Fall GALA
Sunday, October 5, 2025
JW Marriott Anaheim Resort
Welcome
Honoring the Individuals Advancing Manufacturing
EVENING PROGRAM
OPENING REMARKS
Jeannine Kunz
SME Executive Director and CEO
WELCOME REMARKS
Vincent W. Howell Sr., FSME, CMfgE
2025 SME President
SWEARING-IN CEREMONY
SME Officers and Newly Elected International Directors
SME Education Foundation Officers and Newly Elected Directors
SME Member Council
FELLOWS PRESENTATION
2025 Class of SME Fellows
AWARDS PRESENTATION
2025 M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME
2025 David Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award DINNER SERVICE
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Rebecca R. Taylor
2026 SME President
CLOSING REMARKS
Jeannine Kunz
SME Executive Director and CEO
From the earliest stages of research and innovation through production application and implementation, SME Fellows are at the creative forefront of manufacturing. In addition, through teaching, leadership and guidance, they have helped countless students and young professionals in their own pursuits of advanced manufacturing degrees and careers in manufacturing.
The seven industry and academic professionals elected to the 2025 SME College of Fellows have earned this highly prestigious honor through 20 years or more of dedication and service to manufacturing.
2025 Class of SME Fellows
Bopaya Bidanda, PhD, FSME
Ernest E. Roth Professor of Industrial Engineering
University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Wayne Cai, PhD, FSME Technical Fellow
General Motors Global R&D Center Warren, Michigan
Azad M. Madni, PhD, FSME
University Professor and Northrop Grumman Foundation Fred O’Green Chair
University of Southern California Los Angeles, California
Michael “Mick” Maher, FSME
Founder and Principal
Maher & Associates LLC
Baltimore, Maryland
2025 Class of SME Fellows
Iris V. Rivero, PhD , FSME
Paul and Heidi Brown Preeminent Chair
Department Chair, Industrial and Systems Engineering
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Xun Xu, PhD , FSME
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
University of Auckland Auckland, New Zealand
Jiwang Yan, PhD , FSME
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Keio University Yokohama, Japan
2025 M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME
Established in 1986 by ASME and SME, the M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal is awarded to an individual who has had significant influence and responsibility for improving the productivity and efficiency (either by research or by implementation of research) of the manufacturing operation(s).
Keith J. Krach Chairman and Co-Founder
Krach Institute for Tech
Diplomacy at Purdue University Washington, D.C.
2025 FALL GALA
2025 Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award
Winners of the NSF Manufacturing Blue Sky Competition presentation, who are recognized annually at SME’s North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC), are also honored with the Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award.
This award, named after the late University of California, Berkley Mechanical Engineering Professor David A. Dornfeld, PhD. , FSME, recognizes outstanding vision and leadership within the manufacturing community.
Niloofar Rezaei
PhD Candidate
Electrical & Computer Engineering
University of Georgia
Jaime Camelio, PhD Professor
College of Engineering
University of Georgia
CONGRATULATIONS
2026 SME PRESIDENT
Rebecca R. Taylor
2026 SME President
Since SME’s formation in 1932, its esteemed community of presidents has been an important part of the organization’s history and an integral part of its future.
SME presidents are leaders in manufacturing and academia who contribute their technical expertise and valuable career experiences to the organization and industry.
For information regarding the SME International Awards & Recognition program, visit sme.org/awards.
Aug. 1: Submit your International Honor Award, Award of Merit and Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award nominations.
Dec. 1: Nominations are due for SME Fellows selections.
Email award submissions to nominations@sme.org.
