The American Gear Manufacturers Association (AGMA) honored gear industry professional, Michael Weas, at its 2024 Strategic Networking & Leadership Forum in Milwaukee, WI, on Thursday, May 2.

The Next-Generation Award honors upcoming gear industry leaders for their innovative work, significant contributions to and betterment of the gear industry. Weas, Applications Engineer, Helios Gear Products, was nominated for three key contributions:

• Growing Helios Gear Product’s cutting tool business by 10 times during his short tenure.
• Leading the mechanical design and development of the Helios KFS tool sharpening machine. 
• Processing, designing, and coordinating Helios tooling and engineering needs, including workholding, automation customization, and customer-specific "machine tweaks" for fringe applications.

“As the gear industry grapples with workforce development and succession planning, it’s individuals like Michael Weas that are rising to the occasion and leading the gear industry into the future,” said Rebecca Brinkley, Director, Membership Engagement & Communications, AGMA. “AGMA would like to celebrate Michael and his hard work, highlighting his contributions and giving him a platform to inspire others to do the same.”

agma.org