Further Positioning the Company for
Growth
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Senior executives at Okuma America Corporation, a
global leader and builder of computer numeric control (CNC) machine
tools, controls and automation systems, recently announced new
personnel appointments to direct and support the company's
strategic growth initiatives in the Americas.
Mr. Jim King, President &
Chief Operating Officer for Okuma America Corporation, shares his
thoughts on these appointments: "As we build on strategic business
initiatives for the next decade, it is important to have a
world-class team and a strategically aligned organization to help
drive and facilitate growth. On behalf of our entire management
team, I am pleased to announce the following strategic
organizational leadership appointments designed to position our
company for growth and recognize the strong contributions these
individuals and their teams make to our company."
Mr. Timothy (Tim) Thiessen was
promoted to the role of Sr. Vice President of Sales &
Marketing. In this new role, Mr. Thiessen will continue to lead the
Okuma America sales, product management, marketing and corporate
accounts teams and partnerships with Okuma distributors throughout
the Americas region. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Thiessen served
in various roles at Okuma America Corporation, including Vice
President of Sales & Marketing, Senior Regional Sales Manager,
and Applications Engineer. Mr. Thiessen will continue to report to
Mr. Jim King.
Mrs. Summer Cline was appointed
to the role of Sr. Vice President of Finance. In this role she will
continue to be responsible for the company's finances and lead the
accounting, human resources, and information technology teams. Mrs.
Cline previously served as Vice President of Finance at Okuma
America Corporation. Prior to her time at Okuma, Mrs. Cline served
as a Vice President of Finance at Source Technologies, as well as
serving in a variety of roles including Director of Strategic
Projects, Project Manager, and Project Analyst at Compass Group
North America, and as State and Local Tax Consultant at Grant
Thornton LLP. Mrs. Summer
Cline will continue to report to Mr. Jim King.
Mr. Simon Schneider joined Okuma
America Corporation in March 2024 in
the role of Director of Okuma Factory Automation. He will be
responsible for leading Okuma America's Factory Automation
Division as the group develops and expands a comprehensive line of
CNC automation solutions to be used with Okuma machine tools. Prior
to joining Okuma America, Mr. Schneider served as an Engineering
Manager, Director of Customer Services and Quality, Quality
Manager, Business Process Analyst, and Mechanical Engineer at
CHIRON America Inc. He will report to Mr. Wade Anderson, Vice President of Engineering and
Factory Automation Group.
Mr. Mike Hampton was appointed to
the role of Field Service Senior Manager. In this new role Mike
will lead the Field Service group as they continue to provide
comprehensive, world-class service to Okuma users in the Americas.
He previously served as the Business Development Manager with a
focus on growing aftermarket parts and services. He also managed
the Okuma Partners in Technology program and its supporting
technology centers. Prior to joining Okuma, Mr. Hampton served as a
Business Development Program Manager for PFC Brakes. He will
report to Mr. Ira Busman, Vice
President of Customer Service.
Mr. Wade Anderson was appointed
to the role of Vice President of Engineering and Factory Automation
Division in February 2024. This new
role was created to optimally position Okuma to serve customer
needs for evolving and next-generation manufacturing needs. Mr.
Anderson brings more than 30 years of machine tool industry
experience to his role, having held previous positions as a
Machinist, Applications Engineer, Sales Engineer and Manager,
Product Specialist Manager, Technical Center Manager, and most
recently the general manager of Okuma America's Factory Automation
Division.
All of these leaders assumed their new roles on April 1, 2024, with the exception of Mr.
Schneider who joined the company in March
2024 and Mr. Anderson who was appointed to his new role in
February 2024.
About Okuma America Corporation
Okuma America
Corporation is the U.S.-based sales, engineering and service
affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world-leading builder of CNC
(computer numeric control) machine tools, controls and automation
systems. The company was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan, and is the industry's only
single-source provider of CNC machines, drives, motors, encoders,
spindles and automation systems, all manufactured by Okuma. The
company designs its own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with
each machine tool's functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma
App Store, the industry's only centralized online marketplace for
machine tool apps and related content. Along with its extensive
distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in
Technology network of enhanced manufacturing technologies, Okuma is
committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the
open possibilities of machine tools today and into the future. For
more information, visit Okuma.com or follow us on Facebook,
Instagram, LinkedIn and X.
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SOURCE Okuma America Corporation