The Association for Advancing Automation Hires Aaron Prather as Director of Market Intelligence

ANN ARBOR, Michigan - The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is pleased to welcome Aaron Prather as its director of market intelligence, a new position designed to help A3 continue to provide content on the latest industry trends, benchmarks, data-driven insights, and more.

In his most recent role, Prather was the director of the robotics and autonomous systems program at ASTM International. Prior to his work with ASTM, he spent many years with FedEx, giving him a unique user-side perspective that will be valuable the market intelligence team.

“I am delighted to have Aaron Prather join our team,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “With his long history at FedEx and his recent work at ASTM, he brings to us a deep understanding of how robotics and automation impact user companies and what information they need to know to become stronger global competitors. He also understands what’s going on in the research community, giving us a forward look into the future of the technologies that are transforming our world.”

Prather brings years of experience in leading and supporting the growth and expansion of the robotics industry through standardization, workforce development, and research efforts. He has a strong background in R&D management, team building, and operations management, as well as a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in geographic information science.

“Throughout my career, I've seen firsthand how robotics and automation are reshaping the way companies compete and grow. A3 sits at the center of that conversation, and I'm excited to help its members cut through the noise with the data and insights they need to make smart decisions,” said Prather. “This is an industry I care deeply about, and I'm thrilled to support its continued growth from this new vantage point.”

Prather is a sought-after speaker at events around the world, and his industry voice is influential to his over 86,000 LinkedIn followers. His experience will also be helpful as A3 expands its global robotics standards efforts.

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)

The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) is the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 promotes automation technologies and ideas that transform the way business is done. Members of A3 represent more than 1,450 manufacturers, component suppliers, system integrators, end users, academic institutions, research groups and consulting firms that drive automation forward worldwide. 

A3 hosts a number of industry-leading events, including Automate (June 22-25, 2026, in Chicago, IL), the Humanoid Robot Forum (June 23-24, 2026, at Automate Show in Chicago, IL), A3 Mexico Business Forum (September 9, 2026, in Querétaro, Mexico), Advanced Vision & AI Conference (September 23-24, 2026, in Santa Clara, CA), the International Robot Safety Conference (November 3-5, 2026, in Detroit, MI) and the A3 Business Forum (January 18-20, 2027, in Orlando, FL).   

Media Contacts:

Jackie Rose
Association for Advancing Automation