Further Positioning Company for Growth
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 4, 2023) – Senior executives at Okuma America Corporation, a global leader and builder of computer numeric control (CNC) machine tools, controls and automation systems, recently announced new personnel appointments within its Sales organization to direct and support sales growth in the Americas. Positions include a new director of sales, a new regional sales manager, and a new business development manager.
Mr. Timothy (Tim) Thiessen, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Okuma America Corporation, a key architect behind the new appointments, shared the following perspectives regarding the enhanced team, “the new appointments are part of the company’s strategic positioning for revenue growth by 2030 across many of our business disciplines, including CNC machine tools, automation systems, and both proprietary and partnered technologies that support manufacturing processes. We look forward to realizing the positive impacts of these organizational enhancements”.
Mr. Brandon Glenn was appointed to the newly-created role of Director of Sales. In this new role Mr. Glenn will be responsible for leading the Okuma America sales team, day-to-day sales programs, and partnerships with Okuma distributors throughout the United States and Canada. Mr. Glenn also now assumes leadership responsibilities for the Okuma America product management team. Prior to assuming his new role, Mr. Glenn served in Senior Regional Sales Manager and Sales Engineer roles for Okuma, preceded by an engineering role at Hendrick Motorsports.
Mr. Luke Lofland was promoted to the role of Regional Sales Manager for eastern territories of the USA. He assumes leadership responsibilities for an Okuma regional sales team and day-to-day oversight of business activities with one of Okuma’s largest distributors, the Morris Group. Prior to assuming his new responsibilities, Mr. Lofland served as a Sales Engineer for Okuma, as well as a design engineer for Boston Gear.
Mr. Mike Hampton was promoted to the role of Business Development Manager. In addition to his existing role, Mike is now responsible for managing Okuma’s Partners in Technology and Tech Center facilities. He served as our Business Development Specialist for the past four years. Prior to joining Okuma, Mr. Hampton served as a business development program manager for PFC Brakes.
Reflecting on the organizational changes, Mr. Jim King, President & Chief Operating Officer for Okuma America Corporation, shared the following comments, “the manufacturing industry is evolving at a rapid pace. Our goal as an organization is to ensure that we are positioned for growth by having the right people and the right portfolio to serve customer needs both today and beyond”.
All three gentlemen assumed their new roles on April 1, 2023.
About Okuma America Corporation
Okuma America Corporation is the U.S.-based sales and service affiliate of Okuma Corporation, a world-leading builder of CNC (computer numeric control) machine tools, controls and automation systems. The company was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan, and is the industry’s only single-source provider of CNC machines, drives, motors, encoders, spindles and automation systems, all manufactured by Okuma. The company designs its own CNC controls to integrate seamlessly with each machine tool’s functionality. In 2014 Okuma launched the Okuma App Store, the industry’s only centralized online marketplace for machine tool apps and related content. Along with its extensive distribution network (largest in the Americas), and Partners in THINC network of enhanced manufacturing technologies, Okuma is committed to helping users gain competitive advantage through the open possibilities of machine tools today and into the future. For more information, visit Okuma.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
