America Makes names 2026 Ambassador and Distinguished Collaborator recipients
America Makes, Youngstown, Ohio, has announced the recipients of its 2026 Ambassador Awards and Distinguished Collaborator Award. The awards were presented during its annual Members Meeting and Exchange (MMX), held August 4-5, 2026, in Youngstown.
Launched in 2017, the Ambassador Award programme recognises individuals for their commitment to advancing America Makes and its mission. According to the institute, the 2026 recipients represent a cross-section of the Additive Manufacturing industry and have contributed to the development of AM technology, expansion of the industrial base and workforce development.
“We are grateful to have such a passionate, proactive, and powerful membership base, whose important work radiates beyond their industries,” stated John Wilczynski, Executive Director of America Makes. “Their work boosts our Institute’s efforts to expand our effective collaboration model, reinforce cooperation, advance education, and illustrate the vigour of the AM community. In collaboration with America Makes, the supporters we recognise here exemplify the essential efforts that are already strengthening the US industrial base and revolutionising technological breakthroughs in Additive Manufacturing.”
The 2026 America Makes Ambassadors are:
- Anil Chaudry – Principal Scientist, Applied Optimization
- Greg Colvin – Technical Fellow, Honeywell Aerospace
- Zac DiVencenzo – President & Co-founder, JuggerBot 3D, LLC
- Benjamin Ewing – Senior Principal Manufacturing Engineer,Office of the Under Secretary of War (OUSW) for Research & Engineering
- Eric Fodran – Fellow, Additive Manufacturing & Emerging Programs, Northrop Grumman
- Jeannine Kunz – Executive Director & CEO, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
- Vijay Madi – Program Manager, Materials & Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Materiel Command
- Tad Steinberg – AM Business Development for the Americas, Siemens Energy
- Sandra DeVincent Wolf, PhD – Executive Director, Manufacturing Futures Institute & Next Manufacturing Center, Carnegie Mellon University
2026 Distinguished Collaborator Award
During the event, Brett Conner, PhD, Chief Manufacturing Officer (CMO) at SME, received the 2026 Distinguished Collaborator Award. Established in 2014, the award recognises individuals who cultivate collaborative relationships between academia, government and industry.
Conner has worked in manufacturing innovation for more than twenty-five years. At SME, he leads the organisation’s technology strategy and programme portfolio, with a focus on the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies and their integration with workforce and education initiatives.
Before joining SME, Conner served as Senior Program Manager for Additive Manufacturing at PM2 Strategies, supporting the Office of the Secretary of War. In this role, he led the 240-member Joint Additive Manufacturing Working Group (JAMWG), coordinating activities across the Pentagon, military services and defence agencies relating to advanced manufacturing policy, strategy and investment.
Conner previously led Youngstown State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center and held technical leadership positions at Honeywell and Alcoa. Earlier in his career, he served as a commissioned officer in the US Air Force.
