Manufacturing experts committed to growth.

Dr. Ethan Karp is an expert in transforming companies and communities. As President and CEO of MAGNET, he has helped hundreds of manufacturing companies grow through technology, innovation, and talent. Dr. Karp is passionate about driving economic prosperity in Northeast Ohio. He’s a committed change-maker and community builder. He serves as Board Chair of Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Workforce Development and as a Director on the boards of the following organizations: American Small Manufacturers Coalition, Cleveland Leadership Center, MidTown Cleveland, Inc., Cleveland Jewish Publication Company, and the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. Dr. Karp is a recognized thought leader and a frequent national media commentator on the future of manufacturing in America, including a regular column in Forbes. Before joining MAGNET in 2013, he worked with Fortune 500 companies at McKinsey & Co. Dr. Karp received undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and physics from Miami University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Biology from Harvard University. He currently resides in Cleveland with his wife and three daughters.

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As the VP of MAGNET’s Startup Services division – the Iterator –Brandon Cornuke leads the company’s efforts to help innovators turn manufactured product ideas into growing businesses. He specializes in strategy development, business model design, and lean innovation. Prior to joining MAGNET, his professional path included starting a successful consumer products company, building a corporate innovation group at American Greetings, leading a half-billion dollar consumer electronics business at Target Corp, and consulting with Hitachi’s global IT strategy group. Brandon has an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and is also an Adjunct Professor of Design and Innovation at Case Western’s Weatherhead School of Management.

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Leah Epstein oversees the development and marketing and communications efforts at MAGNET. where she specializes in bringing fundraising, community engagement, and communications together for maximum impact. Leah previously served as the development and campaign communications lead at University Hospitals, and has worked for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, DC. Leah holds a bachelor’s from Emory University and a master’s in public administration from Cleveland State University, and volunteers as Vice President of Gross Schechter Day School and a mentor through College Now. In her spare time, Leah can be found cooking, hiking, and reading a good fiction novel.

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Michael O’Donnell has 30 years of experience in engineering and manufacturing consulting, with most of that time spent at MAGNET. A Master Six Sigma Black Belt and licensed Professional Engineer, Michael orchestrates new consulting methods, training simulations, and workshops for various businesses. Michael holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Richmond.

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Matt Fieldman is currently Executive Director of America Works, a nationwide initiative to coordinate the American manufacturing industry's training efforts, generating a more capable, skilled, and diverse workforce. Based at MAGNET, Matt works across the nation's Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) system to increase collaboration, efficiency, and impact of local and regional workforce development efforts. Previously, Matt served as Vice President for External Affairs at MAGNET. Matt is enthusiastic about growing the region’s manufacturing job market for people seeking lucrative, lifelong careers. In his personal time, Matt mentors other nonprofit professionals and is currently a Civil Society Fellow at the Aspen Institute. He is also the founding Board President of EDWINS Restaurant and Leadership Institute, and founder of Cleveland Codes. An avid sports fan, Matt is free for a rousing ultimate frisbee match anytime.

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Katie Mayer interned at MAGNET while a student at Cleveland State University, returning full-time after graduation to continue helping foster our positive impact on Northeast Ohio’s manufacturing and entrepreneurial communities. As the controller, Katie spearheads MAGNET’s finance department. When not tabulating available funding for the region’s manufacturing future, she is pursuing her master’s in business administration from CSU. Katie is also an avid baker and devoted fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Turning problems into opportunities has been Mike Pintz’s mission in his 30 years at MAGNET. During the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Mike helped orchestrate the rapid development and deployment of critical PPE for first-line responders. A graduate of Cleveland State University, Mike is the inventor or co-inventor of over 15 U.S. patents. When not immersed in a challenging project, he enjoys riding a tandem bike with his wife.

Lissy Rand is Executive Director, Workforce Partnerships for MAGNET. She comes to her new role after nine years at the Deaconess Foundation, Cuyahoga County’s only private foundation with an exclusive focus on workforce development. Through grantmaking, leadership, and collaboration, Lissy developed a deep understanding of the workforce system, its challenges and opportunities. Prior to her work at Deaconess, Lissy served as a program officer for five client foundations as an Associate with Foundation Management Services for ten years. Lissy serves on the Board of Family Connections and is a 2017 graduate of Leadership Cleveland. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and received a Master of Social Work degree from University of Michigan and a Master of Public Health degree from University of Illinois. 

Janelle Lee has a long career in economic and community development, revitalizing urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati and developing economic programming in Stark County. Janelle continues that crucial work at MAGNET, where she engages with companies to strategize new growth opportunities. Janelle recently chaired the 2020 Go Red For Women Campaign for the American Heart Association. On the education side, she received an Associate Degree in Applied Business from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Union Institute & University.

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As Director of Client Engagement, Darlyn McDermott leads efforts to help manufacturers benefit from our services. She also helps build the MAGNET brand in the market place, often serving as the local leader and boots on the ground in the community. Darlyn is active in public speaking, interviews, and meeting with leaders of manufacturers to build relationships and a pipeline for delivering client work. Darlyn brings a strong manufacturing background to add value with new and potential clients. Prior to joining MAGNET, her professional path included division and regional leadership for 6 of the top 10 largest insurance companies as well as risk management manufacturing client work for 2 of the largest brokers in the world. Darlyn has a BA in Psychology and holds a Master’s in Business in Organizational Management. She is a Bryn Mawr Chartered Leadership Fellow and a Green Belt in Six Sigma and is a DBA in Organizational Management.

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With more than 25 years of experience in sales, engineering and manufacturing, Joe Vinciquerra has developed, sold and delivered various growth and innovation services to companies in Northeast Ohio. Before joining the MAGNET team in 2016, he worked in leadership roles at companies specializing in the innovation, development and manufacture of custom-engineered products such as metal bellows and precious metal coated titanium anodes.  Joe is an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University.

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A 30-year industry veteran, Joe Work is responsible for facility management, procurement, and IT at MAGNET. Joe came to MAGNET in 2017, since then developing applications for the organization in advanced manufacturing technologies. Joe is always up for a challenge, particularly when applying technical solutions to common (and uncommon) problems. Joe holds an MBA from Lake Erie College, and a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Cleveland State University.

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Bass Khoury arrived at MAGNET in 2018, bringing 20 years of manufacturing experience with prominent Cleveland manufacturers. Bass leads product development and quality systems, fostering ongoing improvements, and lean transformations in various manufacturing capacities. He is a Six Sigma black belt, holding a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Cleveland State University and an MBA from Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management. Bass is an enthusiastic traveler who considers raising two student-athletes his proudest accomplishment when not helping companies improve their bottom line.

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