Meet Your Instructors
By joining one of our Ipsen U training courses in Cherry Valley, Illinois, you will gain direct access to Ipsen’s most tenured staff and industry-leading resources. This hands-on experience allows you to ask questions, engage in meaningful discussions, and learn from the best in the field, enhancing your understanding of vacuum furnace technology and processes.
Mike Berna
Training Specialist
Mike Berna has more than 15 years of experience in the heat-treating industry, spanning field service, technical support, and training development. He began as a Field Service Engineer, installing, commissioning, and maintaining industrial heat-treating equipment before advancing into technical training, where he helped build Ipsen’s FSE training program and played a key role in expanding the Ipsen U curriculum. His background in continuous product improvement and real-world field experience gives him a practical perspective that benefits both customers and Ipsen team members in his role as Training Specialist.
Jim Grann
Technical Director
Jim Grann has been with the company since 1978, starting his journey at Abar while attending Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. He began as a floor electrician in the Abar furnace assembly plant and steadily advanced in his career, taking on roles such as QC Manager and Field Service Manager. After Abar and Ipsen merged in 1985, Grann transitioned to supporting new equipment sales, retrofits, and customer service. With his vast experience, Grann’s expertise in vacuum furnaces led to his current role as Technical Director. His contributions to Ipsen U have had a direct and immediate impact on the students who participate.
Chuck Reed
Parts Supervisor
Furnace operators and maintenance staff have counted on Chuck Reed to know how to find “that one odd replacement part” for over 20 years. As Senior ICS Sales Specialist, Reed has displayed an uncanny ability to recognize and locate parts for a variety of Ipsen customers. Ipsen U students will have the opportunity to work with Reed as he talks about the Bill of Materials (BOM), and how users can utilize that resource to reduce downtime and increase productivity.
Tom Teichen
Product Project Lead – TITAN
A graduate of the Milwaukee School of Engineering, Tom Teichen has been with Ipsen since 2007. When Teichen joined the company, he was the International Sales Manager, eventually moving into the role of Product Manager in 2010. Teichen has been leading the TITAN team, finding ways to optimize the flexibility of the TITAN platform for the specific needs of each customer. Teichen’s specialty in Ipsen U is his “Introduction to Vacuum, Gases and Heat Transfer” session, a dynamic recap beginning with the development of steel, and wrapping up with the modernization of vacuum heat-treating technologies.
Brad Stewart
Software and Controls Engineering Lead
Brad Stewart has been in controls engineering with Ipsen since 2011, having had 20 years in controls engineering roles since his graduation from the University of Illinois with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Stewart will be providing Ipsen U attendees with an in-depth discussion on operating Ipsen’s PLC control systems, featuring CompuVac.
Josh Salser
Quality Control Technician
Josh Salser has been making sure that nothing leaves the Ipsen warehouse without meeting every last metric since 2012. Ipsen U students will have the opportunity to join Salser as he explains how to look at furnaces on the factory floor through the eyes of a QC inspection team member. He will also provide attendees with a hands-on leak detection demonstration. Salser is a 2024 graduate of the Metal Treating Institute YES Management Training Program.
Brent Vincent
Product Development Leader – Mechanical Engineering
Brent Vincent joined Ipsen as a product development engineer in January 2012 after earning his mechanical engineering degree from Northern Illinois University. Vincent has risen through the ranks in Ipsen’s Engineering Department, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of Ipsen technology. In his current role, he leads efforts to create custom furnace solutions, providing valuable insights that enable the team to address unique challenges and enhance equipment performance. Vincent’s commitment to customer feedback and innovative thinking helps Ipsen maintain its position as the industry leader in non-standard vacuum furnace technology.
Nate Sroka
Quality Assurance Engineer
Nate Sroka has been with Ipsen since March 2014 after earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northern Illinois University. Sroka oversees the Quality/Documentation/Warranty (QDW) department, ensuring that Ipsen maintains ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. Sroka is also responsible for documentation related to installation and operations manuals, regulatory certificates, and managing warranty programs. He brings his expertise on Furnace Subsystems to Ipsen U classes.
Matt Clinite
Vice President of Sales
Since he joined Ipsen in the summer of 2014 as a sales engineer, Matt Clinite has had a profound impact on the company and the Ipsen U program. In 2019, he was promoted to ICS Sales Manager and recognized in Heat Treat Today’s “40 Under 40” class. He was promoted again to Director of ICS Sales and Retrofits in 2023 and advanced to his current role in 2025, after consistently demonstrating his passion for heat treating and dedication to outstanding customer service. His extensive knowledge of vacuum furnaces comes from years of experience with hot zone rebuilds and furnace retrofits. Clinite holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Illinois State University and is a 2018 graduate of the Metal Treating Institute YES Management Training Program.
Tom Sepaniak
Software Engineer and Technical Support
In 2014, Tom Sepaniak joined Ipsen to help develop and support its PLC control systems, including CompuVac and VacuProf. He brought 27 years of experience in controls and automation engineering to the company. Sepaniak holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Ipsen U students will hear from Sepaniak on furnace PCs, data archiving, and remote support.
Dan Binz
Operations Manager
Dan Binz joined Ipsen in 2009 as a sales associate in the ceramics division in Pecatonica, Illinois, and was promoted to operations manager of Ipsen Ceramics in 2014. He later held the position of Mechanical Retrofit Leader before being promoted to his current role as Operations Manager for Ipsen USA. Binz holds a B.S. in leadership and supervision from Purdue University.
Matthew Blackmer
Mechanical Engineer
Matthew Blackmer joined Ipsen in January 2024 and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a B.S. in mathematics from Olivet Nazarene University. Drawing on his experience supporting complex, custom-engineered projects, Blackmer brings a strong engineering perspective to Ipsen U.
Ty Parker
Controls Engineer
Ty Parker graduated from Rockford University with a B.S. in computer science and joined Ipsen in June 2024 after previously working as a software engineer. Parker will be providing Ipsen U attendees with an overview of Ipsen’s control systems.
Other Presenters
Learn about Ipsen products and services, as well as the latest updates from members of our leadership team. Additional insights and overviews will provide a broader understanding of our offerings and the topics that drive our industry forward.
John Dykstra
Chief Service Officer
Since 2021, John Dykstra has been leading the Ipsen North American Service Team, seeking innovative ways to improve service delivery from coast to coast. Having earned a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees, along with eight years of service in the U.S. Army, Dykstra’s leadership skills have pushed Ipsen to achieve superior levels of customer satisfaction. The exceptional Ipsen Customer Service (ICS) Team has been repeatedly cited as a reason for customers to choose Ipsen furnaces over comparable competitor brands.
Aymeric Goldsteinas
Vice President of Digital Technologies
Aymeric Goldsteinas joined Ipsen in 2009 as Product Development Manager after working for 12 years in Grenoble, France at an industrial furnace company. In his time at Ipsen, Goldsteinas has been leveraging advanced digital technologies to create solutions to improve customer efficiency. He developed Ipsen’s PdMetrics monitoring platform in 2014 and launched the Ipsen Connect online customer portal in 2023. Goldsteinas graduated from the University of Marseille, France, with a master’s degree in chemistry and technology. He also earned a post master’s degree in material science and process engineering from the National Polytechnic Institute of Grenoble, France.
On-Site Ipsen U Classes
Our on-site Ipsen U option delivers customized training directly at your facility, focusing on your specific equipment and operational needs. This tailored approach enhances engagement and understanding, allowing your team to apply their new knowledge immediately in their own environment.
Cavan Cardenas
Technical Training Lead
Cavan Cardenas has over a decade of experience with Ipsen, starting out as a Field Service Engineer, where he gained experience troubleshooting and working directly on customers’ equipment. Displaying an incredible depth of knowledge about vacuum furnaces, he was later promoted to Calibration and Pyrometry Coordinator. Now, as Ipsen’s Technical Training Lead, Cardenas brings the Ipsen U experience to our customers in the field. On-site training with Cardenas allows Ipsen customers to work hands-on with their own equipment, covering both general and furnace-specific topics.