Archives: Speakers

Mario Dimovski is a key figure in the global collision repair industry, celebrated for his innovative leadership and profound expertise in sustainability, plastic repair, and digital transformation. He is particularly focused on the advancement of 3D printing in the collision repair and supply process, advocating for the standardization and regulation of 3D-printed parts for automotive repairs. As the Director of Innovation and Transformation at Boyd Group’s 900-plus collision shops in the USA and Canada, he leads initiatives that establish the group as a frontrunner in industry innovation. His career, spanning more than three decades, has earned him recognition as a global Ambassador by IBIS and a significant role in the 3D Printing in Collision task force, which includes a group of leading global contributors in 3D printing and automotive supply, dedicated to evolving 3D technologies

Gianni Zitelli is the driving force behind Axtra3D, serving as its Founder and Chief Executive Officer. With a dynamic background in engineering and entrepreneurship, Gianni has a notable track record in the additive manufacturing landscape. His entrepreneurial journey boasts successful ventures, including the founding of additive manufacturing startups Nexa3D and Everes, and an engineering firm Thelyn.

Juan Mario is founder and CEO of Xact Metal, a 3D printing company founded in 2017. Over the last six years, Juan Mario and Xact Metal have worked to establish a new price level for metal additive manufacturing, particularly in the powder-bed industry. Prior to Xact Metal, he worked at GE for over 27 years in various executive leadership, marketing, and engineering roles. He has worked in the aviation, energy, automotive and other industries. Juan Mario received a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in engineering from Boston University and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Brigitte de Vet-Veithen is CEO Elect at Materialise and a member of the Executive Committee. Effective on January 1, 2024, she will succeed Fried Vancraen as the company’s CEO, and will also become President of the Materialise Executive Committee. Brigitte joined Materialise in 2016 and is an accomplished business leader with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries.

Previously, she led the company’s Medical business and strategic projects running across all businesses as Executive Vice President of Materialise Medical, which develops software and 3D printing solutions that help improve patient outcomes. Under her leadership, the medical segment grew to become the company’s fastest-growing and most profitable business segment.

Prior to joining Materialise Brigitte held various management, sales, R&D and marketing positions at Johnson & Johnson, ultimately serving as General Manager for Cordis in Germany and VP EMEA for Cordis Neurovascular. She led several companies through growth and transformation, including in her role as CEO of Acertys Group, where she drove a significant effort to improve operational efficiencies, strengthen the technology portfolio, and create growth.

Brigitte holds an MBA from INSEAD and a BA with a major in Engineering from HEC Liege.

Jeff Lints is CEO and Founder of Fortius Metals. He has served as an executive at several early-stage companies with 30 years of experience. Positions have included executive leadership, business development and strategy at high technology companies in a range of industries, primarily commercializing new products.

Mr. Lints was Vice President Sales and Marketing at SunTech Drive from 2017 through 2019, where he grew the company’s solar microgrid sales from $0 to a $20M multi-year contract with a strategic partner. Mr. Lints was part of the initial team that launched Elementum 3D. Prior to that, Mr. Lints was Managing Director for Technology Reserve, where he coordinated technology transfer from Fortune 500 companies to medium sized enterprises.

Mr. Lints has experience in global business development, strategy, innovation management, product management and product launch. He has worked across Asia, Europe and the Americas. Mr. Lints received an MBA from Cornell University, a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University.

Jan de Pauw serves as the CTO at ValCUN. His expertise and leadership has been key to the development of ValCUN’s groundbreaking technology. ValCUN developed a deployable and easy to use metal AM technology named Molten Metal Deposition (MMD). It’s a single step technology very similar to the polymer FFF process. The initial focus is on aluminum parts for heat exchange, structural and combined feature applications.

As of October 2021, Mr. Matthew Sermon is the Executive Director of Program Executive Office, Strategic Submarines. Previously, Mr. Sermon served as the Executive Director for Program Executive Office Columbia Class Submarine and as the Executive Director, Amphibious, Auxiliary and Sealift Office, Program Executive Office, Ships. In his current role, he provides executive leadership to the Columbia Class Submarine acquisition program and the In Service SSBN/SSGN program, while also being assigned responsibility for revitalization of the Submarine Industrial Base. In this portfolio, he provides enterprise leadership for more than 250 acquisition personnel and approximately $130 Billion in acquisition and sustainment programs.

Mr. Sermon entered the Senior Executive Service in February 2019, and has been in federal service for more than 20 years. He has served in a variety of key leadership positions throughout his career, including Deputy Program Manager for the Columbia Class Submarine program (2016-2019), a $100 billion DoD Major Defense Acquisition Program. During his tenure, he led the program through detail design, construction readiness, and significant sustainment planning activities. Before leading the Columbia Class, he was the Deputy Program Manager for the Zumwalt Class Destroyer (2014-2016) during test, trials, and delivery of the lead ship (DDG 1000). Prior to DDG 1000, he was the Deputy Program Manager for International Fleet Support in the Naval Sea Systems Command’s Surface Warfare Directorate (2010-2014), where was responsible for the management of more than $5 billion in Foreign Military Sales cases for more than 40 partner nations.

Other previous assignments include Principal Assistant Program Manager in the Support Ships, Boats, and Craft Program Office (PMS 325) in PEO Ships (2007-2010), where he led the $1.1 billion Egyptian Navy Missile Craft project while providing program management expertise for numerous other boat building projects.

Prior to starting in Navy civilian service, Mr. Sermon was a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer (Nuclear). He received his Surface Warfare Officer qualification aboard USS Ramage (DDG 61). Additionally, Mr. Sermon served as nuclear engineering officer aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) before leaving the uniformed Navy in 2004. He is a veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.