Board Members
bfries@aps-ct.com
Brian Fries
President – Atlantic Precision Spring
Needs profile
Lucas Karabin
Co- President – ACME Monaco
Lucas Karabin began his career at Acme Monaco Corporation in June of 2004 and was part time since 1994. Lucas currently holds the position of Co-President. He graduated from Bryant University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2002. He is a board member for Precision Metalforming Association, Southern New England District as well as a volunteer (since 2006) with Junior Achievement, a nonprofit program that teaches skills in understanding business and money concepts in classroom activities. In his free time, Lucas enjoys his memberships with the Bristol Fish and Game Club and Shuttle Meadow Country Club.
d.babkirk@nesma-usa.com
Dee Babkirk
Bristol Chamber of Commerce
Needs profile
Bob Swanson
President – United Wire Company
Born and raised in Branford, CT. Attended University of Maine and graduated in 2000 with a BS in Business Administration. Began working for United Wire after college with a sales position and in January of 2006 was promoted to President. When not working free time is spent golfing, skiing, traveling, and being with family and friends.
David Devoe
Plymouth Spring Company, Inc.
Ryan Cutter
President FENN Torin Corporation
Born in Athol MA, Ryan attended the University of Hartford where he earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He began working in manufacturing through several internships and made central Connecticut his home after graduation. Ryan has held various engineering and management rolls with The Stanley Works, Parker Hannifin, United Technologies, BHS Torin, and FENN. Ryan was promoted from Chief Engineer to President of FENN in 2016.
Charlie Radcliffe
Owner, Radcliff Wire Inc.
Jim Mintun
VP of Sales Northeast – Gibbs Metals
Jim was born in Pittsburgh, PA and grew up outside of Buffalo, NY. He is a 1982 Graduate of the College of Wooster (Ohio). In 1984, Jim joined Gibbs Wire & Steel Co., Inc. as an Inside Sales Representative in their South Bend, IN facility. Jim has held various positions with the company including sales and operations management in facilities in the U.K., Painesville, OH, and South Bend. Jim and his wife, Annette, moved to Southington, CT in June as Jim has assumed duties as Vice President of Sales in the Northeast.
Jake Youmans
Connecticut Spring & Stamping
Jacob (Jake) Youmans began his career at Connecticut Spring & Stamping while still in high school, and he has no plans of leaving his family’s company. Jake earned his B.A. in Business and Psychology at Bryant University while continuing to work at CSS during school vacations and throughout the four summers. During his first two years full-time, after having spent his early years in the Information Systems Department, Jake has worked alongside loyal and skilled colleagues in many departments to become as knowledgeable in as many facets of the manufacturing business as possible in preparation for possible management roles. Connecticut Spring is a leading international manufacturer of precision springs and metal shaped solutions that have been a strategic supplier of custom springs, progressive stampings, fine blanked stampings, machined components, and assemblies for nearly 80 years.
David Waseleski – SMA Liaison
Century Spring
In terms of my Bio, I graduated from Bentley College with a degree in Computer Information Systems with a business core. After graduating I went on to work in IT at Peoples United Bank at their headquarters in Bridgeport CT. After a few years with Peoples United Bank I left to join the family business at Century Spring Mfg.
Over the years I have worked in many departments within the company, but I have been the IT Manager at Century Spring for the last 12 years. As a family member, I have also been privileged to be involved in many of the business discussions and decisions.
Thomas O. Barnes, Jr.
President – Riverside Investments
Thomas O. Barnes Jr. founded Riverside Investment Services in 2006 after beginning his career as a financial advisor in 1999. Tom is affiliated with Securities of America to provide brokerage and investment services and holds the Series 7, 65, 63, 24 and the CT Insurance License for Health and Life Insurance. As an advisor, Tom provides his clients a personal touch when it comes to creating sound personal finance strategies and creating and achieving long-term personal financial goals as well as wealth management services. Riverside Investment Services also provides employer sponsored retirement plan advice to both employers and employees.
Tom is a Bristol, CT native dedicated to his community. Tom has been the elected City Treasurer of Bristol since 2011. Tom currently serves as the Chairman of the City of Bristol Retirement Board to direct the investment policy and allocation of the City’s $600 million pension funds. Tom is a Member and Ex-Officio of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce. Tom is currently serving on Connecticut Retirement Security Board, which is exploring options to help improve the retirement options for residents in the state of Connecticut. He has also held a seat as an Advisor for the State of Connecticut Investment Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2013. Tom has served as Board President of the Environmental Learning Centers of Connecticut as well as a member of the Bristol Rotary Club. Tom is a member of the Bristol Boy’s and Girl’s Club’s Development committee.
Tom is a graduate of Renbrook School in West Hartford CT, Brooks School in North Andover MA, and the University of Montana. Tom currently resides in Bristol, CT with his wife, Emily, and three daughters Lilly, Aubrey, and Ashley.
Al Mangels
Chief Technical Advisor – Lee Spring Company
Al Mangels is Chief Technical Advisor at Lee Spring Company, a global manufacturer of mechanical springs, wireforms and related products that has had is headquarters in Brooklyn since 1918.
Al started at Lee Spring in 1983 in production control, and during his thirty seven plus years there worked his way up through manufacturing engineering, design engineering and management system integration until ultimately serving as President from 1999 until his semi-retirement in 2019.
During his career, Al has become well versed as a champion of continual improvement activities such as total quality management, lean manufacturing and business process re-engineering, and has seen the company grow internationally to seven facilities in the United States as well as locations in the United Kingdom, Mexico, China, India and Germany.
Al is a member of the SMI Technical Committee, on the Board of Directors of the Industrial Technology Assistance Corporation (NYC NIST MEP), a member of the New York District Export Council, on the Executive Board of the Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Council of New York City and a member of the Bristol Technical Advisory Committee.
Andrea Tarantino
Founder – Napcon Communications LLC
Born in 1974 in Naples, Italy Andrea moved to the US at the age of 26 and he has been living in Southington, CT since then. He graduated with great honors at Penn State University with a degree in Information Sciences and Technology. He founded Napcon Communications in 2006 continuing a career in the IT industry that started at the age of 18.
Throughout the years, Andrea increased his expertise and experience providing web design and marketing services with special attention to the latest industry trends and usability. His company has developed a strong presence in the Central CT area but he works closely with clients across the State, the Country and Europe.
He is involved with numerous non-profit organizations including the New Britain Community Foundation, Southington Bread for Life, and PARC from which he was recognized with “Person of the Year” awards. Two years ago he joined NESMA as the exclusive marketing member and is committed to promoting manufacturing in CT.
Ted Lucas
CPA – Marcum LLP
Ted Lucas is a partner in the Firm’s Hartford, Connecticut office. He has 20 years of experience conducting and performing audits and reviews for both publicly traded and privately held companies in the technology, manufacturing, retail, real estate, construction, and alternative energy industries, and clients with complex equity arrangements. In addition to the above industries, Mr. Lucas performs numerous audits of employee benefit plans.
Mr. Lucas has extensive experience with reporting requirements for publicly traded companies on both the US and Toronto exchanges which include audits reported under both US GAAP and IFRS. Filings include comfort letters, registration statements, initial public offerings, and Forms 10-Q and 10-K. He has conducted both internal and external projects for Sarbanes-Oxley compliant filers. Mr. Lucas’s experience includes significant audit services for international companies.
His current and past client base includes clients with operations in Canada, UK, Israel, Singapore, Slovenia, Mexico, China and India.
Allen Nadeau
Principal – Supervisor – Southington Tool & Mfg Corp.
I am a 54 year old happily married male with a fantastic wife and adult son. I am a partner in a small manufacturing company in Plantsville, CT that mostly produces device components for the medical industry. In my chief role with the company I work with mostly entry level positions. It is my passion to develop the individuals filling these positions to allow them to advance their roles in our company.
Laura Currier
Quality Manager – Economy Spring and Stamping, an MW Industries Medical Solutions Group Company
Born and raised in Litchfield, CT. Laura began her career in manufacturing out of high school holding position in quality starting as an Incoming Inspector at the Torrington Co. PCD to Sole Proprietor of a Quality Consulting and Inspection service company. She is currently the Quality Manager, Continuous Improvement Lead at Economy Spring and Stamping in Southington, Ct; part of the Medical Solutions Group of MW Industries Inc. Laura recently earned her Certified Manager of Quality / Organization Excellence from the American Society of Quality and was a recognized as a 2019 Women of Excellence by Precision Metal forming Association. In her free time she enjoys camping (glamping) and visits to the beach with her husband Ora, 3 daughters Chrysta, Nicole, and Lida and 2 granddaughters Layla and Chloe.
Cindy Bombard
President – Central CT Chambers
Lynne Carr – SMI Liasion
SMI Executive Director – Spring Manufacturers Institute
Lynne graduated from Rocky River High School in Rocky River, Ohio and attended Ashland College in 1973 in Ohio and moved to Chicago in 1974. She worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as an Employment Supervisor from 1974 – 1985 – at which time she decided to be a stay at home mother to raise 3 children, Alyson, Mark and Tracy. Lynne started at the Spring Manufacturers Institute as a part time employee in 1995. Having held various positions at SMI, she is currently the Executive Director.