PTDA Announces 2024 Leaders

Kurz Industrial Solutions CEO Brian Nowak will serve as the association's president.

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CHICAGO β€” The recently elected 2024 board of directors and Manufacturer Council of the Power Transmission Distributors Association begin their leadership terms.

Brian Nowak, president and CEO of Kurz Industrial Solutions in Neenah, Wisconsin, assumes the leadership of the association as president. Nowak began volunteering for PTDA in 2015, serving on the Education and Training Committee. Since then, he has joined various committees and task forces and has been a member of the board since 2020. 

β€œI look forward to leading PTDA in continuing conversations addressing the changing needs of our membership,” Nowak said. β€œFollowing the launch of several pivotal programs in 2023, we have a great foundation on which to continue to develop and deliver essential resources to help those in our industry achieve success.”

Joining Nowak on the 2024 PTDA Board of Directors are:

  • Immediate Past President Mike McLain, vice president, Allied Bearing & Supply, Inc. (Harahan, La.)
  • First Vice President Bill Shepard, vice president, BDI (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Second Vice President Jim Jeffiers, vice president, Central States Area & U.S. Energy Subsidiaries, Applied Industrial Technologies (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • Treasurer JP Bouchard, vice president, General Bearing Service, Inc. (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada)
  • Manufacturer Council Chair Andrew A.O. Brown, vice president, Whittet-Higgins Company (Central Falls, R.I.)
  • Manufacturer Council Vice Chair Sara Zimmerman, vice president business development, Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of America (Chesapeake, Va.)
  • PTDA Foundation President Matt Pavlinsky, director PT Products, Applied Industrial Technologies (Cleveland, Ohio)
  • EPTDA President Luca Martelli, CEO, TRM (Bologna, Italy)

Directors:

  • Jeff Cloud, president & CEO, IBT Industrial Solutions (Shawnee Mission, Kan.)
  • Chester Collier, senior vice president, Walter Surface Technologies (Pointe Claire, Quebec, Canada)
  • Tom Holtry, senior director, strategic sales support, Motion (Birmingham, Ala.)
  • Sarah Musser, president, Barlett Bearing Co., Inc. (Philadelphia, Penn.)
  • Craig Pirie, president, Daemar, Inc. (Oakville, Ontario, Canada)
  • Joe Savage, president, Bearing Service, Inc. (Livonia, Mich.)

Brown, who chairs the Manufacturer Council, became active in PTDA committees in 2009 when he joined the Electronic Transmissions Standardization Task Force. For the past 15 years, Brown has served on various task forces and committees. He joined the Manufacturer Council in 2017 and served as vice chair in 2023. 

β€œWe have a tremendous group of volunteers who bring not only a wealth of knowledge and experience, but a deep desire to better our work and industry,” said Brown. β€œThe landscape of the PT/MC industry is dynamic, and I’m excited to be around the table with forward thinking people who are eager to bring about change when and where needed.”

Joining Brown on the Manufacturer Council is:

  • Immediate Past Chair Tammy Balogh, chief people officer, Flexco (Downers Grove, Ill.)
  • Manufacturer Council Vice Chair Sara Zimmerman, vice president business development, Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of America (Chesapeake, Va.)
  • Council Members:
    George Basel, director marketing & product management, U.S. Tsubaki Power Transmission LLC (Wheeling, Ill.)
    Kristian Campbell, industrial sales manager NA, Dayco Products (Roseville, Mich.)
    Maxine Gomez, sales manager, Belden Universal (Hillside, Ill.)
    Chris Gumas, director marketing, Ruland Manufacturing Co. (Marlborough, Mass.)
    Chris Keyser, vice president channel & segment sales, ABB Motors and Mechanical Inc. (Fort Smith, Ark.)
    Michael Moonan, senior vice president sales, Solve Industrial Motion Group (Charlotte, N.C.)
    Paul Phillips, president, Maxi-Lift, Inc. (Addison, Texas)
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