America’s preeminent automation trade association, proudly announces the promotion of Alex Shikany to executive vice president. Previously serving as vice president of Membership & Market Intelligence, Alex brings over a decade of dedicated leadership and innovation to his new role.
As executive vice president, Alex will oversee several key operations for A3, serving as the day-to-day liaison to the A3 Board of Directors and leading the A3 Leadership Team. His focus will be on driving strategic initiatives, fostering collaboration, and enhancing member value to advance A3’s mission.
A3’s President Jeff Burnstein highlighted the importance of Shikany’s promotion in light of the Association’s rapid growth. “Over the past five years, we’ve doubled our team, established Automate as North America’s leading annual robotics and automation event, and expanded internationally into Mexico and India. With A3 in its strongest position ever, Alex’s leadership in internal operations allows me to focus on long-term strategy, including partnerships, accelerating adoption of automation, and growing our global footprint.”
Burnstein also praised Shikany’s contributions to A3’s success. “Alex has been a transformative force for our team, demonstrating visionary leadership, a strategic mindset, and collaborative approach. His efforts have shaped our direction, and I am confident he will continue to elevate the Association’s impact on the automation industry.”
Reflecting on his promotion, Shikany stated, “It’s an honor to step into this new role and further A3’s mission to drive innovation and growth in the global automation industry. I am grateful for the incredible team at A3, as well as our talented members and community, whose efforts drive meaningful change and innovation worldwide.”
Since joining A3 in 2012 as director of Market Analysis, Shikany has held increasingly impactful roles. Notably, he led A3’s rebranding initiative, unifying four organizations under the A3 umbrella in 2021—a two-year effort that set the stage for A3’s continued success.
In his previous role, Shikany spearheaded membership growth, expanding A3’s global reach to over 1,300 member companies while advancing its market intelligence capabilities in robotics, machine vision, motion control, and artificial intelligence. His contributions have solidified A3’s position as the trusted voice of the automation industry.
About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. Members of A3 represent over 1,300 manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups and consulting firms that drive automation forward worldwide.
A3 hosts a number of industry-leading events, including Automate (May 12-15, 2025, in Detroit, MI) and the International Robot Safety Conference (November 3-5, 2025, in Houston, TX).
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