Beckhoff USA President Kevin Barker is taking on an influential role that drives motion control and automation priorities at the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). Barker was elected as the newest member of A3’s Motion Control & Motors Technology Strategy Board for the 2023/2024 term, which began during the recent A3 Business Forum in Orlando. Barker’s demonstrated expertise in motion control and industrial automation, strategic leadership and commitment to improving the automation and controls industry were all factors in his election to the board.
Barker has served in a range of sales and engineering roles focused heavily on motion control throughout his career. Prior to joining Beckhoff as president in 2019, he spent eight years at Yaskawa America, Inc., working up to Director of Sales – Motion Division. He also held director-level positions at Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Omron Electronics after starting his career with a high-tech distributor in Chicago.
“It is a great honor to be elected to the Motion Control & Motors Technology Strategy Board at A3,” Barker said. “I look forward to driving strategy and policy at A3 as we work together to accomplish our mission to change the world for the better.”
The Motion Control & Motors Technology Strategy Board is one of A3’s four Technology Strategy Boards (in addition to Robotics, Vision & Imaging and Artificial Intelligence). Along with the A3 Board of Directors, these groups provide direction to ensure the organization remains a leader in the most important industry trends and requirements. According to Jeff Burnstein, president of A3, these boards and the dedicated members who steer them are key to the success of the industry association.
“Kevin Barker is an ideal candidate for our A3 Technology Strategy Board, and we could not be happier to have him join the team,” Burnstein said. “He is well known throughout the industrial automation community not just for his leadership at Beckhoff, but also for his expertise in motion control as well as his business savvy when it comes to identifying and taking action on industry trends as they emerge. We look forward to the new insights he will bring during his term with A3.”
