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18 PRODUCTION MACHINING :: DECEMBER 2014 PMPA Announces New President Tom Bernstein T om Bernstein, president of TORIN Products, was installed as PMPA president at the association's annual meeting in October. He will serve a 1-year term, and in that time, he hopes to meet with as many PMPA members as possible, re-ignite the passions within the membership, help grow the membership and aid in a smooth transition for the administration. "I get to steer the boat for 1 year, during which I want to make progress and have the association enjoy calm waters," says new PMPA President Tom Bernstein. TORIN TORIN Products was founded in 1965 and provides quality screw machine components and turned parts for customers in a variety of markets, including aerospace, medical and dental. Te company prides itself on its ability to manufac- ture precision parts to very tight tolerances. Mr. Bernstein began working for his father, who found- ed TORIN, as a teenager. He left the company to earn his bachelor's degree in industrial education from Iowa State University and worked as a Swiss department supervisor and manufacturing engineer before returning to TORIN in 1980 as quality manager. He became president of the company in 1994. "I worked with my father to grow the company through feast and famine," Mr. Bernstein says. "For a long time we were heavy in the computer market, then lost the business to overseas. We rebounded and grew again when we start- ed making parts for the medical market." PMPA Membership TORIN joined PMPA in 1979 and maintained consistent membership since. "We also kept our membership through thick and thin," Mr. Bernstein explains. "PMPA is great for networking and gaining valuable resources." Shortly after returning to the company, Mr. Bernstein attended a seminar in 1981 that focused on the second generation in businesses. "Trough that one seminar, I learned a lot about running the business. But I also was able to meet many members of what was then the 'old guard,' and I took away a lot of great advice," Mr. Bernstein recalls. "I also got to meet the up and comers of the day, many of whom were PMPA past presi- dents, and I've had great relationships with all of them over the last 30 years." Steering the Boat Mr. Bernstein explains that his lofty goal of visiting so many members is possible because of his son who is vice president of engineering at TORIN. "My son's help will allow me to give 100 percent to PMPA when I am working on PMPA goals while TORIN continues to thrive," Mr. Bernstein says. "I wrestled a bit with what I want- ed to do with PMPA going forward. We were the only PMPA member in our region, so we never had the opportunity to participate on a local chapter level with meetings or visits. "I want to spend my year trying to visit as many members as I can, especially the ones who have not been visited be- fore or haven't been for a long time," Mr. Bernstein contin- ues. "My frst visit was to a member who had never been vis- ited and was not active in their membership. Tey had tons of questions."