About us
Automation World’s publishing team is the most experienced in the business – with the industry knowledge, relationships and editorial expertise to provide informed and insightful coverage about industrial automation. AW’s unique editorial approach provides intelligence for the entire buying team – from management to IT to professionals on the plant floor. Automation professionals can keep current via reports on industry news and developments, new products and technologies, and successful implementations that maximize return on automation.
B2B professionals can access Automation World in a number of ways, including our print magazine, digital edition, website and mobile apps. For peer-to-peer education and networking, Automation World has launched The Automation Conference. Developed by and for the end-users of automation technology, this event is for engineering and management professionals within the discrete manufacturing, continuous and batch processing, and packaging industries.
Since 2003, automation professionals have depended upon Automation World for relevant and comprehensive industry information and analysis on "the why and how of manufacturing automation."
Publishing Staff
Located in Chicago's fashionable River North neighborhood, the Summit Media Group headquarters brings together a savvy high-energy team that produces leading edge media every day of the year. Our publishing staff and regional sales representatives excel at what they do, and you can find their contact information here.
Jim Chrzan
VP/Publisher
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Jim Chrzan, VP/Publisher, has been with Summit Media Group since the company’s inception in 1994, when he joined as a regional account representative for Packaging World. In 1998 he was promoted to Associate Publisher of Packaging World. Working with Summit’s eMedia VP, Dave Newcorn, they introduced regular coverage of automation with the launch of Packaging World's Controls and Integrations section. Jim helped shape the annual Packaging Automation Forum and witnessed the professional organization OMAC's PackML initiative. In addition to his position as Publisher of Automation World, Jim is actively involved in audience development for Summit Media Group.
Editorial Staff
While our publishing team is a success story unto themselves, Automation World owes its growing and loyal following to the team that delivers our acclaimed content. Automation World is edited by journalists who possess a keen understanding of today’s manufacturing and business environments. Meet the individuals who are the voice of our magazine, website, newsletters, podcasts and webinars – and you’ll understand why we are the leading media brand covering industrial automation.
Gary Mintchell
Founding Editor
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Gary Mintchell has been with Automation World since its beginning in 2003. He began his publishing career as Senior Editor of Control Engineering, covering machine control, human-machine interface and embedded control. His 28+ years of manufacturing and management experience include positions in product development, manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, systems integration and sales and marketing. Mintchell is a member of ISA and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). He was a charter member of the Industrial Computing Society.
Renee Robbins
Bassett
Deputy Editor
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Renee Robbins Bassett, Automation World's Managing Editor, is an award-winning information systems writer, editor and custom publisher who has covered industrial automation and control for more than 10 years. She's the former Senior Editor and Editorial Director of Control Engineering magazine, and was the Editor in Chief of System3X/AS400 magazine, which covered commercial and industrial computer systems. As the Editor in Chief of Putnam Media's Custom Publishing Division, Bassett produced industrial user-focused publications for IBM, Microsoft, Rockwell Automation and others.
Grant Gerke
Contributing
Writer
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Grant Gerke joined Automation World magazine after spending more than ten years at Reed Business Information (formerly, Cahners Business Information), working on manufacturing, packaging and food magazines during his tenure there. He started as a traditional print journalist in 1996. In 2003, he moved to the digital space and has been developing online content ever since for B2B manufacturing websites. Gerke is a member of Wired Journalists, Search Engine Watch and the Fox Valley Electric Vehicle Association.
David
Greenfield
Director of
Content
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David Greenfield joined Automation World in June 2011. Bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and media experience to his position, David’s contributions can be found in AW’s print and online editions and custom projects. He is also the chief architect of The Automation Conference. Prior to joining Summit Media Group, David was Editorial Director of Design News at UBM Electronics. Before joining UBM, he was Editorial Director of Control Engineering at Reed Business Information, where he also worked on Manufacturing Business Technology as publisher, several years earlier. David manages AW’s popular LinkedIn group.
Jim Pinto
Columnist
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Jim Pinto enjoys a loyal following for his regular column in Automation World. He contributes to a variety of publications and journals including his own JimPinto.com newsletter. He is an Electronics Engineer by education and was born in Bangalore, India and also lived in England, where he founded KPE Controls early in his career. He moved to the U.S. in 1968 and worked for Burroughs Corporation. In 1972, he founded Action Instruments based in San Diego, California. In March of 1998, Action was acquired by Eurotherm (UK); Eurotherm was acquired by Invensys three months later. Pinto retired from Action Instruments shortly thereafter to become an angel investor, speaker, writer, technology futurist, author, popular industry commentator, and M&A consultant.
John Berra
Columnist
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John Berra is a leading voice in the automation industry and a columnist with Automation World who enjoys great popularity. In his editorial contributions to Automation World, Berra addresses topics such as leadership, ethics, the Noble Profession of engineering, globalization, standards and services. John began his 40-year career in process automation with Monsanto. He later joined the Rosemount organization and rose through the ranks, before assuming leadership roles when companies merged into Emerson Process Management. He was one of the chief architects of Emerson’s PlantWeb strategy, a digital platform built on fieldbus technology and smart instrumentation. As chairman of the Fieldbus Foundation board, Berra had a major impact on the development and deployment of digital communications in manufacturing automation. He currently serves as a director on the boards of Ryder Systems, Inc. in Miami, FL, and National Instruments Corp. in Austin, TX.
Alan Beaulieu
Columnist
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Alan Beaulieu offers Automation World readers valuable insights on business and economics. One of the country’s most informed economists, Alan is a principal of the Institute for Trend Research where he serves as President. Since 1990, he has been consulting with companies throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan on how to forecast, plan, and increase their profits based on business cycle trend analysis. Alan is also the Senior Economic Advisor to NAW and the Chief Economist for HARDI. A co-author, along with his brother Brian, of the book Make Your Move, he has also written numerous articles on economic analysis. Alan makes over 150 appearances each year, and his keynotes and seminars have helped thousands of business owners and executives capitalize on emerging trends. Prior to joining the Institute, Alan was a principal in a steel fabrication company and also in a software development company.
Terry Costlow
Contributing Editor | Email
Terry Costlow heads up Automation World's quarterly supplement on Industrial Ethernet. As a freelance writer for nearly a decade, he's contributed to a variety of industry journals and has also written technical articles and white papers. Much of his career was with EE Times, where he wrote about factory automation and closely related technologies including embedded systems, communications, sensors and software. As a bureau reporter for Electronics Magazine and Electronic Design, Costlow covered a broad range of technologies, from passive components to supercomputers. He's also examined their impact on society, and has covered the complex career issues facing engineers. Costlow studied journalism at California State University at Fullerton.
Greg Farnum
Contributing Editor
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Greg Farnum is the voice of Automation World's quarterly supplement on Packaging Automation. Farnum has had a long career as an industrial trade and business magazine journalist, having served as Senior Editor of Manufacturing Engineering and Executive Editor of Modern Metals and FF Journal, and has written for Design News, Managing Automation, Robotics Today, American Executive and Heath Executive. He served as Public Relations Director of the B-to-B ad firm French & Rogers from 1996 to 2002. In his spare time he writes short stories and book reviews.
Dave Gehman
Contributing Editor
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Dave Gehman has been writing about manufacturing organization, engineering, automation and computers in manufacturing for more than 30 years. On the industry side, he has worked for a surgical equipment manufacturer, a machine vision startup and an advanced engineering software startup, giving him a perspective on highly regulated manufacturing as well as the positives and negatives of cutting-edge technologies. Gehman has led cost-control groups that explored how to improve the bottom line not only via new equipment, but also through teams and individual participation – including kaizen and quality initiatives. He has also served as senior editor for a manufacturing engineering publication, as well as contributing editor for a variety of metalworking and discrete manufacturing publications.
Larry White
Columnist
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Larry White enjoys a strong following among Automation World subscribers who appreciate his insightful columns on business issues related to industrial automation. Larry is the executive director of the Resource Consumption Accounting (RCA) Institute, which educates and certifies individuals and organizations in the practice of RCA. He is also an on-call senior business advisor with Deloitte. Larry retired from the U.S. Coast Guard as a Captain with more than 28 years of service, including 21 years in financial management and accounting. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and an M.B.A. from Columbia University. An active member of numerous accounting associations, Larry previously served as the IMA Board chair.
C. Kenna Amos
Contributing Editor
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C. Kenna Amos, Jr., PE has been a professional journalist for over a decade and reports on manufacturing for Automation World and other industry publications. Formerly with ISA, he was editor-in-chief of Industrial Computing and held editorial positions at WorldBus Journal and InTech magazine. Amos holds degrees in chemical and environmental engineering from West Virginia University. He has over two decades of experience in environmental engineering and management, including service with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and engineering consulting firms. Amos is currently an analyst with a state air-quality-management group in the Mid-Atlantic.
James R. Koelsch
Contributing Editor
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James R. Koelsch has been an engineer writing for other engineers for over two decades. He specializes in reporting on manufacturing technology. He contributes to a variety of metalworking and plastics magazines and has been writing for Automation World since 2004. Koelsch began his editorial career after graduating from Cleveland State University with a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering. His first journalism job was at Production Engineering, (also known as Automation Engineering). Koelsch's education helped him to rise quickly the position of chief editor of Manufacturing Engineering and Machine and Tool Blue Book magazines. His ability to find fascinating angles in what many consider mundane and to convey those ideas in a clear, lively manner has earned him several editorial excellence awards from the American Society of Business Press Editors.
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Networks: Wired & Wireless
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