Outstanding Industrial Technologist - 2002

John Elder is unique in simultaneously holding the positions of Vice President of Nubuke, Inc. and Vice President of Manufacturing of HN Automotive. He is on the Board of Directors of both companies, the operations of which have merged into the surviving HN Automotive, Inc. Prior to the merger he was responsible for improving the productivity at both facilities, increasing product sales two-fold and increasing profitability 120 percent. He planned and promoted the consolidation of assets at the two corporations.

Mr. Elder is a 1991 Industrial Technology graduate of Eastern Illinois University. He joined Mattoon Precision Manufacturing, a Nubuke Company, as a Manufacturing Engineer in 1992. He rapidly progressed in the Nubuke structure and he was appointed General Manager in 1997, becoming responsible for budgetary establishment and performance. He was promoted to Vice President in the year 2000. Shortly thereafter he assumed the additional duties of V.P. Manufacturing, HN Automotive, exercising the overall strategic planning and direction of the production resources of both entities.