The Motion Control Association (MCA), the global trade group representing the motion control industry, announced its 2013 board of directors on February 21st during the annual MCA Business Conference in Orlando, Florida. John Hegel, president of American Control Electronics was named chairman of the board. Bill Steury, group president, Automation & Pneumatic Solutions of Cross Company, will serve as vice-chairman of MCA.

“I’m looking forward to serving the members of MCA as chairman of the board of directors,” said John Hegel. “Having just come out of our largest ever business conference, there is a real upbeat mood amongst our members. The board is really excited to continue to build on the progress that has already been made and to continue to enhance the organization’s value. We have a great team in place and 2013 should be another very solid year for MCA,” added Hegel.

John Hegel succeeds Andrew Vogl, vice president – sales, Americas of Kollmorgen and Bill Allai, motion control principal engineer, National Instruments, who remains on the MCA board as past chairman. Hegel, Steury and Allai are joined on the board by newly-appointed director Ray Butler, vice president & general manager, Kollmorgen. Butler is serving his first term on the board.

The other 2013 members of the MCA board include Kyle Ahlfinger, vice president, Minarik Automation and Control; Matt French, VP/PMC Division, AMETEK; Dan Jones, president, Incremotion Associates Inc.; Kevin McNicholas, vice president – Nook ATC, Nook Industries, Inc.; John Payne, vice president of the Motion Division, Yaskawa Electric America, Inc.; Ken Sweet, general manager, Parker Hannifin Corporation, Electromechanical Automation Division; and
Victor Swint, VP/GM Motion Control Business, Rockwell Automation.

“John Hegel has been actively involved since he was elected to the board in early 2010. His commitment to the motion control industry was clear as he served as the MCA vice-chair,” said Dana Whalls, MCA vice president. “This board has helped significantly grow the MCA, our membership numbers continue to increase and our market data program continues to thrive. We are in the early stages of developing a motion control education program that will serve this industry well. I’m looking forward to another great year under their leadership.”