Leadership

As a young electrical engineering co-op from RIT, I commenced my career at Bailey Controls in Cleveland. After a decade of accumulating industrial automation and controls experience, a couple graduate degrees and 15 patents, someone thought I could run their worldwide engineering operations. And I did so - for three years, before deciding to enter the emerging market of control system integration.

I founded RoviSys in 1989 with great optimism, little sales experience, and no clients, but I’ve been rewarded with a few of the most memorable years of my life. After gaining a foothold in the industry, RoviSys has organically grown every year and now in 2020 has over 900 employees. Our laser focus on the client’s needs, application expertise in an ever expanding list of served industries, commitment to be an independent solution provider, and exceptional dedicated staff has propelled our journey. Culture starts at the top; we haven’t spent any time accumulating awards or accolades… instead we work on building reputation with our clients.

A talented and devoted staff has allowed me to recently shed my role as President and promote myself to CEO. I can now spend more time on growth and diversification opportunities for RoviSys collective operations. Theoretically, I’m able to spend more time with my wife and our four kids, and my boat which sails the Great Lakes with family, friends, and employees.

I launched my engineering career with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Toledo and a craving for innovation and opportunity. I entered a management training program with the Manville Corporation, gaining hands-on experience as an electrical and process automation engineer, and spent a short time with an Allen-Bradley distributor helping customers research and select components and control systems that optimize performance.

In 1992, I joined RoviSys as an Applications Engineer primarily implementing PLC-based controls in a variety of process industries. I gained experience working across various technical and business roles in Manufacturing IT, MES, and Information and Development Services, and progressed upward through each level of our organization. A successful record of growing customer accounts, setting new direction for software and business intelligence teams, and initiating overall growth has led me to my next phase.

Today, as RoviSys Co-President, I’m presented with numerous challenges and opportunities. My primary focus is on understanding industry demands, identifying specific customer needs, maintaining RoviSys as an independent solution provider, and constantly improving efficiency and quality work. I share this challenge with my Co-President John Turk, who shares the same goals while offering alternate perspectives.

When I’m able to carve out time away from work, I’m probably on the golf course in Florida or spending time with my wife, Alexis. We have two adult sons whose company we enjoy immensely.

I’ve been part of the RoviSys team since 1990, working as a senior engineer, group manager, and Director of Life Sciences for almost 15 years. My specific experience built a solid foundation for project execution methodologies, fueled strong growth across our organization, and afforded RoviSys opportunities to deliver solid solutions.

Before joining RoviSys, I earned an Associate Degree in Engineering Technology, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology from Cleveland State University. After graduation, I spent several years in engineering roles with Bailey Controls and MK Ferguson.

Since 2015, my role as Co-President has been primarily focused on growing industry partnerships, expanding client relationships, and driving quality and operational efficiency. I’m dedicated to delivering the right solutions for every automation challenge. Co-President Joe Maukonen and I share this vision while offering different perspectives.

I joined RoviSys shortly after graduating from Ohio University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, eager for a challenging career in the automation industry and looking for opportunities to experience new cultures. Before long, I found myself in Taiwan for my first (of many) control system start-ups with a customer expanding their production capacity throughout Asia.

Splitting my time between Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, continued for three more years, and I realized that a more permanent position in Asia was vital to grow and support RoviSys operations. Moving across the world presents many challenges, but the chance to work with colleagues and business partners throughout the Asia Pacific region while gaining exposure to internal and international operations was an exceptional opportunity.

Since 2012 I have overseen continuous growth as RoviSys Asia expands our footprint throughout the Asia-Pacific region. My role as President, Asia Pacific requires me leading our organization across many countries and many cultures, which is exactly what the college graduate was searching for. I’m rewarded daily, and have learned that no matter the location, language, cuisine or climate, a corporate culture with a strong focus on employee empowerment, customer satisfaction and high quality results is something that is appreciated universally.

A summer internship at Eltech, a Diamond Shamrock Company, helped me realize that doing do R&D as a career was not for me. So I transitioned to process automation while attending the University of Akron and ended up completing three co-op stints with RoviSys. I graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering and began working in earnest on my first RoviSys project - a furnace control pilot project for the glass of the first batch of Apple iPhones. After a number of start-ups on the same glass mass-production lines in Japan, I transitioned to design & engineering, then to project management for polymer production automation projects. In 2009, I landed in Singapore to manage a true, BMS controls project, a $5M, 20,000+ man-hour effort to automate the water systems, HVAC, power distribution control, fire alarm, and security deployment for a $1B Greenfield construction project. I took up residence in Singapore and got to work. The successful completion of the Singapore project gave me an idea…

RoviSys Building Technologies was founded in 2012. An exhilarating and daunting undertaking, I was rewarded by quickly landing accounts that allowed our Building Technologies group to grow from 2 employees to 70 in just 4 years. RBT caters specifically to the building automation marketspace, with a foundation built on an organization with over 25 years’ experience in virtually every control system in existence.

My role as co-president of a fast growing company keeps me very busy. I spend my time working with management to ensure RoviSys culture is preserved and working with potential customers who want bigger things out of their BMS systems.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me running/biking/swimming (3 completed marathons + a half-ironman under my belt), or in downtown Cleveland cheering on our professional sports teams.

As a Penn State graduate, I began my career in engineering with energy and passion, and haven’t looked back. Fortunately, RoviSys is an organization that shared my initial excitement and has provided growth opportunities for my career and personal life in ways that I had never imagined.

I have represented RoviSys as a new graduate, become the youngest management team member, led the opening of the first RoviSys regional office (Holly Springs, NC), launched RoviSys Building Technologies, and overseen entry into European markets. Along the way I met my wife on project assignment, earned an M.B.A. , and turned a colleague into a friend and business partner.

I’m proud of these accomplishments, and look forward to new challenges each day, but my story is not unique. The RoviSys family of companies is full of talented engineers and programmers who are empowered and driven to do what is best for every customer, fair for RoviSys and respectful to the team. This simple approach reveals a powerful culture that prioritizes customers while simultaneously offering opportunity to each employee.

If you are an existing RoviSys customer, thank you for entrusting us with your business. If you are considering becoming a RoviSys customer, we look forward to earning your trust. If you are a RoviSys employee, thank you for being RoviSys.

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