GMTA Appoints New President
Retiring President Walter Friedrich was one of the GMTA’s original three employees when the company was formed nearly 30 years ago.
After 27 years as president of GMTA (German Machine Tools of America), formerly American Wera, Walter Friedrich is stepping down, having appointed Scott Knoy to be his successor.
Mr. Friedrich was one of the first three employees when GMTA—American Wera at the time—was formed in 1991. Before that, he had worked as a project manager for Liebherr Machine Tool for four years and had completed vocational training in toolmaking and NC programming while working for 12 years at Pittler (now DVS Group) in Germany.
On January 30 of this year, he spoke with the company’s board of directors and decided to step down. The change was effective February 8, 2019.
Since joining GMTA in 2005, Scott Knoy is said to have contributed to the growth of the company. Mr. Friedrich is confident that Mr. Knoy is fully prepared to handle all his new responsibilities. “From day one, Scott has proven his commitment, determination, and knowledge of the automotive and gear industries. I’m sure he will continue the company’s expansion.”
Mr. Knoy is grateful for this opportunity, adding, “My objective is to make sure that GMTA continues to serve our customers’ needs, while looking for new opportunities.”
Mr. Friedrich will maintain an active role in the company as senior adviser and board member.
