4 MTI Members to be Approved for Service on MTI Board of Trustees
The Metal Treating Institute will host its Annual Business Meeting during the MTI Fall Meeting, held in Conjunction with Furnaces North America 2026. The meeting will be held at 7:00 am on October 14 in room 125 in the Indiana Convention Center. During the business meeting, Nominating Chair, Paul Armitage from Service Heat Treating, will deliver the Nominating Committee report and offer up the approved nominations for approval. If you have any questions, contact Tom Morrison, MTI CEO, at tom@heattreat.net.
Kimberly Chaussee – Stack Metallurgical (At-Large Board Seat)
Kimberly Chaussee is General Manager of Stack Metallurgical Services’ Portland, Oregon, facility and brings 14 years of experience in the heat treating industry. She began her career in customer service, took on responsibilities in pricing, quoting and production control, and became General Manager in 2021. Her path has given her a practical understanding of how decisions affect employees, customers, production and quality.
Under Kimberly’s leadership, the Portland team has reduced downtime, brought equipment online on schedule and within budget, and exceeded revenue goals. She currently serves on MTI’s Benchmarking and Education Committees and participates in industry organizations focused on aerospace and defense.
Kimberly is especially interested in helping customers, engineers, buyers, and quality professionals better understand heat treating. She believes accessible education can improve communication, prevent avoidable problems, and strengthen partnerships across the industry.
Shannon Ricciardo – Parker Trutec (Central Region Board Seat)
Shannon Ricciardo is Vice President of Sales & Operations at Parker Trutec, Inc., in Springfield, Ohio. With a background in materials engineering and 21 years in heat treating, he brings experience across engineering, quality, production, and maintenance. Shannon served as Plant Manager for 10 years and now has responsibility for Parker Trutec’s Springfield heat treating plant and Urbana coating plant.
Shannon has already served a three-year term on the MTI Board. He has also chaired MTI’s Education Committee and participated in its AI Task Force. That service, combined with his plant leadership experience, gives him a strong understanding of both Members’ day-to-day challenges and MTI’s work on their behalf. In 2024, Shannon was the recipient of MTI’s Emerging Leader Award and is a 2019 graduate of MTI’s YES Management Training Program.
Shannon brings a thoughtful, practical approach to solving technical and operational problems. He is particularly interested in how the industry prepares for changing energy and environmental demands and supports increasingly diverse teams.
Jason Orosz – Nitrex (Canadian Region Board Seat)
Jason Orosz is President of Nitrex Inc. and brings 25 years of heat treating experience to MTI. Jason began in the family heat treating business and has worked across nearly every part of a plant, from furnace operations and equipment maintenance to quality systems, engineering, budgeting and general management. Today, Jason leads a commercial heat treating business with nine plants across North America, Europe and China.
Jason has completed a first term on the MTI Board and has contributed to the Benchmarking Committee, AI Task Force, and Heat Treat 4.0 Task Force. Jason also serves on an ASM committee involved in organizing the Heat Treat and Heat Treat Mexico trade shows. In 2025, Jason was the recipient of MTI’s Emerging Leader Award in 2025 and is a 2009 graduate of MTI’s YES Management Training Program.
Having worked in a family business, a public company and a private equity owned organization, Jason understands the different priorities represented across MTI’s membership. Jason is especially interested in how better use of data and technology can improve plant efficiency, safety, and profitability.
Tony Salerno – Steeltech (Associate Board Seat)
Tony Salerno is President and CEO of Steeltech LLC in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For 15 years, Tony has worked with heat treaters to develop alloy castings, fixtures and other products for a range of markets. Tony and his wife purchased two stainless steel foundries in 2019 that supply the heat treating industry, giving him a close view of the challenges facing both suppliers and heat treaters.
Tony has completed a first term on the MTI Board and has contributed to the Regulatory Impact Task Force, Membership Committee, and AI Task Force. His company has received MTI’s Associate Member of the Year Award in 2024. A graduate of MTI’s YES program, Tony is also a strong advocate for developing the industry’s next generation of leaders.
Tony is especially focused on two challenges members face: attracting skilled employees and making sound investments in automation. He brings a supplier’s perspective, experience as a business owner and a commitment to sharing what he learns with fellow Members.