FLORENCE, Ky. — Recognizing his lifetime of leadership and investment in research that advanced machine tool and factory technologies, Brian J. Papke, former chairman and now Executive Advisor to the Board of Mazak Corp., received the M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME.
Throughout his career, Papke promoted and expanded applications of machine tools and manufacturing technology in ways that set the stage for digital manufacturing, drove standardization for manufacturing interconnectivity and improved the overall competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.
Mazak Corp. is a leader in the design and manufacture of productive machine tool solutions. Its world-class facility in Florence produces over 100 models of turning centers, Multi-Tasking machines and vertical machining centers, including 5-axis models.
Established in 1986, the Merchant award recognizes exceptional individuals who have had significant influence and responsibility for improving the productivity and efficiency of manufacturing operations. Papke’s long, distinguished career in the machine tool industry began after his graduation from the University of Illinois. He entered the machine tool industry in a management training program, then progressed through various sales and management positions, becoming president of Mazak, a position he held for 29 years. In 2016, he was named chairman.
In his position at Mazak, Papke created continuous growth and improvement for the company through establishment of three core business strategies. Those strategies included: lean production-on-demand approach to manufacturing; implementing the industry’s first digitally connected Mazak iSMART Factory™, an all-encompassing customer support program; and a unique network of eight Technology Centers and five Technical Centers across North America, anchored by a National Technology Center in Florence.
Papke was active in trade association committees. The Association of Manufacturing Technology (AMT) recently presented him with its Al Moore Award honoring his lifetime of dedication to the advancement of the manufacturing industry. Papke served on the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA) Board of Directors and is a member on the board of Gardner Business Media.
At the local level, Papke served on the Board of Advisors for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and is a former member of the Advisory Board of the College of Business of Northern Kentucky University, where he also taught MBA courses on leadership and ethics. Throughout his Mazak tenure, Papke has developed relationships with local leadership and educational institutions to support workforce development through apprenticeship programs and community awareness.
In receiving the M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal, Papke extended heartfelt thanks to his family, friends and especially to the entire Mazak team and the Yamazaki family that founded the company. With a passion for the manufacturing industry, machine tools and Mazak, he never considered his career a job, but instead a way of life for 55 years.
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