IACMI Announces Inaugural Rising Star Award Winners

The 2026 class of Rising Stars features 10 standout workers from eight states working in essential manufacturing segments 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- IACMI–The Composites Institute®, today announced the winners of its inaugural Rising Star Awards, a nationwide initiative aimed at highlighting emerging talent in the manufacturing industry. The five winners and five honorable mentions span across eight states and work in a variety of industry segments, including engineering, forging, machining, metallurgy and smart manufacturing.

"The inaugural class of the Rising Star Awards exemplifies modern manufacturing skills, an eagerness to learn and the ambition to make a measurable impact," said Justin Brooks, deputy director of workforce development, IACMI. "Manufacturing's future begins with retaining the great up-and-coming talent already working in the industry. These awards were created to highlight these individuals and motivate them as they continue to advance and shape their careers. IACMI is proud to celebrate these winners and acknowledge the significant influence they've already achieved."

Each of the winners was nominated anonymously by a supervisor at their workplace. To be selected, the nominee must be between 18 and 35 years old and show a significant contribution to their field, measurable impact through problem-solving or innovation, inner motivation, and leadership potential. The inaugural class includes five winners and five honorable mentions:

Winners:

• Alonzo Bullman – Trenton Forging Company; Trenton, Michigan
• Julian Espinoza – Gretna Machine Shop; Houston, Texas
• Nick Knotts – The Lawton Standard Co.; Novi, Michigan
• Samantha Melnick – SKF USA; Falconer, New York
• Jake Carney – Trenton Forging Company; Trenton, Michigan

Honorable Mention:

• Daniel Levine – IsoTruss, Inc.; Springville, Utah
• Farbod Moghaddam – Sense Manufacturing Inc.; Washington, D.C.
• Matthew Sausen – Endeavor Composites, Inc.; Knoxville, Tennessee
• Daniel Stewart – Finkl Steel; Chicago, Illinois
• Kevin Vazquez – Pyka Inc.; Alameda, California

For the rest of the year, IACMI will publish spotlight features on each winner across its social media channels. The features will showcase details from each submission and offer insights into each winner's role, increasing visibility into their rewarding careers.

The Rising Star Awards reflect IACMI's broader commitment to strengthening the future manufacturing workforce by highlighting the people already making a difference on the shop floor, in laboratories, and across production facilities nationwide. Through workforce development initiatives such as America's Cutting Edge (ACE) and Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeships & Learning (METAL), IACMI works with industry, educators and government partners to expand awareness of manufacturing careers, provide training opportunities, and help employers develop the next generation of skilled talent.

About IACMI ®:
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, or IACMI – The Composites Institute®, is focused on strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness through innovation, workforce development, and advanced materials. IACMI brings together nearly 200 industry, academic, and government partners to accelerate advanced manufacturing technologies and products, and develop the next generation of skilled workers. Established in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Energy, IACMI is part of the Manufacturing USA® network of institutes working to secure America's global leadership in advanced manufacturing. Since 2019, IACMI has scaled up workforce programs for the U.S. Department of War (DoW), formerly Department of Defense. IACMI is supported by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program within the Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) office. Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, IACMI is managed by the Collaborative Composite Solutions Corporation, a not-for-profit organization established by The University of Tennessee Research Foundation.

About ACE:
America's Cutting Edge, supported through funding by the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Policy, is a national training program designed to reestablish American leadership in the machine tool industry through transformative thinking, technological innovation, and workforce development. The curriculum combines advanced training and techniques from the University of Tennessee, the scientific expertise of the Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the proven workforce development capabilities of IACMI. 

About METAL:
Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning (METAL), Metallurgical Engineering Trades, Apprenticeships & Learning (METAL), led by IAMCI and funded by the U.S. Department of War's (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Policy, is an industry-driven initiative aimed at providing high-quality, hands-on training in the metalworking and manufacturing sectors. The program is designed to address workforce development needs by offering comprehensive curricula in casting, forging and metallurgy, with an emphasis on automation and modern manufacturing technologies.

Contact: Crystal Bentley
[email protected]

SOURCE IACMI, The Composites Institute