The American Welding Society (www.aws.org) said Monica Pfarr has been named corporate director of the Solutions Opportunity Squad for the AWS Foundation (www.aws.org/foundation).

In this role,. Pfarr will spearhead the Squad, which is made up of AWS staff members who will consult with and build strategies for local AWS Sections, businesses and other organizations that have specific workforce development needs. The Squad was created as part of the AWS Foundation's Welder Workforce Development Program that was launched in 2006 to contend with the growing shortage of skilled welders in the United States. It is estimated that there will be a shortage of at least 200,000 welders by 2010.

"We are pleased to welcome Monica to our AWS Foundation and new SOS," said Ray Shook, AWS executive director, said. "
Ms. Pfarr is a 20-year industry veteran with wide-ranging expertise in manufacturing systems development and operations management.

For the last seven years, she served at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, as the director of workforce development, where she consulted with local engineering, technology and manufacturing businesses and designed approaches to address their specific workforce needs.

While at Sinclair, Pfarr also directed the Project Lead the Way Ohio program, during which she was responsible for the implementation and promotion of pre-engineering curriculum in Ohio middle and high schools.

In addition, she directed the National Center for Manufacturing Education, where she supervised programs at the college's Advanced Innovative Manufacturing Center and helped over 170 local manufacturers. Prior to that, Ms. Pfarr spent 12 years with General Motors where she held such positions as industrial and reliability engineer, superintendent and training manager.

AWS' Welder Workforce Development Program is intended to address the critical need for recruitment and specialized training of entry level welders while providing for industry workforce needs.

This is a new kind of program designed to fulfill an immediate need for welders across North America. The program was born out of a $1 million donation from Miller Electric Manufacturing and Hobart Brothers, as well as a $100,000 contribution from AWS Past President Ron Pierce and his wife, Joyce. It is a critical component of the AWS Foundation's $10million capital campaign, Welding for the Strength of America, which is aimed at facilitating programs, scholarships and other initiatives in support of the welding industry. At year-end 2007, the AWS Foundation has raised $2.6 million toward the campaign effort.

Pfarr received her bachelor of science degree in industrial and systems engineering at The Ohio State University and her master of science degree in administration from the Central Michigan University in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. In addition, she completed an executive development program at Northwestern University and is a Certified Quality Engineer. Pfarr chairs several national advisory committees, is a sought after industry speaker and a mentor for the Women in Engineering Technologies Institute