MxD, the national digital manufacturing and cybersecurity institute, has named Berardino Baratta its next CEO. Baratta, previously vice president of projects and engineering at MxD. Baratta officially assumed his new role on July 1.
Chandra Brown, former CEO who is retiring, will serve as a part-time adviser to the organization through the end of 2022.
“MxD was looking for another inspiring leader, one who has the right combination of technology, manufacturing and public sector experience,” said Mary Isbister, president of GenMet Corp. and chair of the MxD Board. “Berardino not only met our criteria, but he brings a wealth of institutional knowledge about MxD and insight from his prior experience in software and product development. His experience makes him a perfect fit to continue to lead MxD on the path of innovation, growth, and success in the manufacturing industry.”
In his role as VP of projects and engineering, Baratta worked closely with MxD’s partners and internal teams to develop, test and commercialize advanced Industry 4.0 concepts and manufacturing technologies aimed at increasing innovation, capacity and efficiency among U.S. manufacturers. During his tenure, Baratta grew the projects portfolio from 23 to 63, including two Supply Chain Risk Alert projects.
“I am honored to have been named the new CEO of MxD,” said Baratta. “I’m taking over at a great time for the organization. My focus is to build on the strong foundation that is already in place. The team and culture that currently exist are what motivate me to continue to work to grow our ecosystem and secure funding to deliver even greater impact and return for our partners and U.S. manufacturing.”
Baratta has more than 25 years of diverse experience including recent roles as senior director of technology strategy for MxD; CEO of Potentia Analytics, an artificial intelligence healthcare startup; and general manager of Freescale Semiconductor’s Multimedia Applications Division. Prior to these roles, he led the Strategy, Marketing and Business Development team for Freescale’s Wireless and Mobile Systems Group. He began his career with Metrowerks Corp., a provider of software development tools, where he led engineering through the company’s growth from startup to public corporation through acquisition by Motorola Inc.
“Berardino has been an integral part of MxD as a driver of growth and innovation,” said Brown. “Under his direction, we were able to launch our Cyber Marketplace; a new tool to increase the cyber preparedness and compliance of U.S. manufacturers, start our Virtual Training Center, and exponentially grow our project portfolio including two supply risk assessment projects to improve supply chain resiliency. He will continue to be an incredible asset and leader for MxD.”
