May 2026 Volume 8

INDUSTRY NEWS

FIA AND FORGING FOUNDATION ANNOUNCE NEW BOARD LEADERSHIP AND CLASS OF 2029

T he Forging Industry Association (FIA) and the Forging Industry Educational and Research Foundation (FIERF) have announced their nominated officers and new Class of 2029 board members for the 2026–2029 term, as recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Paul Spitz

Tom Buckley

Luke Spinelli

Rick Egbert

Tushar Borkar

Tori Miller

For FIERF, the Committee has nominated Tracy Pierner as President, Elizabeth “Liz” Bilitz as Vice President, Amanda Dureiko as Executive Director and Treasurer. The following nominees have been named to the FIERF Board of Trustees for the 2026–2029 term: Paul Spitz, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Unit Drop Forge Co., Inc.; Tom Buckley, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Electralloy; Tushar Borkar, Professor, Cleveland State University; and Tori Miller, Assistant Professor, University of Florida. The new Class of 2029 nominees brings together a diverse group of leaders from across the forging industry, including executives from manufacturing companies, procurement leadership, sales and marketing professionals, and academic experts supporting the future of the industry. Their collective experience reflects FIA’s and FIERF’s continued commitment to strong governance, industry advancement, and educational leadership. The nominations were submitted in accordance with Article IX, Section 2 of the Association’s bylaws by the FIA Nominating Committee. Committee members include Chelsea Berry of Trenton Forging Company, Justin Dzik of Fives North American Combustion, Inc., Mike Gill of LASCO Engineering Services L.L.C., Doug McIntyre of Weber Metals, Roger Rees of Hall Equipment Company, and Dan Ulven of Ulven Forging Inc.

Frank Sikon

Colby Hamilton

For FIA, the Nominating Committee has nominated Paul Spitz as Chairperson for a one-year term, Jeff Krueger as Vice Chairperson, Mark Ames as President & Secretary, and CFO. In addition, the following nominees have been named to the FIA Board of Directors for the 2026–2029 term: Luke Spinelli, Executive VP – COO, Aluminum Precision Products, Inc.; Rick Egbert, VP & CFO, Carbo Forge, Inc.; Frank Sikon, Director of Procurement Operations, Howmet Aerospace; and Colby Hamilton, President, McInnes Rolled Rings.

FIA MAGAZINE | MAY 2026 65