Christina H. Chen, Group Leader of Magnetics Lab at University of Dayton Research Institute • University of Dayton

Christina H. Chen is the group leader of Magnetics Lab at University of Dayton Research Institute, and an associate Professor at School of Engineering, University of Dayton.  Dr. Chen has more than 20 years experience in the research and development of magnetic and other materials in both industrial and academic areas. She has been the principal investigator for many research programs funded by many government agencies since 1996.  Dr. Chen’s research interests include high-performance magnetic materials with nano-structures, high-temperature magnetic materials, and magnetocaloric materials. Her researches also include magnetic devices, as well as computer modeling and simulation for magnetic field in various magnetic circuits.  Dr. Chen teaches materials and computer modeling courses in the graduate Materials Engineering Program for School of Engineering, University of Dayton.

Flemming Buus Bendixen, Magnet Specialist • Sintex

Flemming Buus Bendixen graduated in 1997 from Aalborg University, Institute of Energy Technology. He worked for Grundfos Management a/s until 2003, in the area magnetic materials and motor design. From 2003 to 2007 he worked for Vestas wind systems a/s, working with generator control. During that time, he filed more than seven patents together with Grundfos and Vestas. From 2002 to 2005 he worked with the project "segmented motor drive" awarding him the PhD degree. Currently, he works as a magnet specialist for Sintex a/s in denmark, where he and his colleagues have developed a new patented magnet type called the IP-magnet.

Gareth Hatch, Director of Technology • Dexter Magnetic Technologies

Gareth Hatch is director of Technology at Dexter Magnetic Technologies. He holds five US patents on a variety of magnetic devices. Gareth is based at Dexter’s headquarters in the suburbs of Chicago, IL. He received his B.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Birmingham in the UK. Gareth is a Fellow of the institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, a Chartered Engineer, a Senior Member of the IEEE and a Member of ASTM Committee A06 on Magnetic Properties. He is also Newsletter Editor & Chicago Chapter Chair of the IEEE Magnetics Society. Gareth is Founder of the Magnetism & Electromagnetics Interest Group at Linkedin, Founder of the Terra Magnetica blog and is a Contributing Editor to the RareMetalBlog online.

Gerald Masson, Sensor Unit Manager • Moving Magnet Technologies SA

Gerald has been involved in the Magnetics Industry since 2003. His initial experiences with magnetics were when he joined Moving Magnet Technologies in Besancon, France and worked as a research & development positions in electromagnetism (sensors, BLDC motor, Actuator) but more specialized in the Development of new magnetic position sensors. Gerald Masson has been responsible for the Sensor Business Unit at MMT, in Besancon France, since January 2006. He received his mechanical engineer's degree from ENSMM in 2000, He holds a Masters degrees (2000) and a doctorate (2003) in Engineering science from Franche Comte University in France.

Hartmut Pagel, International Sales Manager • MAGSYS magnet systeme GmbH

Hartmut Pagel studied physics at the University of Dortmund and graduated in 1992. Since 2000, he has been the International Sales manager at MAGSYS, where he is responsible for all national sales activities as well as international with an American subsidary and partners worldwide.

Ian London, Vice-President, Corporate Development • Avalon Rare Metals, Inc.

Ian London has more than 30 years of business experience, including terms as CEO of Process Products Limited, a supplier of engineered machined components in the construction of power turbines, rail cars and MRI machines, and as President & CEO of Ontario Hydro International Inc, a $100 million dollar per year business providing consulting and operating services to the utility sector. At Avalon Rare Metals, Inc. he is responsible for the development of rare earth markets and relationships with industry groups.

Keith A. Delaney, Executive Director • Rare Earth Industry and Technology Association

For more than 25 years Mr. Delaney has specialized in the creation and management of strategic business alliances and technology partnerships focused on the commercialization of new technologies. At Engelhard Corporation (now BASF) and Molycorp Minerals LLC he has been at the center of such relationships in the rare earth magnet, petrochemical, industrial chemical and water treatment industries. His education includes a BS in Marketing and a MBA from Northern Illinois University.

Lowell Christensen, Consultant • Lowell Christensen LLC

Lowell Christensen is currently working as a Permanent Magnet Motor Design consultant as Lowell Christensen LLC. Mr. Christensen has a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Mathematics from Mankato State University and a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Minnesota. Lowell Christensen was Director of Motor R&D at MCG Inc. from August 1992 until January 2009. Prior to joining MCG, he was employed by Electro-Craft from 1978 to 1992. He held various positions with Electro-Craft including Motor Engineering Manager and Principle Design Engineer. Earlier in his career Mr. Christensen was employed by Control Data from 1972 to 1978 as a Design Engineer in the Cedar Engineering Division and as a Project Engineer in the Aerospace Division.

Dr. Rainer Meinke, Chief Scientist • Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc.

Dr. Rainer Meinke has more than 30 years of experience in physics and engineering, including all major accelerator systems, detector development for HEP experiments, and software development for experiment simulations and data analysis. This includes 15 years of experience in development, manufacturing, and testing of superconducting magnets. As a cofounder and chief scientist of the Advanced Magnet Lab, Inc., Dr. Meinke has devoted a major effort to the development of advanced magnet and related manufacturing technology. Dr. Meinke has numerous patents for novel magnet configurations and processes for advanced magnet manufacturing technology. His most recent inventions called “Double-Helix” and “Direct Double-Helix” configurations benefit magnets for a variety of applications including motors, generators and accelerator magnets.

Michael D. Hill, PhD, Technical Director, Research and Development • Trans-Tech Inc.

Michael Hill received his Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1986. He received a Masters Degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Virginia Tech in 1988. From 1989 until 1996 he worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. In 1996 he received a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Maryland.  In 1996, he joined the R&D department at Trans-Tech where he worked on new formulations for microwave dielectric and magnetic materials as well as specialty advanced materials and helped develop several new formulations.

Nic Hamilton, Senior Scientific Officer • Defence Equipment & Support, Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force Wyton

Nic Hamilton has worked for 35 years on radio frequency circuits and systems. Joined the HF Radio section of the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment at age 17. Gained a Higher National Certificate in Comms Engineering. On transfer to the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment, spent a period as an equipment designer, then ran the EMC/RF Interference/RADHAZ Laboratory. Currently the Engineering Authority for the communications, reconnaissance and defensive aids systems for the RAF fleet of Tornado aircraft at the Combat Air cluster of Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), Ministry of Defence, Royal Air Force Wyton. Nic Hamilton is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET, formerly known as the IEE).

Mark A. Smith, Chief Executive Officer • Molycorp Minerals, LLC

Mark A. Smith is chief executive officer, member of the Board of Directors and a shareholder of Molycorp Minerals, LLC.  Prior to Molycorp Minerals, Mr. Smith was the president and chief executive officer of Chevron Mining Inc. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation. Mr. Smith was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in April 2006. Chevron Mining Inc. operated five mines one of which was the Mountain Pass, CA Rare Earth mine. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Smith was a vice president for Unocal Corporation, where he was responsible for managing the real estate, remediation and mining divisions.   Mr. Smith worked for Unocal for over 22 years. Mr. Smith received his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural engineering from Colorado State University in 1981 and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Western State University, College of Law, in 1990.  He is a registered professional engineer and an active member of the State Bar of California and Colorado.

Dr. Peter Campbell, Consultant

Dr. Peter Campbell has been recognized for his expertise in the technology, application and marketing of permanent magnet materials for over 30 years.  From 1973 to 1981 he was a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Cambridge in England and then at the University of Southern California, specializing in the development of permanent magnet motors.  From 1981 to 1999 he was a consultant specializing in new product and market development for magnetic materials and applications, first as President of PA Consulting’s North American Technology Division and then as President of Princeton Electro-Technology Inc.  In 1999 he joined Magnequench Inc, leaving in late 2005 as Vice President responsible for its global technology and global sales.  He had founded the Magnequench Technology Center in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and relocated this facility to Singapore in 2004.  He resumed consulting in 2006 upon returning from Singapore to South Carolina.

Peter C. Dent, Director of Business Development • Electron Energy Corporation

Dent’s 25 year background in magnetics began in engineering for a subsidiary of Intermagnetics General Corp. in closed and open cycle cryogenic refrigerators supporting low and high temperature superconductive magnets for MRI, semiconductor and research applications. He was National Sales manager for Lakeshore Cryotronics, specializing in cryogenic and magnetic measurement instrumentation and systems. As Business Development Manager at Everson Tesla, Dent managed select projects and marketing and sales of large, high field, specialty coil wound resistive and superconducting magnets and systems. Since joining EEC in 2003, Dent has led the company’s business development efforts in rare earth magnets and their applications, including commercialization and applications development of government sponsored research. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Lehigh University from 1981.

Philip Keller, Marketing & Product Management • Metrolab Technology

Philip Keller has been responsible for Marketing & Product Management at Metrolab, in Geneva Switzerland, since 2003. His career spans two continents, executive management as well as research positions and a variety of technology industries. He holds Masters degrees in Physics from Ohio State University and International Management from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland.

Randolph W. Callihan, VP of Technology • Thinova Co., Ltd.

Randolph W. Callihan has been working in the magnet industry since 1977.  In that time, he has been involved with the manufacturing and application of most types of permanent magnets and magnetic systems, including motors, generators, and sensors.  He has also led material and process development in support of emerging applications.  He began his career as an applications engineer with the Stackpole Magnet Division and has since worked with Crucible, Vacuumschmelze, ECS, Arnold and now with Thinova as Vice President of Technology. He holds a BEE from Gannon University.  He and his family are now living in Beijing, China.

Samir R. Kagalwala, Chief Consultant • Power Magnetics Consultancy (PMC)

Samir Kagalwala has a unique combined experience in manufacturing and design of Wire Wound Components in Power Electronics. In over 30 years in the industry, he has set up magnetic manufacturing facilities, resolved short term and long term manufacturing issues meeting internal and external customer needs and bridged Design and Manufacturing for improved products and customers' satisfaction. He developed design rules and guidelines for manufacturing and helped increase manufacturing professionals' understanding of the design criteria. He worked for Philips Electronics, Motorola and Zenith Electronics in various capacities. He holds MBA from DePaul University, Chicago, B.S. in Electrical Engineering and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. At present, he is a chief consultant at San Diego based Power Magnetics Consultancy (PMC).

Steve Constantinides, Director of Technology • Arnold Magnetic Technologies Corp.

Steve Constantinides is director of Technology, Arnold Magnetic Technologies Corporation.  Steve solicits and performs research, engineering and project work associated with Arnold Magnetic Technologies’ permanent and soft magnetics businesses.  He is a graduate of Alfred University in Ceramic Engineering.  Prior experience includes 12 years with Corning, Inc. involved with glass ceramics, combustion systems design and manufacturing management systems.  He then joined tungsten carbide manufacturer GTE Valenite (now Valenite LLC) and was responsible for modernization and operation of over 40 vacuum and atmosphere heat-treating furnaces at plants in the US, Canada and France.  In 1988 he joined Crucible Magnetics as Manager of Technology and Quality Assurance.  For the last 17 years, Steve has been employed at Arnold and has promoted the use of rare earth and bonded magnets and soft magnetic strip and foils through product development and applications engineering.

Stephen Dakel, Marketing Director & Instrumentation Sales • LE USA Walker LDJ Scientific, Inc.

Stephen has been in the involved in the Magnetics Industry since 1976. He’s an Electrical Engineer and also holds a Business Degree in Marketing.  His initial experiences with Magnetics were when he joined F. W. Bell Inc. in Columbus Ohio and worked in the Engineering and Quality Control Departments. He joined the F. W. Bells Sales Department as Sales Engineer working with and assisting customers with magnetic design solutions. Stephen managed all Marketing, Domestic and International Sales activities for 18 years as the Director of Sales and Marketing until he joined Walker Scientific out of Worcester MA. in 2002.  Walker Scientific had recently purchased LDJ Electronics in late 2001 and Stephen was recruited as Vice President to combine the two companies for reorganization and growth. In 2007, Walker Scientific was purchased by Laboratorio Elettrofisico located in Nervianio Italy.  Stephen is now in charge of all Domestic Sales and as the Marketing Director for the combined products of Laboratorio Elettrofisico.

Tanvir Rahman, Ph.D., Application Engineer • Infolytica Corporation

Dr. Tanvir Rahman is an Application Engineer at Infolytica Corporation where his primary responsibility is the CAD and applications of electromagnetic solvers to electric machines. Most recently he has been involved with applying some of the latest CAD tools for power electronics and control system designs for Brushless DC and induction motors for HEVs. Dr. Rahman has been professionally involved with the simulation and modelling of electric machines since 2006. He obtained his Bachelors of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering  and a Ph.D. in Computational Physics from McGill University in 2005 in the area of Computational Fluid Dynamics. His research interests include multi-physics simulations of electric machines, new algorithms for CAD of switched reluctance machines among many others.

Walt Benecki, President • Walter T. Benecki LLC

Walt Benecki graduated from Penn State University in 1961-62 with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Ceramic Engineering. In 1989, Walt was appointed president of Arnold Engineering. In 2001, he retired from Arnold and established Walter T. Benecki LLC, a consulting practice focused on the worldwide magnetics industry.  Walt was active in the Magnetic Materials Producers Association, acting as its President from 1994-1997.  He is currently on the boards of The Electric Motor Research and Education Foundation (EMERF), The Small Motor and Motion Association (SMMA) and Bunting Magnetics Company.

Chuanbing Rong, Research Assistant Professor • University of Texas at Arlington

C.B. Rong is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Texas at Arlington. Dr. Rong received his PhD in condensed matter physics from Institute of Physic, Chinese Academy of Science in 2004. His current research interests include synthesis of nanocomposite permanent magnets, magnetic nanoparticles, bulk nanostructured magnets, magnetocaloric materials, micromagnetic simulation, etc.

Chris Riley, Technology Manager • Cobham Technical Services Vector Fields Software

Chris Riley is Technology Manager for Vector Fields Software in Oxford UK, a business unit of Cobham Technical Services specializing in software for electromagnetic design.  He has worked in the field of electromagnetic design for more than 30 years since graduating in electrical engineering from University College, London in 1975.  He joined Vector Fields in 1986, after previous positions with GEC Power Engineering, Compeda and Liverpool University.  He is primarily concerned with applications of design software, with particular interest in electrical machines, magnetic and electric signatures from naval vessels and superconducting magnets.  He is the author of more than 50 papers and articles on electromagnetic design and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Technology (formerly the Institution of Electrical Engineers).  He is currently serving a second period on the Institution’s executive committee for the Electromagnetics Knowledge and Technology Network.

Jack H. Powell, Corporate Vice President • Adams Magnetic Products Co.

Jack H. Powell is a corporate vice president for Adams Magnetic Products Co. in Elmhurst, IL and general manager of their Elizabethtown, KY location. As general manager he is responsible for the purchase, warehousing, sales and distribution of all permanent magnet products. Mr. Powell has worked in the magnet industry for more than 40 years. He retired from Crucible Magnetics in 1997 where he was the National and Export Sales manager and joined Adams Magnetic Products Co.  He is currently a member of the Permanent Magnet Division of SMMA.

Scott Tubbs, Director of Sales & Marketing • Quadrant Magnetics

Scott Tubbs, is currently the Director of Sales & Marketing for Quadrant worldwide. 2010 marks Scott's 15th year in the magnetic material business. Scott started with Crucible Magnetics, which later (after several other name changes) became VAC USA. Prior to his latest promotion, Scott was the general manager of Quadrant Magnetics located in Louisville, KY.

Ed Richardson, Vice President • Thomas & Skinner, Inc.

Ed Richardson is vice president of Sales and Marketing for Thomas & Skinner, Inc., a high performance magnet manufacturer located in Indianapolis, IN. He has more than 15 years of experience in industrial manufacturing and business-to-business marketing.  Ed has been widely quoted on the issue of China's dominance of magnets and rare earth elements in publications such as the Wall Street Journal and US News and World Report. He was also featured in a news segment on the same topic on Dan Rather Reports. Ed has consulted with US Senators, Congressman and the Department of Defense regarding China's threat to the United State's strategic interests.  He has a B.A. from DePauw University, where he was a Management Fellow, and an M.B.A. from Indiana University's Kelly School of Business.

Jeff Godley, Sales Manager, Key Automotive Accounts • VAC Sales USA LLC,
Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co. KG

Jeff Godley is the sales manager for key automotive accounts for VAC Sales USA LLC. Jeff has a B.S. in Business Administration, and has more than 30 years of experience in the hard and soft magnetics industry with responsibilities in HR, Marketing, Direct Sales, Marketing Management, and Sales Management.