Mark Holcomb
Director of Product Management and Application Engineering, Genesis Robotics and Motion Technology
Mark Holcomb is the Director of Product Management and Application Engineering for Genesis Robotics and Motion Technology. He studied at the University of Buffalo (MS 1994) and began his professional career at CSA Engineering (now Moog) in Palo Alto, California. In 1997 Mark started his own consulting company, focusing his work at KLA, a leading semiconductor equipment manufacture. While at KLA, Mark conducted model testing and servo loop modelling, tuning, and testing. Joining Celera Motion in 2015, his early work focused on writing software for motor analysis and automated testing of motors and mechatronics products. In 2018 he became Applications Engineering manager, helping customers solve their motion control needs. In September of 2022, Mark joined Genesis Robotics and Motion Technology where he is supporting a team of product managers and applications engineers, setting product roadmaps and helping customers and sales with pre and post sales technical support.
Kevin T Barker
President, Beckhoff Automation
Kevin Barker is president of Beckhoff Automation LLC where he oversees all U.S. operations of the global leader in PC-based automation. Since assuming his leadership position in 2019, Barker has strategically driven rapid development in all areas at Beckhoff USA, including demand generation, customer support, and office infrastructure. In 2021, the subsidiary recorded a record $100 million in sales, a 22% increase over the prior year. Under Barker’s leadership, Beckhoff USA is poised to exceed $200 million in 2023.
A seasoned presenter, thought leader, and technologist, Barker is a driving force behind emerging concepts already shaping the future of the industry. Barker is a noted advocate for modern programming paradigms, adaptive automation, machine learning, advanced mechatronics, open technology standards and novel approaches to machine vision and robotics.
Barker has demonstrated over two decades of success in the motion control and automation industry. Prior to joining Beckhoff, Barker worked at Yaskawa America, Inc. as the director of sales in the company’s motion division. He has also held high-level management and technical positions at notable industrial automation companies such as Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Omron. Barker began his automation career at a high tech distributor in the ultra-competitive Chicago market. Barker is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Aurelio Banda
Senior Vice President Group Executive - Automation, Motion Ai
Aurelio Banda is Motion Ai Senior Vice President at Motion, Birmingham, AL (motion.com) with 25 years of experience in automation distribution and manufacturing. His background includes the positions of President and Chief Executive Officer of PHD Inc., President and CEO–North America for Beckhoff Automation, and the owner and CEO of Controls Plus Inc., in Noblesville, IN. Learn more at ai.motion.com
Scott Evans
VP of Strategy, Kollmorgen
Scott has 30+ years' experience in Automation as an end-user, OEM, distributor, designer and manufacturer. Scott's recent focus has been primarily on precision motion control (within Automation). He has deep understanding of trends in motion-centric Industrial Automation as well as Embedded Automation.
Garrett Christians
Product Manager, North America, B&R Industrial Automation
Garrett is a regional product manager for B&R's flexible linear transport technology, ACOPOStrak, and machine-centric robotics portfolio. He has been with B&R for more than 5 years with a background in technology and applications engineering. He is focused on collaborating in the development of innovative machines leveraging the unique possibilities offered by long stator linear motor track technology and other mechatronic product transport solutions.
Andy Sklierenko
Vice President, Moons' Industries (America), Inc.
Andy Sklierenko is Vice President of Moons' Industries (America), Inc. where he is responsible for Motion Control Products and Intelligent LED Drives. Sklierenko has a strong passion for Motion Control and Automation which he has been developing throughout his entire career.
With a foundation of Mechanical Engineering BASc from the University of Toronto (0T3), Sklierenko began working for a high-tech distributor, experiencing, collaborating with and applying a large number of Motion Control Manufacturer's technologies into a wide range of customer projects and industries.
Sklierenko continued to grow his application and territory knowledge when moving to Misumi, a Global E-commerce distributor in their Factory Automation Busiuness Unit, contributing to their fast growth in the North American market by focusing on customer habits and needs in design and build of Automation equipment.
8 years ago, 2015, Sklierenko joined Moons' to focus on growth of their Motion Control solutions within OEM's in the Americas. Sklierenko has continued to grow and support Moons' customer base and has been successful in applying Moons' growing design capabilities and production capacity to OEM designs.
Sklierenko is a customer-centric leader in the motion control industry that is always looking to provide optimized solutions to customer requirements.
Tom Worsnopp
Product Market Manager, Electric Automation, Festo
Tom Worsnopp is a product market manager for electric automation at Festo, North America. He specializes in servo drives and motors, electromechanical actuators, PLCs, and HMIs. He has been with Festo for 11 years and is based out of New York. Tom has a master’s degree in Control Theory from Northwestern University. And a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineer from Northwestern University.
Craig Nelson
Senior Product Marketing Manager, Siemens
Craig Nelson is a senior product marketing manager for high performance drive systems in the Motion Control Business of Siemens Industry, Inc. Craig has been with Siemens for over thirty years and, in previous roles, has held engineering positions in the field and in system design. He has expert knowledge motion control systems across various applications and is an avid promoter and presenter of new motor and drive technologies.
Bradley M Frustaglio
Vice President, Yeadon Energy Systems, Inc.
Mr. Frustaglio is a graduate of Michigan Technological University and a registered professional engineer. He has 22 years of experience with YES ™ as an electric motor designer, motor design course instructor, electric motor tester, and software developer. Mr. Frustaglio is a member of MCMA, NSPE, IEEE, and is a contributor to the Handbook of Small Electric Motors. He is the on-going software developer and software trainer of YES software, an electric motor design tool. He has design expertise in BLDC, PMSM, Single and Polyphase AC Induction, Stepper, Universal, PMDC motors, linear actuators and specialty electromagnetic devices. His design experience includes numerous applications from household appliances, industrial, automotive accessory, automotive traction, medical, military/aerospace, and specialty high temperature motors and actuators.