Charlotte, NC (March 30, 2012) - Okuma America Corporation announces that Larry Schwartz, former president, will officially retire effective March 31, 2012. Larry has worked in the manufacturing industry for over 40 years and has been with Okuma for 17 years, working in manufacturing, sales, and marketing, serving as president from 2005 to 2011, most recently serving as Chief Strategy Officer. Larry will serve in an advisory capacity to Okuma for a minimum of 18 months.
Larry’s passion to provide comprehensive solutions to the industry stems from his broad experience. Starting in his teens as an engineering aid and working his way up to vice president of operations at his first employer, Larry successfully converted the manual shop into an NC/CNC facility. After this, he continued to expand his expertise in the manufacturing industry, as both a customer and also in the distribution, sales, service, and manufacture of machine tools. He understands the challenges and demands of manufacturing in today’s increasingly competitive global market and has always looked for ways that Okuma and its partners can help their customers be more profitable. He was instrumental in the development of the THINC-OSP control, and was the driving force behind the creation of Partners in THINC and the Okuma Technical Centers in Chicago and Houston. During his career he also served with a number of trade organizations, including The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), The Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), and The American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association (AMTDA).
Jim King, President and Chief Operating Officer of Okuma America Corporation states, “Over a short period of time Larry and I have become great friends. I wish him and his wife the best of luck in the next phase of his life and thank him for his service and contribution, not only to Okuma, but to the world of manufacturing.”
