A3 Announces New Director of Market Analysis

Alex Shikany has joined the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) as Director of Market Analysis.  Shikany will work with Paul Kellett, who is retiring from this position at the end of January 2013.

“We’re thrilled to have Alex on board early enough so that he can learn under Paul for the next several months,” said Jeff Burnstein, President of A3, which is the umbrella organization for the trade groups RIA, AIA, and MCA which combined represent nearly 700 companies from 32 nations  involved in robotics, vision, and motion control technologies.

Shikany is a recent graduate of Michigan State University’s Broad MBA program where he majored in Marketing and Finance.  He also graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Michigan State.  He has experience in both Marketing (Brand Strategy) and Market Research.  Before coming to A3 Alex worked for Belden Wire and Cable, where he conducted an in depth market analysis of the Canadian market and developed a revised brand strategy for one of their main product lines.  Prior to Belden Alex held a position with Pierce Education Properties, a property development company in the greater Lansing area, where he headed up their social media marketing team and coordinated numerous events across the area to grow the Pierce brand.

“I am very excited to be joining the A3 team,” Shikany said.  “I look forward to learning the intricacies of the robotics, vision, and motion control industries and finding new ways to add value for our members.  I am also grateful to have Paul’s guidance as I transition into the totality of this position in the coming months.  I respect what he has already built here, “Shikany explained.

Among Shikany’s responsibilities will be producing quarterly statistical reports on robotics, vision, and motion control sales, updating the association’s websites with recent economic data & reports, and developing articles on new market opportunities.

A3 is the umbrella group for Robotic Industries Association (RIA), AIA (Advancing Vision + Imaging), and Motion Control Association (MCA). RIA, AIA, and MCA combined represent some 700 automation manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, research groups and consulting firms from throughout the world. For more information on A3, contact association headquarters at 734/994-6088.  For information on RIA, visit Robotics Online.  For information on AIA, visit Vision Online.  For information on MCA, visit Motion Control Online.

To reach Shikany, call A3 Headquarters at (734) 994-6088, e-mail, or tweet @AlexShikany on Twitter.