Jeff Burnstein is the President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the leading North American trade group representing over 1400 global companies involved in robotics, artificial intelligence, vision, motion control and related automation technologies. Burnstein joined the association in 1983 and has held a variety of senior positions, culminating in his promotion to President in 2007. He is a frequent commentator on automation issues to the news media, policy makers and the public, and regularly speaks at global conferences on topics such the latest automation trends, the impact of automation on jobs and the future of automation beyond the factory floor. In 2023 he received the Engelberger Robotics Award for Leadership, widely considered the “Nobel Prize of Robotics.”

The Board of Directors appointed Carey Chen as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Mr. Chen brings extensive leadership experience to AWS, having previously held CEO roles at Fathom Digital Manufacturing Solutions (NYSE:FATH), Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions, and Incodema Holdings LLC, and as Executive Chairman and President of Cincinnati Incorporated. Earlier in his career, he held key executive positions, including Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hypertherm, Inc., Vice President Finance of Wiremold | Legrand (Paris:LR.PA), and Vice President & CFO of Bayliner Marine Corporation, a subsidiary of the Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC).

A longstanding supporter of AWS, Mr. Chen has been an active volunteer with AWS and the AWS Foundation since 2007. He served as AWS Treasurer from 2015 to 2022, during which 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. Most recently, he chaired the Audit Committee. His contributions to AWS have earned him prestigious recognitions, including being named an AWS Counselor in 2022 and receiving the National Meritorious Award in 2024.

In addition to his role at AWS, Mr. Chen currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Roberts Hawaii, Inc., an independent Board Director for CHART Rehabilitation, and an Independent Board Advisor for KarYard, Inc. Mr. Chen received a BS in Applied Mathematics from University of California, Los Angeles. He earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently serves on the Gies College of Business Dean’s Business Council. He also holds several US Patents.

Dr. Dennis Harwig is a recognized international expert in arc welding & DED additive manufacturing processes, weldability/buildability of advanced materials, and structural metal fabrication. He has deep knowledge in Navy nuclear equipment pressure vessel manufacturing and shipbuilding. His OSU research areas include arc welding & DED process innovation, computer aided robotic process modeling, intelligent multi-process digital “convergent” manufacturing software platforms, gas metal arc metal transfer control and consumable development, reactive & refractory metal weldability, functionally graded DED materials, weldability / buildablity test methods, adaptive DED process sensors & controls, and in-situ process monitoring & NDE. He is an American Welding Society (AWS) fellow and serves on the following AWS committees:

TAC – Technical Activities Committee,
HEC-E, Higher Education Subcommittee – Engineering,
D20 - Specification for Fabrication of Metal Components using Additive Manufacturing, and
G2 – Joining of Metals and Alloys – Chair.

Slade Gardner has led Big Metal Additive from startup to internationally recognized manufacturing company serving customers in aerospace and defense with industry leading, large scale, metal additive manufacturing. Dr. Gardner is the 2022 SME Additive Manufacturing Industry Achievement award winner recognizing outstanding accomplishments of significant impact advancing industrial additive manufacturing.

Stu Shepherd has over 47-years’ experience transforming manufacturing in the Americas through his leadership in the robotic automation industry.

He graduated in 1983 from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology, which also included his first work experiences in a fabrication job shop and in production welding in an automotive component manufacturer.

His past experiences include automation integration roles at General Motors, and sales and top leadership roles at FANUC America Corporation, KUKA AG, Güdel AG, Universal Robots A/S, and consulting with Gain & Co. and HowToRobot.com.

He is the Co-Founder and President of Shepherd Solutions, Inc. Based in Rochester, Michigan, Stu provides clients with valuable advisory and consulting services focused on the creation and growth of new business development for automation OEMs and integrators, plus for the planning and implementing robotic automation for end-users.

Stu is a Past Chairperson at both the Robotic Industries Association (now known as the A3 Robotics Tech Strategy Board) and Association for Advancing Automation (A3), current A3 Robotics Tech Strategy Board Member, and R15.05 Robot Safety Committee Member. He is also an American Welding Society (AWS) member serving on the D16 Robotic and Automatic Welding Committee.

Lastly, Stu has been internationally recognized for his contributions to the robotics automation industry as the 2025 recipient of the Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award for Leadership.

Kaushalya (Kaushi) Putta is an Advanced Lead Welding Engineer at GE Aerospace, specializing in automated joining processes for aerospace manufacturing. She drives strategy and development initiatives in welding automation, with a particular focus on GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) automation for thin-walled materials, exotic materials, and components with complex geometries. Kaushi's expertise spans manufacturing producibility, filler metal development and testing, materials research, and digital manufacturing. She is passionate about integrating advanced technologies with practical shop-floor solutions and sharing insights that benefit not only aerospace but also other industries.

Mark Dalene is the owner of Davenport Manufacturing Group (DMG), a Midwest-based contract manufacturer specializing in high-volume sheet metal fabrication, robotic and manual welding, and powder coating. He studied at Weber State University and began his career with five years of hands-on welding experience at Gerber Construction in Lehi, Utah, where he worked as a “stare at the white light” welder—developing a deep respect for the skill and discipline required on the shop floor. He later spent over a decade in manufacturing engineering, including supporting global automation initiatives at John Deere as a senior engineer. At DMG, Mark has led the integration of robotic welding systems, process standardization, and operator-driven quality systems aligned with AWS D1.1 standards. His work focuses on bridging the gap between automation strategy and real-world execution, with an emphasis on scalability, workforce development, and sustainable growth in American manufacturing.

Emilee Brittain is an engineering project lead for Welding Automation within Caterpillar’s Research and Development division. With over 15 years of experience in the welding industry, she works closely with emerging technology, refining existing processes, and assisting manufacturing facilities with the implementation and streamlining of welding automation. She is passionate about using automation as a strategic advantage to help workflows move faster, smarter, and more consistently, bringing practicality in the forefront to ensure changes are sustainable and successful.

Kyle Anderson is a Regional Manager at Vectis Automation. He started working in the traditional robotic welding industry in 2010 as a project engineer and programmer, before transitioning into project management and sales engineering roles. He started working with collaborative robots in 2020, and has enjoyed watching robotic adoption increase as the technology becomes more accessible.

Anthony Nighswander, President and Founder of APT Manufacturing Solutions, is a visionary leader based in NW Ohio. He is known for his ability to solve complex manufacturing problems and guide individuals and organizations toward their goals, aligning with a divine purpose. Founded in 1996, APT Manufacturing Solutions ranks among the top 10 FANUC integrators in the United States, specializing in pre-engineered robotic welding, palletizing, and training equipment. Also deeply committed to education. They have partnered with FANUC EDU to develop advanced manufacturing equipment and curricula for educational institutions across the Americas. This commitment extends to their "Training Up" initiatives, which include a high school training program, a state-certified apprenticeship program, and hiring from FANUC’s Soldier for Life Training Program.

A veteran of the robotic arc welding industry since 1982, Gordon brings over four decades of expertise in delivering automated solutions to the automotive, aerospace, and heavy fabrication sectors. Having held pivotal roles at industry leaders like Hobart Bros. Company, Yaskawa Motoman Robotics, and Nutech Engineering, he possesses a deep-seated understanding of the complex challenges facing modern manufacturers. Since joining AGT Robotics in 2019, Gordon has been instrumental in helping U.S. fabricators—particularly those in structural steel and prefabricated buildings—transition into the future of manufacturing. He works with US-based clients interested in deploying AGT’s BeamMaster and BLOK solutions, designed specifically to bring the efficiency of high-mix, low-volume automation to shops of all sizes.

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.

Steve Massey is a seasoned innovation and engineering leader specializing in welding automation and advanced manufacturing technologies. He currently serves as Innovation Lead for Welding Automation at Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, where he drives strategic initiatives to advance automated welding solutions and integrate cutting-edge technologies into industrial workflows.

With more than three decades of hands-on experience in engineering and process development, Steve brings deep technical expertise and a passion for innovation to every project he undertakes. Steve holds a Bachelor of Science in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University.

Mike Dietrich serves as Vice President of K-12 Education & Instructor Training at LAB Midwest, one of the largest distributors of curriculum, eLearning, and training equipment that supports STEM and Advanced Manufacturing Careers. Mike is a former educator with a Master’s Degree in Urban Special Education, and has been with LAB Midwest for over 9 years, specializing in curriculum design and developing post-secondary and industry partnerships for countless K-12 programs across the Midwest.

Donald D. Schwemmer Jr. is President and co-owner of AMET, inc., a US based company developing and producing innovative, automated welding systems solutions.

In 1989 Mr. Schwemmer, and his partner Dave Stompro, founded AMET inc. to develop advanced and intuitive control systems that integrate all process and motion functions to successfully meet the requirements of the some of the most challenging welding applications. Over the past 37 years AMET has designed, manufactured, installed and supported over 800 advanced automated welding systems, worldwide. These systems are being used in the nuclear, aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, petroleum and other commercial industries.

Prior to forming AMET, Mr. Schwemmer held a number of management and executive positions with Rockwell International and Rockwell-INEL. As Director of Engineering and Production Development he was responsible for the management of all facility and process engineering tasks to design, build, and start up a facility for the manufacture of advanced armor packages for the M1A1 tank.

At Rockwell International, Mr. Schwemmer served as Branch Manager of Joining Research and Technology. He was responsible for the management of over 100 engineers and scientists to develop and implement production joining processes and equipment to support production operations. During his tenure he received Rockwell’s President’s Award for establishing and managing a specialized team to develop and implement advanced welding and manufacturing processes for a critical weapons component.

Mr. Schwemmer has been a member of the American Welding Society for 49 years and has served on the Scholarship and Handbook Committees. Mr. Schwemmer received his B.S. in Computer Science from Colorado State University in 1975 and his M.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines in 1977.

Dan Colvin started with ESAB in 1996 as an equipment specialist and has worked in various roles- Sales Director, Director of Automation, and now VP of Robotics and Digital Solutions and HIP (Heavy Industrial Products). Previously, Dan managed the international business for Sigmatek, an industrial software company. Having worked in the welding industry his whole life, Dan brings expertise to welding and cutting, as well as a solid understanding of his customers and their applications.