As of April 5, Joe LaRussa is assuming membership activity duties for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) from Debbie Holton, who is taking a leadership role as director of industry strategy and product development. Holton will focus on existing and new event strategies to engage SME members and outside organizations. LaRussa, as director of membership, is responsible for increasing the value of SME membership.

Before working for SME, LaRussa was a project manager for a Chrysler Group LLC customer quality office. He spent 11 years at Visteon Corp., in multiple capacities, which included mobile electronics project manager, product development, manufacturing engineering, generating profitable revenue and achieving production cost savings.

LaRussa has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, a master's degree in automotive systems engineering and a master's in engineering management. An SME member since 1994, LaRussa previously served as SME membership consultant, a community advisor for the Product and Process Design and Management Community and was appointed to the SME Member Council in 2009. He received the SAE Foundation's Young Manufacturing Leadership Award in 2008.

"Joe will be a tremendous asset to the SME management team," says Mark C. Tomlinson, executive director and general manager of SME. "His work as a volunteer and his understanding of manufacturing at a practical level will assist in the nurturing and development of existing and future members."