Meet the Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO

Jeannine Kunz
Executive Director & CEO

Throughout her 25 years in manufacturing, Jeannine has worked at the intersection of technology, talent, and industry growth, advocating for the transformation of manufacturing through advancements in technologies and workforce innovation. 

Kunz previously served as SME’s Chief Workforce Development Officer, where she led national initiatives aimed at advancing the US manufacturing workforce. Her team focused on strategizing nationally while partnering locally to build a holistic approach to attracting, developing and retaining talent. This approach optimizes and scales effective local initiatives and programs to train current and future talent across the US in partnership with employers, educators, other non-profits and government.  

Kunz’s role as co-chair of the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council, a group of business and technology executives led by CESMII and SME focuses on strengthening the US’ competitiveness through smart manufacturing, has helped shape industry standards and fosters collaboration among leaders to integrate cutting-edge solutions like IoT, AI, and automation into manufacturing processes. In 2023, she was appointed to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on Smart Manufacturing, where she contributed her expertise to develop a national strategy for advancing smart manufacturing. 

A passionate advocate for the advancement of manufacturing, Kunz serves on several boards and committees that focus on both technology and workforce development. These include board positions for the Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group and the Coalition for Career Development, chair for the manufacturing division of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) workforce committee, and a member of the education and workforce committee for Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute. In 2023, Kunz was awarded the ARM Institute Champion Award in recognition of going above and beyond to advocate for her mission of strengthening manufacturing in the US. 

In addition to her leadership role in workforce development and technology integration, Kunz frequently speaks at industry events and appears in prominent media outlets such as CNBC, Forbes, IndustryWeek, and NPR Marketplace. Her insights and expertise extend to policy, having testified before Congress on issues related to the manufacturing workforce and the supply chain for the Department of Defense. Recognized for her contributions, Kunz was named one of “Crain’s Detroit Business” Notable Women in Manufacturing (2018) and Notable Women in Education (2019). 

Kunz has been an SME member since 2008 and continues to drive the organization’s mission to accelerate widespread adoption of manufacturing technologies and build North America’s talent and capabilities. 

SENIOR DIRECTOR

Chad Schron
Senior Director

Chad Schron is the senior director for Tooling U-SME and the co-founder of the original Tooling U. Chad grew up in manufacturing, starting his career working in his grandfather’s machine shop, Cleveland-based Jergens Inc. Chad developed the idea for an online manufacturing training school while working at Jergens to combat the manufacturing skills shortage.

Today, Chad leads the talented Sales, Learning Services, Client Services, Technology, Content, and Operations teams for Tooling U– SME. He was named one of Cleveland’s “Top 40 under 40” by Crain’s Cleveland Business in 2008, and in 2003 and 2004 was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.

LEARNING SERVICES

John Hindman
Learning Services

John Hindman is Tooling U-SME's director of learning services. John and his team work directly with manufacturers, championing the application of best practices and performance-based workforce development strategies. He partners with manufacturers to create tactics and business plans for the deployment of effective and efficient career pathway programs.

John advocates for learning and development strategies grounded in competency-based frameworks that produce measurable results. His strategies focus on human capital challenges in employee engagement, growth, and retention. John regularly leads webinars and workshops on best practices in workforce development.

CLIENT SERVICES

Bryan Knaack
Client Services

Bryan Knaack is the director of client services at Tooling U-SME. He leads his team to provide ongoing support and implementation services to Tooling U-SME customers, enabling them to optimize their investment and maximize the overall success of their learning and development programs.

When Bryan began his career at the original Tooling U in 2003 as a regional sales manager, he already had an impressive track record in the training and e-learning industry as a sales executive. In 2008, Bryan helped develop the Government and Education Group for Tooling U-SME. 

SALES OPERATIONS

Denise Leipold
Sales Operations 

Denise Leipold is the director of sales operations and a senior business advisor at SME and Tooling U-SME. With over 25 years of service to SME, Denise has had roles in publications, marketing, as well as business intelligence where she led database research, analysis, and reporting initiatives.

Denise provides financial advising and forecasting for Tooling U-SME and her Ops team helps streamlines processes in order to improve sales productivity. 

MARKETING

Beth Magewick
Marketing Director

Beth Magewick is the marketing director for SME and Tooling U-SME. With over 30 years of service at SME, she leads an in-house marketing agency with expertise in the full portfolio of marketing and creative services.

Beth's focus is on leveraging multiple distribution channels to execute effective communications that connect with current customers, grow engagement, and reach new audiences in creative and innovative ways. 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Gretchen Schultz
Workforce Development


Gretchen Schultz is the director of workforce development at Tooling U-SME. She focuses on building the capabilities of the manufacturing workforce through strategically leveraging education, industry, and government efforts. Together with industry leaders, she helps leverage funding opportunities for a robust pipeline of well-educated and highly skilled workers.

Through collaborations with stakeholders, she has led Tooling U-SME in developing innovative workforce solutions that help close the skills gap and meet the needs of the manufacturing community.

Toni Neary
Director of Community Engagement & Workforce Innovation


Toni Neary is the Director of Community Engagement and Workforce Innovation, leading efforts to grow diversity, equity, inclusion and access as well as highlight successful programs throughout the United States.  Passionate about career & technical education she has spent nearly 20 years engaging, developing and helping to grow advanced manufacturing programs through various role.  In her current role Toni is working directly with communities to build, fill, and sustain viable manufacturing ecosystems. You will find Toni speaking on many platforms to help grow awareness and change perceptions of careers and pathways to manufacturing as well as making vital links between industry and educators to develop a strong, consistent workforce pipeline.

Dr. Debra Volzer
Governments and Workforce Partnerships
SME

Deb leads the national and state strategies to increase the reach and impact of ongoing efforts as well as future aspirations in advancing SME’s workforce development goals. Deb has over 15 years of experience working with national, state, and local government agencies to align workforce needs, and over 25 years working with higher education in identifying, aligning, and developing relevant programming focused on serving historically resilient populations.  Prior to joining SME, Volzer worked with global organizations including Wiley and Pearson and held administrative and teaching positions at the Ohio Board of Regents (OLN), the Ohio State University, Franklin University and Ohio Dominican University. Volzer holds degrees from the University of Kansas, The Ohio State University and Yale University. 

Dan Sloan
Director of Industry and Workforce Partnerships

Dan Sloan brings 30 years’ experience forging strategic relationships between private industry, academia, technology, and service providers for solving manufacturing's most challenging workforce development requirements. Currently serving as Strategic Partnerships Director at Tooling U-SME, Dan’s priorities for accelerating the adoption of cyber physical systems and advances in Smart Manufacturing principles lead him to build and deploy collaborative and scalable solutions for elevating our industry’s labor pipeline, underserved communities, and incumbent workforce. 

In addition to working with Boeing, Caterpillar, Ford, General Motors, Harley Davidson, John Deere and other multinational enterprises and their supply chains, Dan currently supports close working partnerships with the US Department of Defense, Manufacturing USA, and dozens of industry associations tasked with realizing the full potential of Industry 4.0 to unleash the power of a smart, connected industrial manufacturing base.

CORPORATE SALES

Frank Smith
Corporate Sales

Frank Smith is Tooling U-SME’s director of corporate sales. In that position, Frank champions the corporate and enterprise-level organizations and leads the national and regional sales teams. He and his team of sales professionals are dedicated to developing the current and future manufacturing workforce.

Frank has 30 years of experience in sales management, sales operations, direct sales, and channel management, both internationally and domestically. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Youngstown State University.