Jeff Noruk’s career began as a welding engineer for P&H (Komatsu) and since has worked for 45 years in all facets of welding automation. Presently, Jeff is President of Servo Robot Corp., a leading supplier of laser vision camera systems for robot guidance and weld inspection. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University and is an active member of AWS D16 (Robotic and Welding standards committee) and D8 (Automotive Welding standards committee) as well as a CWI and PE.

Carey Chen has served as Executive Director and CEO of AWS since January 2025. Prior to joining AWS, Mr. Chen held CEO positions at Fathom Digital Manufacturing Solutions (NYSE: FATH), Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions, and Incodema Holdings LLC. He also served as Executive Chairman and President of Cincinnati Incorporated.

He was an active volunteer with AWS and the AWS Foundation since 2007. From 2015 to 2022, he served as Treasurer, during which time he chaired the Finance & Business Development and Investment Committees, and was a member of both the AWS Board of Directors and the AWS Foundation Board of Trustees. He later chaired the Audit Committee. Mr. Chen was named an AWS Counselor in 2022 and received the AWS National Meritorious Award in 2024.

Mr. Chen holds a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles, and an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also the holder of multiple U.S. patents.

Roger Abercrombie is a highly experienced and accomplished professional in the steel industry with 20 years on the fabrication/Manufacturing side of the industry and 20 years on the quality assurance side of the industry. A US Navy veteran, he has worked in the field for 40 years, becoming a certified welder in multiple codes including SJI, AWS, ASME, and API. He has held an AWS CWI for 21 years, an AWS CRI for 9 years, and has been a Level 2 NDE in MT & PT for 23 years and UT for 17 years. Additionally, he has been a NACE Level 1 CPI for 18 years and a level 2 & 3 for 13 years.

Lee A. Pielaet, holding certifications as CWI, CWE, and CQA, serves as the president of Pioneer Steel Services, Inc., a firm dedicated to offering consulting services for organizations pursuing AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) certification. With an impressive background spanning over 45 years in the industry, Pielaet possesses significant knowledge in welding inspection and structural bolting. Under his guidance, Pioneer Steel Services provides a variety of services, including the development of Quality Management Systems (QMS) specifically designed to comply with AISC certification requirements. Additionally, the company acts as an authorized dealer for Skidmore-Wilhelm, supplying bolt tension indicators and associated consulting services.

Pielaet also boasts considerable experience in AISC auditing, having performed over 1,100 AISC audits during his professional journey. His specialization lies in assisting steel erection and fabrication firms in obtaining, managing, and enhancing their AISC certifications. This extensive experience establishes him as a pivotal figure in the industry, offering essential assistance in navigating the intricate demands of AISC certifications, particularly in the establishment of Quality Management Systems (QMS) that align with these standards.

Andy Shingledecker is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the energy sector, specializing in operations, management, and quality assurance/quality control. QA/QC, Senior Welding Inspector, Chief Inspector and Construction Manager. He is working with Applied Consultants, Inc., whom he was previously with for eight years. He is currently on a project for National Fuel Gas.

With a strong background in business development and client relations, Andy has successfully managed projects exceeding $20 million and led teams across various locations. His expertise includes pipeline integrity management, contract negotiation, and public speaking. Andy is also a certified welding inspector and a Level 2 certified coating inspector, underscoring his technical proficiency.

Andy holds degrees in Business Administration from the University of Oklahoma and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming. His career is marked by a commitment to ethical leadership, mentoring, and continuous improvement, making him a valuable asset in any professional setting.

Bob Shaw is President of the Steel Structures Technology Center, Inc., a consulting engineering firm in Howell, Michigan, founded in 1990. Bob has 50 years of experience in steel construction, is a registered Professional Engineer, and is an ICC-certified Special Inspector for Structural Steel and Bolting and for Structural Welding Inspection. His publications include the Structural Bolting Handbook, Structural Welding Quality Handbook, and, jointly with the ICC, the Structural Steel Inspector’s Workbook.

Bob serves on numerous standards committees, including those of RCSC – currently serving as Chair, AISC Specifications and several Task Committees, AISC Connections Prequalification Review Panel, AWS D1 Structural Welding, ASTM F16 Fasteners, and ISO /TC 167 Steel and Aluminium Structures, He is also past Chair of the International Institute of Welding's Commission XVIII on Quality Management.

His consulting work addresses bolting, welding, and other steel fabrication and erection issues, usually “when things may be wrong or have gone wrong."

Has spent the last 51 years in inspection (CWI since 1977), quality, engineering, project   construction management, and education. He has presented training programs for companies both in the U.S. and Internationally, is an AWS Life Member, Past District - 9 Director and Past Director-at-Large and has published over 30 articles relating to inspection and quality. He is presently engaged as a contractor and technical consultant for AWS on multiple technical committees.

Mr. Pepper has studied the impact of Artificial and Augmented Intelligence for use in quality and education for some years and is incorporating these findings in his upcoming co-authored text on Vocational Education and Training for Welding.

Todd Alwood is the Vice President of Membership and Certification with AISC and oversees program activities for each department. He promotes AISC Certification to the construction industry and helps educate engineers, architects, and owners about its benefits. Todd has been with the Association for over 20 years, and before joining AISC, Todd was a consulting engineer.

Lisa Patel is the American Institute of Steel Construction’s director of certification. She manages the AISC Certification program and oversees the certification process, including the application and renewal processes. Additionally, she is responsible for participant education, including coordinating QualityCon at NASCC, which is where industry experts share the latest on the principles of quality management. Lisa has been with the Association since 2012. Prior to joining ASIC, she spent three years as a project engineer for Harbour Contractors, Inc. and another five years as an assistant project manager at Walsh Construction. Patel holds a Master of Architecture and Master of Science in civil engineering, architecture, and construction management, both from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Mr. Duke has been involved in the ironworking industry since 1998. Having worked as an ironworker in the field, and now as management, he has been on both the Quality Control and Quality Assurance side of projects. He is currently the Corporate Quality Control and Risk Manager for Williams Erection Company and Atlanta Steel Erectors.

Luke Faulkner is the Director of Technology Integration for the American Institute of Steel Construction where he focuses on technology implementation and advancement for the structural steel industry. Among other areas, his focus is on Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality, BIM, and Additive Manufacturing. Prior to AISC, Luke was a project manager and estimator in the MEP industry, also with a focus on technology. He received a bachelor of science in Building Construction Management from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

With over 32 years of experience in steel fabrication, Christian Crosby is a Licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Welding Inspector. He is also an active member of several AISC committees.

Bill Evans, CWI and Welding Qualification Testing Coordinator at Performance Instruction & Training (PIT) grew up in New Hampshire before moving to North Carolina in 2004 to pursue a career in the motorsports industry. Bill worked as a welder/fabricator for various NASCAR teams for 15 years, while also working as a pit crew athlete for 6 of those years. In 2016 he began as a part time welding instructor at PIT’s welding division, Pit Weld U. Bill earned his CWI credential in 2017 and transitioned out of motorsports to a full-time position as a CWI with PIT in 2020. PIT is an American Welding Society (AWS) Accredited Testing Facility and 2021 recipient of the Welder Workforce Grant. PIT also offers a variety of welding workshops, industry specific training, CWI services and retail division selling welders, modular welding systems, and supplies.

David currently serves as Mechanical Technologies Department Chairman and Welding Program Coordinator at Moraine Valley Communitee College. Outside of teaching he is a CWI, CWE,and CW with Techno-Weld Welding Consultants. Dave has extensive knowledge of welding processes, code applications, and interpretation. In the last five years, has taught several D17.1 Aerospace code clinics at FabTech, privately held military contractors, and aerospace firms. Dave is the past chairman of the AWS Chicago Section and incoming District 13 Director.

Richard Campbell is an AWS Fellow and AWS Life Member, ASME Fellow, and Fellow Emeritus of Bechtel Corporation from which he recently retired. Now a contractor to AWS, he has more than 45 years of welding and metallurgical experience. He holds a BS degree in Welding Engineering from LeTourneau University and a PhD in Materials Engineering from RPI. He is an AWS SCWI, a CWB Level 2 Welding Inspector, an ASNT NDT Level III Visual Testing Inspector, and a registered professional engineer. He has been an officer or member of many AWS and ASME welding committees, including member of the AWS Technical Activities Committee, D1 Structural Welding committee, chair of the D1.6 Stainless Steel Structural committee for 9 years, chair of the ASME Board on Conformity Assessment, and vice chair of the ASME B31.3 committee. He has taught AWS CWI classes for 30 years and has presented many seminars and authored dozens of technical articles on welding and metallurgy. In 2022 Dr. Campbell began penning the Stainless Q&A column in the Welding Journal upon the retirement of Dr. Damian Kotecki.

KTA-Tator, Inc., Vice President and the Coatings Group Manager at KTA, where he has been employed for 18 years. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Fairmont State University and a Master of Science Degree in Safety Management from West Virginia University. Mr. Cline is a Registered Professional Engineer, an AMPP Senior Certified Coatings Inspector, and an AMPP Protective Coatings Specialist.

James Gravley has 25 years of welding experience and 19 years of inspection experience. He has served in a number of positions in Pittsburgh, PA including Senior Steel Inspector at Bureau Veritas and at KTA Tator first as a Steel Inspector and currently as the inspection supervisor. His credentials and certifications include the AWS: Certified Welding Inspector with endorsements in D1.2 Structural Aluminum, D1.5 Bridge Welding, and D1.1 Structural Steel as well as the AWS Certified Welding Supervisor and Certified Radiographic Interpreter. He is an ICC Certified Structural Steel and Bolting Inspector and Structural Welding Inspector. He is a NACE CIP Level 2 Coating Inspector, a CWB Certified Welding Inspector, and an certified in ASNT Nondestructive testing. Mr. Gravley serves on a number of AWS Committees including:

• B1 Committee on Methods of Inspection
• B1A Subcommittee on Nondestructive Examinations of Welds
• B1B Subcommittee on Visual Examination of Welds
• B1C Task Group on Welding Inspection Handbook
• D1J Subcommittee on Bridge Welding (AWS/AASHTO)
• D1K Subcommittee on Stainless Steel Welding
• D1TG3 Task Group on Fabrication.

Mike Gase, SCWI, ASNT Level III has been a CWI and preforming quality control and quality assurance since 1986, beginning in a steel mill in Detroit. Mr. Gase has worked for consulting engineering firms for 25 years rising to steel team leader, two years as a Corporate Quality Director for a mechanical contractor, and since 2013, Corporate Quality Director for Midwest Steel, Inc, Detroit, MI (a national structural steel erector). Mr. Gase volunteers on AWS and AISC committees. With AISC as Chair of AISC TC-12 (responsible for AISC 360 Ch N and AISC 341 Ch J) and Committee on Specifications, and Vice Chair of Certification Committee. With with AWS as Chairman of TC-3 Fabrication, TC-4 Inspection, D1.4 Reinforcing Steel, and member of D1Q and D1 Main, and the Welding Handbook Committee. When time permits, Mr. Gase is a runner and reader.

Ronnie Medlock is Vice President - Technical Services, at High Steel Structures LLC in Lancaster PA, who produces fabricated steel for steel girder, arch, truss, and cable stay steel bridges. He is responsible for quality and for fabrication and inspection technology advancements. Prior to joining High Steel in 2006, Ronnie worked for TxDOT. Ronnie is from El Paso, Texas, is licensed in Texas, and earned BS and MS degrees in engineering at UT Austin.

Robin Dunlap is the Quality Control Manager at High Steel Structures. Her team is responsible for shop inspection, including non-destructive testing, visual weld inspection, and coatings inspection. Prior to joining High Steel in 2000, Robin worked at Bethlehem Steel in Pennsylvania.

Shanen Aranmór, MS, CWI/CWE, is a passionate advocate for skilled trades with over a decade of experience in promoting American manufacturing and fabrication. After transitioning from a college wellness professor to a welding and industrial technology expert, she founded Weld Like A Girl™ in 2017, offering public classes, community welding projects, and welder qualification services. Shanen's work has earned her multiple accolades, including the 2023 Dalton E. Hamilton Memorial CWI of the Year Award and the US Small Business Association Arizona Women in Business Champion Award. She also plays a vital role in Project MFG, supported by the US Department of Defense, where she helps elevate the trades and inspire the next generation of skilled workers.

Vice President of Corporate Business Development for KTA-Tator. He received his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University and did his graduate work at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. He is an AMPP Senior Coating Inspector and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. He has been actively involved in the corrosion materials market for over 25 years and has worked for both contractors and material suppliers over his career. He has managed private and public construction projects across North America. He serves on the board for the Design Build Institute of America – Alleghenies Chapter as well as the Engineering Society of Western PA. He has written numerous articles and has been a featured speaker at multiple conferences, including ACP, AWWA, AMPP, AWWA among others. Most recently, he chaired the AMPP SPO-188 committee on Holiday Detection, which is utilized across our industry.

Mr. Ring's 20 years of experience began after receiving a BS in Mechanical Engineering, as a NASCAR pit crew member, and Race engineer. He then moved into the manufacturing sector where he spent the 10 years at Sonaspection US as a NDE Inspector/Production Manager then QA Manager. He then worked for Flawtech for 2 years as Vice President/Production Manager. He specializes in PAUT with over 2,700 experience hours in ultrasonic inspections with over half of these hours in the phased array technique. He is Level II in UT, MT, PT, VT and has taken courses in RT film interpretation. In his most recent role, he was the NDE manager and helped with quoting and project management then moved to the QA Manager of a 10 CFR 50 Appx. B quality program at a machine shop. He spent 2 years as the Director of Business Development for Applied Inspection Systems and now has recently returned to Sonaspection as President and Co-Owner. He is currently serving as Vice-President for the Charlotte ASNT Section. He loves time with his family, horseback riding through the mountains, golf and his Bible studies and fellowship with friends.

William L. Roth is a native of Chatham, Illinois. He began welding in vocational school and became a tank and pressure vessel welder upon graduation. He saved his money up welding and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Welding Engineering from Millikin University in 1989, a Master of Science Degree in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2007 and an Internation Welding Engineering Degree from the IIW in 2002. William is a registered Professional Welding Engineer (Ohio), Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and an AWS Counselor. He serves in leadership positions on several American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) technical code committees. William is a retired US Navy Captain with over 30 years of combined active and reserve duty. He served as both a Surface Nuclear Propulsion Engineer and an Engineering Duty Officer. His civilian experience includes various engineering roles with Champion Paper, Hobart Brothers Advanced Systems Group, Copeland Corporation and Procter and Gamble where he spent over 20 years as their Welding and Materials Engineer, overseeing the welding and pressure vessel programs. William is currently the President of Welding Engineering Consultants, LLC.

Larry is the owner of Kruth Engineering, LLC. He is a consultant on a broad range of consulting services for steel construction, including Steel Fabrication, Steel Erection, Safety, Quality, and Connection Design. For 31 years, he was part-owner of Douglas Steel in Lansing, Michigan. After retiring from Douglas Steel, he became AISC Vice President of Engineering and Research. He has over forty years of structural engineering experience and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Michigan and Pennsylvania. He has served on the AISC Board of Directors and as the Chair of the AISC TC-12 Quality Control & Assurance Specification Committee. He is a member of the AISC Research Committee, AISC TC-6 Connection Design Specification Committee, AISC TC-12 Quality Control & Assurance Specification Committee, AISC Full Specification Committee, AISC Structural Stainless Steel Specification Committee, AISC Manual Committee, and Chair of the Research Council on Structural Connections Specification Committee. He was named the 2011 Structural Engineer of the Year by the Structural Engineers Association of Michigan. In 2023, Larry was made an Honorary Member of AISC by the Board of Directors of AISC. Only 13 others have received this award since AISC's founding in 1921.

Will Haworth is the Application Engineer for Sonatest, a leading ultrasonic testing equipment manufacturer. With a diverse background in NDT and welding, Will is dedicated to providing comprehensive solutions for customers in ultrasonic testing while driving advancements in the NDT industry. Holding certifications as an AWS CWI and ASNT NDT Level III, he has successfully contributed to inspection projects across various industries, including structural steel, aerospace, mining, and oil and gas. With a passion for continuous improvement, Will's expertise and commitment make him a valuable asset in the world of ultrasonic and NDT technologies.

Amanda L. Young currently serves as Vice President, ASNT Level III, and CWI for McNDT Pipeline, Ltd., a mobile nondestructive testing firm. She has more than 17 years' experience working in multiple NDT methods and currently oversees operations in Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In addition to her role at McNDT, Amanda is a certified welding educator and teaches SMAW and metallurgy. Amanda's dedication to the field extends beyond her professional commitments. She volunteers as Chairman for the American Welding Society's Chicago Section and currently serves as the 2nd Vice Chair of the QCWI: Welding Inspectors Committee.

Jason Becker is a highly experienced welder/fabricator with 25 years of hands-on experience in the welding industry. Jason is a Marine Corps Veteran, having served during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom from 2001–2005. He is also an AWS Certified Welding Inspector, Certified Welding Educator, and Certified Welder Performance Qualifier (CWI/CWE/WPQ1).

In addition to his extensive welding experience, Jason also holds a Bachelor's degree in Construction Management which he earned from Seminole State College with honors in 2016. He currently works as a full-time welding consultant and is dedicated to helping, educating, and inspiring the next generation of welders through his Arc Junkies Podcast.

The Arc Junkies Podcast is a weekly show that covers a wide range of welding topics including ironwork, fabrication, pipe welding, and everything in between. Jason invites other experts in the industry to join him on the show to discuss these topics and share their knowledge and experience. The podcast is available on all major podcast apps and is a great resource for anyone interested in the welding industry. Tune in each week to learn from one of the most experienced and knowledgeable welders in the business.