The American Welding Society (AWS), founded in 1919 as a nonprofit organization to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering and thermal spraying, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Carey Chen as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Mr. Chen succeeds Robert Roth, who has served as Interim Executive Director and CEO.
Mr. Chen brings extensive leadership experience to AWS, having previously held CEO roles at Fathom Digital Manufacturing Solutions (NYSE:FATH), Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions, and Incodema Holdings LLC, and as Executive Chairman and President of Cincinnati Incorporated. Earlier in his career, he held key executive positions, including Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of Hypertherm, Inc., Vice President Finance of Wiremold | Legrand (Paris:LR.PA), and Vice President & CFO of Bayliner Marine Corporation, a subsidiary of the Brunswick Corporation (NYSE:BC).
A longstanding supporter of AWS, Mr. Chen has been an active volunteer with AWS and the AWS Foundation since 2007. He served as Treasurer from 2015 to 2022, during which he chaired the Finance & Business Development and Investment Committees and was a member of both the AWS Board of Directors and the AWS Foundation Board of Trustees. Most recently, he chaired the Audit Committee. His contributions to AWS have earned him prestigious recognitions, including being named an AWS Counselor in 2022 and receiving the National Meritorious Award in 2024.
Commenting on his new role, Mr. Chen said, “After nearly two decades of volunteer leadership at AWS, I am honored to take on this new responsibility as CEO. I look forward to working closely with our talented staff, dedicated board of directors, volunteers, and members to advance AWS’s mission and vision, driving innovation and growth for the welding community.”
In addition to his role at AWS, Mr. Chen currently serves as Chairman of the Board for Roberts Hawaii, Inc., an independent Board Director for CHART Rehabilitation, and an Independent Board Advisor for KarYard, Inc. Mr. Chen received a BS in Applied Mathematics from University of California, Los Angeles. He earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently serves on the Gies College of Business Dean’s Business Council. He also holds several US Patents.
About The American Welding Society
The American Welding Society is the worldwide authority in the development of standards, certifications and educational programming for the welding, allied joining, and cutting community. We are a not-for-profit organization committed to connecting the welding industry to our extensive collection of resources, informing our community of technological advancements and developing the next generation of welding professionals with the help of the AWS Foundation. AWS serves over 60,000 members worldwide, is composed of 22 Districts with 250 Sections and Student Chapters, and includes 3,000 volunteers in over 200 technical committees, subcommittees and task groups.
For more information, visit the American Welding Society’s website at aws.org.
About AWS Foundation
Founded in 1989, the AWS Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Welding Society, the nonprofit organization with a global mission to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes. The AWS Foundation works to ensure the growth and development of the welding industry through various initiatives, including, career awareness, scholarship programs, and grants to institutions that offer welding education and training. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, we rely on the generosity of our partners who understand the value of welding and its role in building a better, stronger economy. aws.org/foundation
