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How I Made It
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How I Made It: Joseph Alonso, Founder of Novo Modo Machining
What is the mindset that leads someone to found a high-end, five-axis job shop? Joseph Alonso, founder of Novo Modo Machining, talks about the lessons he learned leading up to founding his shop.
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How I Made It: Clint Smith
Learn how Mastercam senior education market specialist Clint Smith jumped into a machining program after high school with no prior experience, and why he thinks the future of manufacturing is in good hands.
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How I Made It: David Modig, Chairman of Modig Machine Tool
What traits prepare someone to take the reins of a machine tool OEM? Curiosity above all, according to David Modig, chairman of Swedish OEM Modig Machine Tool.
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How I Made It: Scott Harms, President & CEO of MetalQuest Unlimited
From a farm kid with a surplus lathe to leading one of the most automated job shops in America — Scott Harms reflects on building a manufacturing business the hard way, learning from mistakes, and staying grounded in respect.
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How I Made It: Walter Minehart
The 24-year-old mechanical engineer and machinist just founded his own one-man shop, Minehart Machine, in San Luis Obispo, California.
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How I Made It: Steven Dalessio, Executive Director of the American Precision Museum
From shop floor to museum floor, Steven Dalessio has held leadership positions through most of his life. In this installment of How I Made It, hear the lessons he’s learned through it all.
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Latest How I Made It News And Updates
How I Made It: Harry Moser
Harry Moser has seen manufacturing flourish and contract in the U.S. over a career that has lasted over 50 years. Now, he’s part of the vanguard reshoring manufacturing in the U.S. Find out one simple change he believes could bring 1,000,000 manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. in the latest installment of How I Made It.
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How I Made It: Montez King
From high schooler pushing a broom on a shop floor to executive director of the National Institute of Metalworking Standards (NIMS), a series of bold decisions have shaped Montez King’s career path.
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How I Made It: Matt Erbach
One of only 10 teachers statewide to receive the 2025 Golden Apple Award, Matt Erbach earned the honor for his exceptional work teaching CNC machining and welding — a rare recognition for a career and technical educator. In this interview, Erbach shares how he transformed a neglected shop class into a cutting-edge manufacturing lab.
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How I Made It: Roger Atkins
From growing up in his father’s shop to leading a national manufacturing association, Roger Atkins has seen it all. In this exclusive interview, Atkins shares insights into building successful businesses, navigating crises and why community is the most powerful tool in manufacturing.
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How I Made It: Mark and Nancy Rohlfs
Running a machine shop is difficult enough by yourself. But what if your sibling was your co-owner? This is the reality for Mark and Nancy Rohlfs of East Coast Precision Manufacturing. Find out how they’ve managed to turn sibling differences into a successful partnership.
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How I Made It: Aneesa Muthana
Aneesa Muthana grew up helping out at her parents’ Chicago grinding shop before striking out on her own in the ‘90s. When business slowed down dramatically, she embraced change and built her machine shop into a modern facility using Swiss-type CNC machines.__PRESENT
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Featured Posts
How I Made It: Jared Doerfler
Jared Doerfler quit his comfortable job and taught himself CNC machining to launch his boutique putter company in small-town Iowa. With zero prior machining experience, Doerfler poured his life savings into a dream — crafting high-quality, American-made golf putters in his own machine shop. A story of risk, resilience and turning passion into reality.
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How I Made It: Craig Cegielski
Craig Cegielski tells us about the founding and successes of student-run manufacturing business Cardinal Manufacturing and offers advice for setting up a student-run manufacturing business in your own school district.
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How I Made It: Sherry Davies, CEO & President of T.J. Davies Co.
How do you transform a family machine shop into a thriving business while staying true to its roots? Sherry Davies recounts her path from childhood visits to her father’s machine shop to leading the business through growth and change. Here, she talks about her personal growth as a shop leader, her commitment to American-made products, and her lead-by-example philosophy.
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How I Made It: Noah Decker, CEO of Decker Machine Works
Noah Decker grew up around his father's shop, where he picked up an experimental, DIY mindset for rehabbing and retrofitting old equipment that has helped Decker Machine Works thrive under his leadership.
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How I Made It: Mike Lynch
Mike Lynch has been a CNC programming teacher for three decades, in addition to being the longest-running columnist in Modern Machine Shop history, providing generations of machinists with expert insight into the art of programming parts. With this issue being Mike’s last, we wanted to highlight his career and what it means for the industry.
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How I Made It: Dennis Rymanowski
Dennis Rymanowski has worked at NSH USA for 60 years, with his passion for manufacturing living alongside his passion for his family’s polka band.
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