3D Systems Names Jeff Graves as New President and CEO

Today, the Board of Directors at pioneering additive manufacturing company 3D Systems made a very important announcement – CEO veteran and global manufacturing leader Dr. Jeffrey A. Graves has been named the new President and CEO of the company. Effective May 26, 2020, Graves is replacing Vyomesh Joshi (VJ to everyone), who announced his retirement in February.

VJ told 3DPrint.com that the “new CEO will have to take it to the next level,” as the 3D printing industry has “crossed the chasm.”

“The right person..really has a global experience…and will be a leader able to take the portfolio that we have to innovate forward” and while “cherishing innovation, preserving the culture and growing the company.”

In the early 2010s, 3D Systems was riding high, a shining beacon in the 3D printing industry. Then things began to change for the worse, and the company had a pretty rough go of things for a time, with rumors of layoffs and facility closures, low stock performances, lawsuits, a lost arbitration, and finally the departure of Avi Reichental, at that time 3D Systems’ President, Chief Executive Officer, and Company Director.

Several months later, the company appointed former HP executive VJ to take over the reins as President and CEO of 3D Systems. Over time, he turned things around, quickly announcing a strategic vision for 3D Systems that focused on improving quality, reliability, and the supply chain, and telling 3DPrint.com last year that “we have the company that can address all production workflows.”

Considered a stalwart in the AM industry, things seem to be going well for 3D Systems now, and Graves, with 17 years of experience as a CEO, should have no problem keeping the ship sailing smoothly, even during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

“Jeff’s financial and operational discipline and precision is a core reason we chose him for this role. He has shown that he knows how to organize and focus a business portfolio and streamline an operating model to deliver differentiated solutions to markets,” said Charles (Chip) McClure, chairman of the Board of Directors at 3D Systems.

According to a 3D Systems press release, Graves, who serves on the board of directors for both FARO and Hexcel, has “a proven track record for leading, operating and growing technically complex businesses.” For the past eight years, he’s served as the CEO of MTS Systems, which supplies high-performance measurement, simulation, and test systems around the world, and helped transform the company by developing and utilizing a clear business strategy and operating model. Before that, he spent seven years as the CEO of energy storage products provider C&D Technologies, and also served as CEO of high-performance capacitor solutions manufacturer KEMET Electronics for three years.

“I am incredibly excited about the opportunity at 3D Systems,” Graves said. “Digital manufacturing will play a key role in the transformation of manufacturing, and 3D Systems is uniquely positioned with its portfolio of additive manufacturing systems, material science, software and domain expertise to help companies benefit from this transformation.”

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(Images: 3D Systems)