The experienced and accomplished members of AERA Board of Directors and management team have been the driving force behind the organization’s leadership for nearly a century. The AERA Board is made up of leaders from businesses both large and small, across every sector of the industry. Members of the Board provide local and global perspectives on matters of common interest to AERA members, and contribute their leadership and expertise to help guide the organization as it prepares to enter its second century.
Dave Steine – Chairman of the Board
Dave Steine, consultant/former owner of Tri Star Engines in Baldwin, Wisconsin, where they focus on engine and transmission distribution. He is a past president of PERA, treasurer of his local Knights Of Columbus Council, and is also on the board of directors for the Numismatic Bibliomania Society (NBS), a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature.
Jeff Baldwin – First Vice Chairman
Jeff Baldwin is the owner of Baldwin Racing Engines in Friedheim, Missouri. Baldwin Racing Engines is a full service automotive machine shop specializing in dirt LS engines, but they also work many other types of engines. Baldwin Racing Engines’ 440 LS Late-Model Dirt Engine won Engine Builder Magazine’s Engine of the Year in 2018.
Chris Hamann – Second Vice Chairman
Lakeland Auto & Marine, Port Clinton, Ohio.
Dave Capitolo – Treasurer
Dave Capitolo is the department head and instructor of Automotive Technology at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. He has been in the automotive industry since 1980 as a technician, machinist, engineer, and instructor. His previous work experience includes general automotive repair, engine machining and rebuilding, and electronic test equipment engineering.
Dwayne Dugas – Advisory Board Chairman
Born and raised in New Iberia, Louisiana, Dwayne is the owner and manager of Dugas Engine Services. Established by his father in 1968, Dwayne worked with his father through high school developing a passion for engines and cars. While attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Dwayne took a job in the retail auto parts industry and later became part owner of a small chain of regional auto parts stores. After selling those stores, Dwayne served as general manager at PEP Boys and finally purchased Dugas Engine from his father in 1999. Dugas Engine performs service on automotive engines, outboard engines, small compact diesel engines on up to the mid-size diesel engines.
Rick Simko – AMC Chairman
Rick Simko is the director of sales and marketing for Elgin Industries in Elgin, Illinois. Elgin is a manufacturer of internal engine parts, specializing in valve train. In addition to serving on the AERA Board, he was also chairman of the Engine Repower Council (ERC), a member of the AAIA show committee and a former member of the PERA executive board.
Jim Rickoff – AERA President
Jim Rickoff is the sixth president of AERA. He has been involved in the engine building industry since graduating from Winona State University in 1982 and has been serving AERA in some capacity since 1992.
Cass Choate – Director
Choate Engineering, Bolivar, Tennessee.
Andy Frontzak – Director
Engine Rebuilders & Supply Inc., Stone Park, Illinois.
Steven Hensley – Director
Stevie Hensley is the machine shop manager at Twin City Automotive Machine in Bristol, VA; he grew up in the shop and is part of a third generation family business. As a kid, he spent a lot of his summers either on the farm or working at the shop. Stevie is also a graduate from Northeast State Community College receiving a degree in AAS Machine Tool, and AAS in Manufacturing Engineering, he teaches at Northeast State Community College part time.
Vic Posey – Director
Vic Posey is a professor of Automotive Technology at Bakersfield College in California. After graduating from Bakersfield College in 1994 with an A.S. in Automotive Technology, Vic owned and operated a machine shop before being hired to teach engine machining and rebuilding classes at Bakersfield College in 2009.
Corey Schlegelmilch – Director
Corey Schlegelmilch is the owner of Donrich Machine & Driveline Inc. in McCool Junction, Nebraska, where they work on a large amount of tractor engines, as well as stationary irrigation engines which are mostly dry fuel application, but also an ever increasing number of diesel-powered units. Medium-duty diesel is becoming one of their largest markets, as well as street and restoration.
Mike Wiser – Director
South Central Diesel Inc, Holdrege, Nebraska.
