Heat Treat Today publishes twelve print magazines a year and included in each is a letter from the editor. This letter is from the May 2025 Sustainable Heat Treat Technologies print edition, and serves as the final message from Jayna McGowan, a dear member of the Heat Treat Today team.
40 Under 40 Coordinator
Heat Treat Today
Recognizing a job well done, an individual striving for excellence in their work, and someone who demonstrates leadership potential for years to come is not only a form of integrity in the workplace, but an opportunity to encourage a company and an industry to be the best it can be. A work environment that does not recognize excellence risks undermining it, leaving employees demoralized as they tackle the daily challenges inherent to their work. Those who have worked in both environments — the one that pursues and recognizes excellence and the one that does not — know the value of the former. The individual and the company both benefit from recognizing excellence.
This is why it has been an absolute privilege to coordinate Heat Treat Today’s 40 Under 40 initiative. Getting to learn about the accomplishments of rising stars in the heat treat industry and then to share those with our readers speaks to the overall integrity of the people and companies in the industry. My favorite part about communicating with individuals who have been nominated is their tendency to be surprised by their nomination — in their minds, they are simply doing their job the way they know how to do it, which makes it all the more encouraging to hear that someone noticed their effort and wants them to be honored for it.
Another aspect I have enjoyed about supervising 40 Under 40 is seeing how the individuals recognized are contributing to the heat treat industry as a whole. Here at Heat Treat Today, we see firsthand how individuals honored in past years are willing to share their experiences and expertise by authoring articles or being interviewed for a Heat Treat Radio episode. Several highlights of these alumni contributions from the past year include:
- “3D Printed Coils Outperform Traditional Coils” in our 2025 April print issue, featuring Josh Tucker from Tucker Induction Systems, 40 Under 40 Class of 2024
- Heat Treat Radio episode #111: “Heat Treat NextGen Brynna Keelin Kelly-McGrath,” featuring Brynna Keelin Kelly-McGrath from Moog, Inc., 40 Under 40 Class of 2023
- “CQI-9 vs. AMS2759 for Quench Oil Management” in our 2025 March print issue, featuring Michelle Bennett from Idemitsu Lubricants America, 40 Under 40 Class of 2023
- “Transformative Takeaways” in our 2025 January print issue, featuring Casey O’Neill from RoMan Manufacturing, Inc., 40 Under 40 Class of 2022
- Heat Treat Radio episode #118: “Saving Dollars with Ceramic Fiber Insulation,” featuring Mark Rhoa Jr. from Chiz Bros, 40 Under 40 Class of 2021
- Heat Treat Radio episode #110: “Isolated Heat, the Future of Vacuum Furnaces” and “Evolving Efficiency: Advantages of Multi-Chamber Isolated Heat Vacuum Furnaces” in our 2024 November print issue, featuring Bryan Stern from Gasbarre Thermal Processing Systems, 40 Under 40 Class of 2020
The example set by these individuals and so many others has the potential to inspire and inform the entire heat treat industry.
Finally, how can you 1) model the integrity of recognizing a job well done in the industry and 2) encourage young leaders like these to continue pursuing excellence? One way is to nominate a North American heat treater you know for the 40 Under 40 Class of 2025. Nominations officially open May 19 and close June 27.
While I will be stepping away from coordinating this initiative to raise my twin girls due in a couple months (future heat treaters?), please reach out to incoming coordinator, Kelsha Wells (kelsha@heattreatoday.com), with any questions about the nomination process.
Contact the Editorial Team at editor@heattreattoday.com.
