For more information contact:
Kristy Grignon, MassMEP, kristyg@massmep.org
Shari Worthington, PR Counsel, Telesian Technology, sharilee@telesian.com

MassMEP Announces Retirement of Board of Directors Chair, Dennis Leonard, & Election of New Chair, John Berg

EDITORS: The following image is available for download.

August 7, 2024 – Auburn, MA – Dennis Leonard, Chair of the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) Board of Directors, has announced his retirement. A distinguished member of the MassMEP Board since 2020, Dennis served as a guide for the organization and Massachusetts manufacturers as they navigated through the challenges of COVID and the impacts of a post-COVID economy. His expertise in executive-level operations management and Lean manufacturing helped lead local manufacturers to embrace a community-wide effort to prioritize agility and flexibility, and find new ways to manage the supply chain.

Dennis was honored for his service at the recent MassMEP Board meeting. In addition to his work with MassMEP, he worked as the Director of Manufacturing at OFS from 1997 – 2000, then again from 2011 -2024 as a Senior Manager, then General Manager. Dennis retired from OFS in May of 2024.

“We congratulate Dennis on his retirement and are grateful for his many contributions over the years,” said Kathie Mahoney, MassMEP CEO/President. “Dennis has an extensive history of growing and positioning manufacturing businesses for long-term prosperity, and building credibility throughout an organization. We appreciate his knowledge and guidance.”

Following Dennis’ retirement, John Berg has been elected Chair of the MassMEP Board of Directors. A MassMEP Board member since 2019, John is Founder and CEO/President of Carpe Diem, a technology development company specializing in nanotechnology. With extensive experience in producing enabling technology, John previously led Firefly Technologies, Inc. and Aprilis, Inc. after having held management and engineering positions at Zygo, Quantum, and Digital Equipment Corp.

The MassMEP Board of Directors is a team of active leaders from industry, government, and manufacturing organizations that govern MassMEP in its work to help small to mid-sized manufacturers across Massachusetts in various parts of their businesses, with the ultimate goal of helping them to achieve growth.

The MassMEP Board of Directors includes John Berg (Chair), Sarah Baker, Jessica Barnes, John Berg, Karen Coombs, John Genereaux, Rita Kapur, John Kovach, and Jeffrey Turgeon.

About MassMEP
Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP), part of the NIST MEP National Network, is a leading resource for manufacturing companies that cultivates a community built on support, idea sharing, and achievement. MassMEP creates economic impact by transforming manufacturing enterprises and the manufacturing ecosystem. This is achieved through the delivery of operational excellence programs, workforce development strategies, and innovative growth initiatives, all of which are enhanced by strategic public/private relationships. For more information, visit https://massmep.org/

© 2024, MassMEP, Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership.