October 31, 2013 - McLean, Va. … The MTConnect Institute, the developer and administrator of MTConnect, the open-source standard for communication and interconnectivity between manufacturing equipment and devices, has today announced its new leadership team, which will take effect at the Annual Meeting of the MTConnect Institute Board of Directors on December 11, 2013.
Courtney Hill, President, CJ Hill Consulting Services and retired General Manager, Manufacturing & Quality at GE Aviation, will become President and Chairman of the Board. Mr. Hill, who has been involved in the standard from its origins and most recently was the Chair of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), brings continuity and industry experience to the leadership of the Institute.
“I am gratified and honored for the opportunity to chair the MTConnect Board,” Mr. Hill commented. “With a long-held passion for advanced manufacturing technology, I've had the privilege of participating in the MTConnect journey since its launch and continue to be impressed by the results achieved by the entire MTConnect community. MTConnect is truly transformational and a key enabler to next generation digital manufacturing and sustained U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. The future of manufacturing and MTConnect is bright.”
Mr. Hill replaces David A. Edstrom, CEO/CTO Virtual Photons Electrons, LLC. who has completed his term and is leaving the management team to pursue development of MTConnect-related products and services in the private sector, as well as supporting AMT’s MTInsight business intelligence platform and other projects. Mr. Edstrom, author of the book “MTConnect: To Measure Is To Know,” which documents the development of the MTConnect standard, stated “It has been a highlight of my career to be involved in the development of MTConnect. This standard has truly contributed to the transformation of the manufacturing industry and individual manufacturing plants from an information-starved situation to an information rich position, which will allow future manufacturing decisions to be based on knowledge and data, not assumptions. I have enjoyed my tenure as President and Chairman of the Board and look forward to working with companies to take advantage of the MTConnect standard in their operations.”
Mr. Hill commented “On behalf of the entire MTConnect community, we would like to thank Dave for his tireless support of MTConnect and manufacturing and wish him well in his future plans; we know he will be in our community and continue to advance the standard in the future.”
Mr. Hill will be replaced as Chair of the TAG by Scott Hibbard, Vice President of Technology, Bosch Rexroth Corporation, who was previously Vice Chair.
Joining the MTConnect Board of Directors will be Thomas Kurfess – HUSCO/Ramirez Distinguished Chair in Fluid Power and Motion Control and Professor Mechanical Engineering Georgia Tech. During 2012-2013 he was on leave serving as the Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing at the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President of the United States of America. In this position he had responsibility for engaging the Federal sector and the greater scientific community to identify possible areas for policy actions related to manufacturing. Mr. Kurfess was elected to a 3-year term on the Board.
The Institute also announced that Paul Warndorf , Vice President – Manufacturing Technology, AMT- The Association For Manufacturing Technology, will continue his role as Secretary MTConnect Institute for an additional 3-year term and Ralph Resnick, President & Executive Director, NCDMM – National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, will extend his position as Director MTConnect Institute for an additional 3-year term.
They join Douglas K. Woods, President, AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, Treasurer MTConnect Institute; Brian J. Papke, President, Mazak Corporation and Dean Bartles, Vice President - Large Caliber Ammunition General Dynamics – Ordnance and Technical Systems, as members of the MTConnect Institute Board.
MTConnect Institute
The MTConnect Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization established to further the development of the MTConnect standard and publish related materials. The organization includes a Board of Directors, a Technical Advisory Group that’s also called MTCTAG, a Technical Steering Committee, as well as various working groups to further the standard in specific technology areas.
How can I become a member?
Any company or organization can be a member and aid in furthering the development of the MTConnect standard by becoming a member of the MTCTAG. Membership is free, and it requires agreement to the MTConnect Intellectual Property Policy, which can be found on the MTConnect website’s “Institute” section.
Contact:
Paul Warndorf
Secretary
MTConnect Institute
703-827-5291