Leaders' Summit at COExperience

Frank Popielas is currently Managing Partner and Co-founder of SMS_ThinkTank™. He has over 20 years of global experience in engineering and R&D product and materials development, as well as testing, with a specific focus on the development and application of simulation tools, and the establishment of the required supporting infrastructure at Dana Holding Corporation.

Ed Dreyer is a Senior Manager of Connected Factory and Digital Manufacturing, a part of Information Technology and Data Analytics in Product Systems. In this role, he is responsible and has oversight for Production System Modeling and Digital Twin using Dassault Systemes 3D Experience with focus on DELMIA. He is also the IT Program Manager for automating a wire harness design process used by BCA mechanics and quality team.

Darrel has been employed with Caterpillar for over 23 years and he currently serves as the leading Caterpillar’s Enterprise Simulation Strategy. He also leads a “Center-of-Expertise” providing the following simulation services to the Caterpillar product organizations immersive visualization, computational fluid dynamics, in-cylinder combustion analysis, torsional vibration analysis for drivetrain systems, Real-time performance & controls simulation for understanding the interaction of major machine systems, statistical tolerance analysis.
He has 15 years of Physical Testing Expertise: Diesel fuel-injection systems, Diesel engine and aftertreatment system validation, and full machine validation (track type tractors, hydraulic excavators, Motor Graders, Wheel Tractor Scrapers, and Large Wheel Loader). He has 15 years developing and leading Project Management offices within Caterpillar.

Clif Davies is a Lockheed Martin Aeronautics engineer with over 30 years of experience, mostly in aircraft conceptual design in the Skunk Works. Design tool development responsibilities resulted in leading roles in PLM implementation projects for ADP. In 2019 Clif changed roles to become a business architect for engineering, and was selected as an LM Fellow for conceptual design and digital engineering. Clif was part of the team to select 3DX for implementation at LM Aero and has an active role in updating the company architecture to take advantage of and integrate the new technology.

Passionate global digital transformation executive with a proven track record of activating digital enabled work process transformation to drive irresistibly superior innovation, breakthrough productivity gains, slashed time to market and tangible value creation. Broad experience across multiple business units and two geographies, leading technical and multi-functional teams to extraordinary outcomes.

Ed Dreyer is a Senior Manager of Connected Factory and Digital Manufacturing, a part of Information Technology and Data Analytics in Product Systems. In this role, he is responsible and has oversight for Production System Modeling and Digital Twin using Dassault Systemes 3D Experience with focus on DELMIA. He is also the IT Program Manager for automating a wire harness design process used by BCA mechanics and quality team.

Vetri Chidambaram, Manager of Engineering Solutions at Oceaneering, is responsible for global Engineering Tools implementation, Run & maintain, Usability improvements and processes, facilitate Roadmap strategy; product lifecycle management & product structure; and oversight of CAD tools, including deployment, user support and training. Vetri has served as Program Manager of Oceaneering Business Systems upgrades including ERP PeopleSoft, PLM & CAD systems over multiple years and been working in this space over the last 23+ years. Vetri has a Master of Business Administration and holds an Engineering degree in Electronics.

Bob Deragisch has been a supporter of CATIA since 1984 (Version 2), as well as all things engineering since 1977. Immediate past president of COE, Bob Deragisch works for a company that utilizes almost every major DS brand to some extent, and have a vast set of experience supporting DS products and the infrastructure on which each runs.

James Kotronis has over 25 years of experience in the direct application of relational parametric tools in the fields of design, architecture, construction and fabrication. His work focuses on improving design performance through the synthesis of design, construction and fabrication thinking across disciplines and stakeholder boundaries.

Samantha Nervo is the Senior Engineer & PMO for PLM Digital Transformation at Bridgestone Americas where she creates new processes for simulation, training users on tools, leading the effort of user input in the development of software. Prior, Samantha held a position in OE design and lead Tech service for Nissan with Bridgestone Americas. Nervo earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and her MS in Business Administration from Ohio University.