Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing names president, CEO

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) research institute in Prince George County has appointed John Milton-Benoit as its president and CEO, effective Aug. 20, the organization announced Friday. 

Milton-Benoit succeeds William T. Powers, who will retire in August. Powers has served on the board of the organization since its 2011 inception and was appointed as president and CEO in 2016.

“Will joined CCAM as president and CEO at a critical time,” CCAM Chair Craig H. Benson, University of Virginia School of Engineering dean, said in a statement. “Under his leadership, the organization more than doubled its research spend and increased the membership, ensuring CCAM’s resiliency for years to come. The board thanks him for his leadership and accomplishments, and we look forward to working with John to continue CCAM’s growth.”

Milton-Benoit was most recently a senior director and program leader at the United Technologies Research Center, where he was responsible for technology development in manufacturing, robotics, human-machine interface, data analytics, machine learning and cyber physical security. 

He established the United Technologies Corp.’s (UTC) $75 million Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, where he served as founding director. He also served as acting program leader at UTC Aerospace Systems Program Office prior to its acquisition of Rockwell Collins. Milton-Benoit holds more than two dozen U.S. patents.

The CCAM was established as a public-private institute for manufacturing research. Its origins date back to 2007 when the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, U.Va. and Virginia Tech submitted a joint proposal to bring Rolls-Royce’s engine manufacturing factory to Virginia. Four years later CCAM was established as a resource for regional manufacturers with a mission to improve manufacturing capabilities.

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