Okuma America makes several high-level appointments

Okuma America Corp., has made several new personnel appointments to "direct and support the company's strategic growth initiatives in the Americas."

"As we build on strategic business initiatives for the next decade, it is important to have a world-class team and a strategically aligned organization to help drive and facilitate growth," said Jim King, president & chief operating officer.

The appointments, include:

• Timothy Thiessen was promoted to the role of senior vice president of sales & marketing. In this new role, Thiessen will continue to lead the Okuma America sales, product management, marketing and corporate accounts teams and partnerships with Okuma distributors throughout the Americas region.
  
  Prior to this appointment, Thiessen served in various roles at Okuma, including vice president of sales & marketing, senior regional sales manager, and applications engineer. Thiessen will continue to report to Jim King.
   
• Summer Cline was appointed to the role of senior vice president of finance. In this role, she will continue to be responsible for the company's finances and lead the accounting, human resources, and information technology teams.
  
  Cline previously served as vice president of finance at Okuma. Prior to her time at Okuma, she served as a vice president of finance at Source Technologies, as well as serving in a variety of roles including Director of Strategic Projects, Project Manager, and Project Analyst at Compass Group North America, and as State and Local Tax Consultant at Grant Thornton LLP.

• Simon Schneider joined Okuma America in March 2024 in the role of director of Okuma factory automation. He will be responsible for leading Okuma America's Factory Automation Division as the group develops and expands a comprehensive line of CNC automation solutions to be used with Okuma machine tools.
  
  Prior to joining Okuma America, Schneider served as an Engineering Manager, Director of Customer Services and Quality, Quality Manager, Business Process Analyst, and Mechanical Engineer at CHIRON America Inc. He will report to Wade Anderson, Vice President of Engineering and Factory Automation Group.

• Mike Hampton was appointed to the role of field service senior manager. In this new role, he will lead the Field Service group as they continue to provide comprehensive, world-class service to Okuma users in the Americas. He previously served as the Business Development Manager with a focus on growing aftermarket parts and services. He also managed the Okuma Partners in Technology program and its supporting technology centers.
  
  He will report to Ira Busman, vice president of customer service.

• Wade Anderson was appointed to the role of vice president of engineering and factory automation division in February 2024.
  
  Anderson's new role was created to optimally position Okuma to serve customer needs for evolving and next-generation manufacturing needs. Anderson brings more than 30 years of machine tool industry experience to his role, having held previous positions as a machinist, applications engineer, sales engineer and manager, product specialist manager, technical center manager, and, most recently, the general manager of Okuma America's Factory Automation Division.