Our Team
Our team at API has over 250 years of combined experience in product and mold design, manufacturing, and assembly in the plastics industry.
Michael Lax,
Chairman and CEO
BS Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester
Skills and Experience:
Management Training (Kodak, Rochester NY), YPO Universities, 11 US Patents for plastic processes and product design
Years in Plastics Industry: 43
Years with API: 38
Tim Keuning,
President
BS Chemical Engineering,
Polytechnic University
Skills and Experience:
Assembly and Operations Management, Computer and Information Systems, and 5 US Patents for product design
Years in Plastics Industry: 22
Years with API: 22
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Bill Stubbs,
Director of Sales
BS Industrial & Systems
Engineering, State University
of New York at Binghamton
Skills and Experience:
Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Product Development, Assembly and Operations Management, Efficiency Improvement, Value Analysis, SAP
Years in Plastics Industry: 8
Years with API: 5
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Fred Van Koot,
Manufacturing
Engineer
Skills and Experience:
Assembly Automation and
Machine Design
Years in Plastics Industry: 20
Years with API: 20
Jim Jacoby,
Plant Manager
Skills and Experience:
Molding Process, Facilities Management, Automotive, Hydraulics, Electric Systems, Safety
Years in Plastics Industry: 22
Years with API: 22
Suresh Desai,
Quality Control Manager and ISO 9001 Management Representative
BS Mechanical Engineering, L.D. Engineering College,
Gujarat University, India
Skills and Experience:
Diploma Quality Engineering, American Society for Quality. ISO9001:2000 QMS and Internal Auditing Training, OTS Quality Registrars, Inc., Design of Experiments
Years in Plastics Industry: 29
Years with API: 20
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Roy Jacob,
Electrical
Engineer
MS, BS Electrical Engineering
from the University of Pittsburgh
Skills and Experience:
Various experience designing with analog, digital and RF circuitry, power supplies, and solid state lighting systems
Years in Plastics Industry: 12
Years with API: 12
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Phil Tjimos,
Operations Manager
BS Computer Engineering
from Columbia University
in the City of New York
Skills and Experience:
SAP, Business Objects, Business Intelligence, SQL, MS Sharepoint
Years in Plastics Industry: 7
Years with API: 7
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Rob Epifania,
Molding Manager
BS Mechanical Engineering,
BS Automotive Engineering & Industrial Management
BS Mechanical Engineering IP
Farmingdale State College
Skills and Experience:
EPA Certified – Universal HVAC Technician
Molding Process, Decoupled Molding, Over-molding, Insert Molding, Tig & Mig Welding, Quality Control, Robotics, Preventative Maintenance, Repair, Design & Fabrication.
Years in Plastics Industry: 6
Years with API: 6
Jerzy Prochnicki,
Tool Room Manager
Master Cam, NX and other CAD/CAM platforms
Skills and Experience:
Smart Cam, Master Cam, and other CAD/CAM platforms
Years in Plastics Industry: 44
Years with API: 15
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HaoPing Qi,
Design Engineer
BS Mechanical Engineering, South China University of Technology, MS Mechanical Engineering, State University of New York at Buffalo
Skills and Experience:
Various CAD/CAM platforms, high volume injection mold design: insert molding, 2-shot molding, in-mold unscrewing, 2 stage ejection mold, mold with sequencing control for slider and mold plate action, improving part design, Mold Flow / MoldEX-3D analysis, CNC programming, Wire EDM programming, sourcing channel to China
Years in Plastics Industry: 19
Years with API: 14
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Agjah Libohova,
Director of Research & Development
MS Mechanical Engineering,
University of Tirana (Albania)
Skills and Experience:
Product Design and Development, Application engineering, CAD/CAM/CAE in several platforms, CNC Programming, Systems, and 23 US Patents for product design
Years in Plastics Industry: 38
Years with API: 19
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Karen LeDoux,
Assistant Controller
BA in Business Administration
(Eastern Nazarene College)
Skills and Experience:
Accounting, Payroll, Employee Benefits
Years in Plastics Industry: 19
Years with API: 19
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