By my early twenties, I had adopted the belief that the world was unfair, and the identity that I was a victim to it. I had failed out of college and into a floundering career as a plumbing apprentice, and I blamed a lot of people and circumstances for the way my life had turned out. But along the way, a few mentors who never gave up on me helped me discover that it was how I was choosing to see myself that was determining my results and that if I wanted more, I would need to become more. This discovery elevated my career, and in my path from plumber, to salesman, to trainer, speaker and coach, I have discovered that identity is what drives the outcomes of our businesses and our lives.

Through speaking and coaching, I serve leaders to transform their identity to influence the culture and performance of their businesses. In the past 12 years I’ve spoken to nearly 30,000 people on the topics of leadership, influence, sales, and personal development. I’ve dedicated over 10,000 hours in front of audiences mastering the art and science of facilitation and engagement, and the remaining time obsessing over how to be better. As a coach, my mission is to help unlock a magic level of influence in already exceptional leaders by helping them transform their identities.

This work has given me the chance to share the stage with some of the most brilliant minds I’ve ever encountered, including John Maxwell, Pat Lencioni, Gino Wickman, Robert Cialdini, Joe Navarro, Les Brown, Lior Suchard, David Rendall, and Vinh Giang.

By helping people transform their identities, we unlock a magical level of influence in already exceptional leaders.

With over 28 years of experience spanning tire manufacturing, textiles, and steel mills across Brazil, Colombia, and the USA, he has developed a reputation as a skilled leader in Maintenance & Reliability, Engineering, and Operations.

Known for his strong shop-floor presence and ability to foster collaboration, Ari excels at building trust between his teams, aligning them toward shared goals. He has a solid technical expertise in the industry, complemented by his proficiency on methodologies such as Lean Manufacturing, SDCA, and PDCA.

A passionate advocate for Maintenance & Reliability excellence, Ari has successfully implemented best practices, including Planning & Scheduling, Root Cause Analysis, and Preventive Maintenance, creating sustainable improvements in operations. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering and dual MBAs in Business Management and Reliability, he is committed to developing teams to deliver superior results, adding value to the business with efficiency and consistency.

Barry T. Cease is the President of Cease Industrial Consulting located in Charleston, SC and co-owner of Custom Machinery Solutions located in Bristol, VA. Mr. Cease holds a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech and is an ISO certified category IV vibration analyst through the Vibration Institute. He spent 14 years as an engineer in the Paper & Pulp Industry where his work focused on predictive maintenance & reliability. In 2006 he started his company Cease Industrial Consulting which provides predictive maintenance & reliability services to customers in a wide range of industries. Among the services offered are motion amplification studies using RDI equipment which he began using in 2018. He is a member of the Vibration Institute’s Board of Directors and the Technical Editor of Vibrations Magazine.

A central Indiana native, Ben Burrell had his first experiences with mechanics by helping his father work on the families’ vehicles. He started working in the snack food industry right out of high school, starting his career as a part-time sanitor, Ben had his first exposure to the industrial world. Learning for the first time what industrial maintenance was, he knew immediately that he wanted to pursue a career in this field. Ben enrolled in Ivy Tech Community College, where he received his A.A.S. in Industrial Technology with a focus on Maintenance. He was able to join his company’s pilot program for a maintenance apprenticeship. He later became a maintenance planner and now currently holds the position of Maintenance Reliability Lead.

Blair Fraser is a technology evangelist with a natural curiosity to think differently and challenge current thinking. He is VP of Global Business Development for UE Systems and the co-founder and advisor to many companies in the technology space. Blair is a passionate reliability and operational excellence professional with over 20 years of experience in designing, commissioning, maintaining and improving manufacturing equipment and processes for the manufacturing industry. A Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) and Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP), Blair has dedicated his career to combining sound reliability principles and processes with the latest technology to improve asset performance and uptime for customers across the globe.

Bob Arnold is the Vice President of Reliability and Maintenance at Acoem USA, where he oversees key offerings, including Predictive Maintenance Services, Precision Correction Services, Advanced Machine Diagnostics, and Maintenance & Reliability Consulting. With a wealth of industry experience and a strong background as the former President of Reliability Point, Bob brings deep expertise in machinery services, helping clients enhance equipment performance and reliability across various sectors.

Brian has been teaching for the Infrared Training Center since 2016 and specializes in power generation, manufacturing, and quality applications. Prior to joining the Infrared Training Center, he worked for over 9 years conducting thermal inspections on mechanical, building, and electrical systems.

Brian Hronchek is an Aerospace Engineering graduate of Purdue University with additional professional qualifications including Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP), Reliability Engineering Certification (REC) from Clemson University, ISO CAT II Vibration Analyst, and is a retired Captain of Marines with extensive experience in training, operations and advising.

Brian specializes in Reliability Engineering, Maintenance Planning, Leadership and Business Process Development through a holistic approach of mentoring and empowering individuals as the foundation for high performing organizations.

After retiring from the Marines, Brian had the opportunity to work in oil and gas, spent time in the steel industry, and eventually found himself in a role as a predictive technology provider before stepping into his current role of principal trainer and consultant.

Brian likes to share many of his lessons learned through LinkedIn articles, professional lectures, and workshops, as well as mentoring Purdue students getting ready to step out into industry as young professionals.

“Wealth is created through the transfer of knowledge,” and Brian is passionate about giving others every opportunity to learn.

Chris is the Director of Training for RDI and devoted to making sure that RDI’s customers leave training with a deep understanding of how to integrate RDI’s exciting technologies into their current processes. Chris brings with him over 20 years of vibration analysis experience, as well as 10 years of training experience with Emerson, where, as a senior instructor, he taught advanced vibration analysis, field balancing, alignment, and software classes. He was also instrumental in creating Emerson’s ISO-compliant vibration analysis certification program.

Chris was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps in 1989 and is a certified Category IV vibration analyst.

Christopher Eyman, P.E., is an Engineer at Acoem USA specializing in Predictive Maintenance, Asset Reliability, and Vibration Analysis. With extensive experience in reliability engineering and condition monitoring, Chris has designed and implemented successful programs across various industries, including petrochemical, petroleum, and municipal sectors. His expertise spans a range of technologies, including wireless and handheld vibration analysis, laser alignment, motion amplification, oil analysis, infrared thermography, and ultrasound diagnostics. Chris holds a Level IV Vibration Analysis Certification from Mobius.

Florian Buder holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Munich, Germany and an MBA from John Molson School of Business (Concordia University), Montreal. He has 15 years of experience in the industrial maintenance and reliability world.

Florian Buder specialized in Reliability Centered Maintenance. Following his work terms in Germany and Australia and completing his thesis at BMW during his graduate studies, Florian Buder joined PRUFTECHNIK AG located in Munich, Germany, as a Service- and Application Engineer in 2005. He conducted customer training, installations, commissioning and executed field machinery services related to PRUFTECHNIK’s products and technology worldwide. In 2008, he was appointed Condition Monitoring Division Manager of PT’s operation in Montreal, Canada where his mandate was to train the sales team, coordinate customer activities and promote the Condition Monitoring product line of PT in Canada.

In 2010, he was appointed Managing Director of the Canadian operation of PT and in 2015 CEO for all North American operations. In 2022 Florian joined the Senior Leadership team at ACOEM as VP of Technical Sales and Engineering. His key mandate is to structure and organize ACOEM in America and improve channel management while driving profits throughout the country.

George Miconi has 35 years of maintenance experience and holds a current Airframe & Power Plant License with an RII rating in aviation. George has led a leading steel processing company to make impactful decisions when it comes to maintenance reliability improvements and achievements that can be demonstrated as unique or first in the industry. This was recognized by AIST Association for Iron & Steel Technology on February 28, 2019. This was due to George spearheading the implementation of many unique or first-in-the-industry programs. This led to the AIST 2019 Gold Award being presented to the Maintenance Department. All because of UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF A WORK ORDER.

George also has completed (REC) Reliability Engineering Certification at The Ohio State University & Life Cycle Institute.

Currently, George is working with one of the largest Steel Manufacturing in North America. USS United States Steel as the Center Section Maintenance Planning Manager. The goals George has set for himself are improving asset and capacity reliability, decreasing repetitive failures, building sustainable predictive maintenance programs, and creating a culture of continuous improvement. These goals can only be reached with UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF A WORK ORDER.

James Otremba is a Technical Trainer at Acoem USA with over 17 years of experience in vibration analysis, machine diagnostics, and reliability engineering. His career includes a tenure at SKF USA, where he served as a Senior Reliability Engineer, focusing on vibration data collection, system configuration, and maintenance planning across industries like wind energy, mining, and manufacturing. At Acoem, he specializes in training end users on advanced diagnostic techniques and vibration monitoring systems, utilizing tools such as Acoem’s Nest software and various portable and wireless surveillance systems. James holds multiple certifications, including ISO CAT III Vibration Analysis from Mobius.

Jeff is the CEO of RDI Technologies. He thrives on creating innovative products that disrupt industries and help customers see things in a whole new way. He believes that cameras are the sensor of the future.

Jeff’s background is in Applied Optical Physics. Before founding RDI, Jeff held a Research Scientist position at the University of Louisville where he developed and patented a method to measure motion remotely with the use of a video camera. His roles focused on data acquisition, signal processing, software development, and data analysis. In addition to these technical roles, Jeff was responsible for overseeing the commercialization aspect of the grants he was involved in.

Since starting RDI, he has created and patented multiple methods for using camera technology to measure and visualize motion that is integral to RDI’s products. In addition to research, Jeff also manages the development team at RDI and oversees all product development. He is also actively involved in customer demos, training, and site implementation because he believes that customer feedback and success drive better products.

Jeff has a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Louisville.

Jeremy brings over 14 years of hands-on experience at UE Systems, where he’s worn many hats in regional management, training, customer success, and business development. A U.S. Air Force veteran, he’s passionate about making a difference in the reliability field, partnering with engineers and maintenance teams to elevate equipment performance and plant efficiency through ultrasound technology. With his CMRP certification since 2014, Jeremy combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of what customers need to succeed. Away from work, he enjoys the outdoors and quality time with family.

Jerid Jackson is a Reliability and Maintenance Manager with a 25-year history of positive results in manufacturing. Skilled in Six Sigma, Project Management and Process Development, Jerid is also trained in PM Creation, Lubrication, Spare Parts and Materials Management, Planning, Scheduling and Precision Maintenance.

Jerid holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University with a focus on Agricultural Engineering. After graduation, he worked in the Building Products industry for Temple-Inland and TAMKO Building Products in roles such as Process Engineer, Maintenance Planner, Scheduler, Reliability Engineer, Maintenance Manager, and Engineering Manager.

“I believe, the most rewarding role I’ve held has been Maintenance Planner as the benefit of the work I was doing was obvious. The efficiency and accuracy gains were substantial.”

Jerid enjoys restoring and driving classic cars and spending time with family in Texas.

John has been supporting customers in the Southeast U.S. for the past three years, both hands-on in the field and in program development. Certified in both ultrasound and infrared, he is passionate about integrating various PdM technologies to maximize reliability programs.

He believes that a successful program requires not just the right tools and technology but also a strong practical understanding of their functions and applications. Committed to knowledge sharing, John enjoys leveraging his personal experiences to help others.

At FLIR, John works directly with customers on solving their unique pains in the area of predictive maintenance and condition monitoring. With 20+ years of experience in direct management and operational experience in the facilities space, he provides a unique understanding of how customers in asset intensive industries are best served through proper reliability, maintenance, and safety efforts.

Jonathan earned his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Oregon State University and continues to live and work in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

With 15 years of experience in heavy manufacturing environments — including welding, machine shops, titanium casting, specialty metals, aerospace, and most recently glass fiber filter media at Hollingsworth & Vose — he thrives in settings where he can roll up his sleeves and dive into hands-on problem-solving.

Serving as both a technical expert and a maintenance leader, Jonathan is passionate about collaborating closely with maintenance and operations personnel to shift the culture toward a reliability mindset.

In his free time, he enjoys DIY home remodeling and motorcycle camping.

Milan is a seasoned Renewable Energy executive and the Head of Commissioning for Enel North America. He brings extensive experience in construction, commissioning, operations and maintenance across 6,200 MW of Solar, Geothermal, BESS, Wind, and Hydro power plants. At Enel, he has personally managed reliability initiatives at over 50 facilities across the United States and trained more than 500 people in reliability from nine countries. Known for his expertise in Maintenance and Reliability, Condition Monitoring Technologies, Change Management, and Organizational Behavior and Intelligence, Milan brings a unique blend of hands-on and executive experience, offering a holistic approach to addressing complex technical and organizational challenges.

Rob Milner’s 23 year history with FLIR has resulted in an understanding of thermal imaging customer needs in the fields of asset reliability, research, leak detection and more. His current role in business development allows him to apply his curiosity and desire to do things better to learn what FLIR’s customers need and to support FLIR’s product managers, sales and marketing groups to bring the results to market. Rob holds Bachelors & Masters degrees in Metallurgical Engineering.

From High School, Scott knew that he wanted to be an engineer. After obtaining his BS in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University and entering the workforce he found himself regularly seeking opportunities to learn new things. Over the next 30 years, his career spanned consulting engineering, pulp and paper, chemicals, fiberglass, and tire industries with roles in engineering, maintenance, storeroom, and reliability engineering.

With diversity of experience, an affinity for working collaboratively, and a passion for excellence, Scott has gravitated towards roles that allow him to drive continuous improvement of asset management within the organization. The greatest reward for him is to see his Team operate with excellence autonomously.

Shon Isenhour is an engineering graduate of North Carolina State University and has become an expert in the implementation of holistic reliability solutions using tools such as Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) as well as Six Sigma and Lean to drive significant bottom line results.

Shon specializes in Adult Education, Business Process Management, Strategic Planning, Organizational Change Management, Leadership, Asset Management, and Reliability Engineering and has led improvement initiatives for industries such as pharmaceuticals, metals, petrochemical, paper, and power generation, among others. Shon has spoken on these topics at numerous professional conferences in the United States as well as Europe, South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Shon is a Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP), Certified Asset Management Assessor (CAMA) and has been certified by Prosci and Colorado State University as a Change Management Professional.

When away from the asset management world, Shon lives reliability as a helicopter and airplane pilot and an avid fisherman because… No one likes to be stranded in the air or on the water.

Stephen Ford has been with FedEx since 2010, serving in various roles across operations and engineering. Now, as the UE Systems product owner, he is responsible for overseeing the implementation and training of ultrasound technology across 170+ FedEx sites in North America. Stephen holds a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management from Kansas State University. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor adventures, traveling, firefighting, and exploring with his family.

A South Carolina native, Trent McJunkin has been in the trades since high school, where he began taking a welding class at his local high school career center. After enrolling in Tri-County Technical College, Trent found his interest for industrial maintenance while studying Industrial Electronics Technology. Working in the OEM automotive manufacturing sector for over a decade has helped him find more opportunities for growth and helped him develop his passion for excellence within an organization. Trent’s goal is to drive maintenance excellence by making people development the top priority. The greatest reward for him is when he sees his team members experience growth and success.

In the maintenance and reliability industry since 2006 and with UE Systems since 2012. Member of the North America Leadership Team, supporting teams in delivering impactful ultrasound solutions, and helps lead landmark events including the Ultrasound World conference.

Frequent speaker across industry conferences and past member of the SMRP Board of Directors as Education Director, overseeing educational curriculum and the Annual Conference. Holds CMRP and Level I Ultrasound certifications.