MILWAUKEE, WISC., May 10, 2018 – The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) today announced Thomas Sorovetz as the first recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. Sorovetz, a casting engineer at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and AMUG’s event manager, was recognized during the group’s 30th annual conference for 25 years of service, hard work and dedication.
Joined on stage by nine past presidents, Paul Bates, AMUG president, presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Sorovetz, who was accompanied by his wife, Suzanne. Bates stated, “The common thread among these past presidents, who have held that position from 1991 onward, is Tom Sorovetz.”
During the award presentation, Gary Rabinovitz, AMUG chairman and past president, noted that Sorovetz had served under 18 of the 23 AMUG presidents. From the stage, all of the past presidents spoke highly of Sorovetz’s contributions to the success of the group’s annual conference and to the financial health of the organization.
Rabinovitz said, “During my two-year term as president, I spoke with Tom every day. Sundays, Christmas or Passover, it didn’t matter. If Tom had business to be done, he didn’t let holidays or weekends stop him.” Rabinovitz also noted that Sorovetz manages the biggest responsibilities yet is attentive to the smallest of details. “Tom negotiates the most amazing contracts with our conference venues. Yet during the conference, you will find him measuring a pool’s temperature at 4:00 AM or resolving a member’s hotel reservation issue. For Tom, it is all about hospitality and fiscal responsibility,” said Rabinovitz.
Sorovetz said, “I am very honored and humbled to have received the AMUG Lifetime Achievement Award. Being elected as the event manager each of the past 25 years is one of the biggest accomplishment of my life.” He continued, “I have the utmost respect for the past and present AMUG Boards and for the AMUG members. I continue to be amazed by the passion for the group and the industry. That alone has had me looking forward to each and every AMUG Conference.”
Sorovetz is now the most honored AMUG member, being the only person to have received the three most prestigious awards that the group bestows: President’s Award [2000], DINO (Distinguished Innovator operator) Award [2001] and Lifetime Achievement Award [2018].
Created specifically for Thomas Sorovetz, the custom-designed award, representing his passion for foundry work, is personalized with his likeness, which was crafted from 3D scanning files. AMUG members banded together to fashion the original design, 3D print the award and embellish it with metal plating. These actions were completed by Jim Charmatz (Charmskool Design), CIDEAS Inc. and RePliForm, Inc.
About Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG)
AMUG is an organization that educates and advances the uses and applications of additive manufacturing technologies. AMUG members include those with industrial additive manufacturing/3D printing technologies used for professional purposes from companies such as Stratasys, DSM Additive Manufacturing, SLM Solutions, GE Additive, ExOne, Renishaw, HP Inc., 3D Systems, Carbon, EOS, Formlabs, Desktop Metal and Additive Industries. AMUG meets annually to provide education and training through technical presentations on processes and new technologies. This information addresses operation of additive manufacturing equipment and the applications that use the parts they make. Online at www.amug.com.
Source: AMUG
