The Association For Manufacturing Technology has elected its 2017-2018 officers and directors. The 2017-2018 board year begins April 1, 2017. The AMT board of directors, which represents more than 600 builders and distributors of machine tools, manufacturing machinery and related products, named Ronald S. Karaisz II to serve as Chairman. Mr. Karaisz is president of three companies: Kar Enterprises, Inc., Hydromat of Michigan LLC, and Novi Precision Products, Inc., all located in Brighton, Mich. He follows Chairman Richard L. Simons, President/CEO of Hardinge Inc., located in Elmira, N.Y.

“I am honored to serve as AMT Chairman to be an advocate for AMT members in an industry that I am passionate about,” said Karaisz. “I have been an active participant in AMT since the merger with AMTDA in 2012. I look forward to working with the staff and my fellow board members to provide all members with business solutions they need to thrive in these times of rapid technological change.”

The board elected Steven R. Stokey, Executive Vice President/Owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio, to serve as First Vice Chairman. Christopher A. Bailey, President/COO, Etna Products, Inc., Chagrin Falls, Ohio, will serve as Second Vice Chairman/Treasurer. Brian J. Papke, Chairman, Mazak Corporation, Florence, Ky., was elected Secretary.

Newly elected to a three-year term as a member of the board is Michael J. Cicco, President/CEO, FANUC America Corporation, Rochester Hills, Mich.

Chairman
Ronald S. Karaisz II is the president of three companies:  Kar Enterprises, Inc., Hydromat of Michigan LLC, and Novi Precision Products, Inc., all located in Brighton, Mich. Ron joined the machine tool industry in 1981 and six years later founded Kar Enterprises, a machine tool distributor, which represented approximately 10 machine tool manufacturers. In 1996, Ron became President/Managing Member of Hydromat of Michigan, LLC, which was created with the owners of Hydromat. In 1997, Ron and partners purchased Novi Precision Products; Ron has been president since 1999. Novi Precision Products is a custom machine tool builder and integrator, whose products include automation, assembly lines, presses, pierce and notch, leak and functional test, single-station and multi-station metal removal machines.

First vice chairman
Steven R. Stokey is the executive vice president/owner of Allied Machine & Engineering Corp. located in Dover, Ohio. Allied is a world leader in metal cutting, serving all facets of manufacturing, which include the aerospace, defense, agriculture, automotive, heavy equipment, general machining, machine tool, mining, petrochemical, energy, renewable energy, structural steel, tool and die, and water treatment industries.

Second vice chairman/treasurer
Christopher A. Bailey is President/COO of Etna Products, Inc., located in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Established in 1943, ETNA Products, Inc. is a fourth-generation family business manufacturing and distributing high–performing, environmentally sensitive metalworking lubricants, coolants, rust preventatives and cleaners to customers across the United States and around the world.

Secretary
Brian J. Papke is Chairman of Mazak Corporation located in Florence, Ky. Mr. Papke was President of Mazak Corporation from 1989 to 2016. Mazak Corporation is the North American manufacturing and marketing unit of Yamazaki Mazak, headquartered in Oguchi, Japan. Since joining Mazak in 1987, Mazak has completed 14 expansions, including the establishment of a National Technology Center and Customer Service Support Center.

Chairman: Ronald S. Karaisz II, President, Kar Enterprises, Inc., Hydromat of Michigan LLC, Novi Precision Products, Inc., Brighton, Mich.

First vice chairman: Steven R. Stokey, Executive Vice President/Owner, Allied Machine & Engineering Corp., Dover, Ohio

Second vice chairman and treasurer: Christopher A. Bailey, President/COO, Etna Products, Inc., Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Secretary:  Brian J. Papke, Chairman, Mazak Corporation, Florence, Ky.

Directors:
John B. Cheung, CEO/Co-founder, OMAX Corporation, Kent, Wash.
Michael J. Cicco, President/CEO, FANUC America Corporation, Rochester Hills, Mich.
Donald D. Lane, CEO, Makino, Inc., Mason, Ohio
Lee Morris, Chairman, Morris Group, Inc., Windsor, Conn.
Ralph Resnick, President and Executive Director, National Center for Defense Manufacturing and
              Machining, Blairsville, Penn.
Paul Ricard, President, DP Technology Corp., Camarillo, Calif.

Ex-Officio:
Richard L. Simons, President and CEO, Hardinge Inc., Elmira, N.Y.
Jerry Rex, Executive Vice President, Methods Machine Tools Inc., Sudbury, Mass.