Presented during the MLC’s Rethink conference in Marco Island, Florida, this prestigious recognition celebrates Jim’s decades of impact driving innovation, championing digital transformation, and fostering collaboration across manufacturing ecosystems. His vision and leadership continue to shape the path forward for Smart Manufacturing, and this award is a powerful testament to his enduring influence.
The Manufacturing Leadership Council announced that Jim Wetzel, Co-Founder, NxGen Group has been recognized as a winner in the 2025 Manufacturing Leadership Awards for his outstanding achievement in Digital Transformation Leadership.
Jim’s contributions to Smart Manufacturing go far beyond his own organization—they’ve shaped an entire movement. As a co-founder of the Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition and a key architect behind CESMII’s launch, Jim has spent his career championing a more connected, innovative, and inclusive manufacturing future.
Through his work at NxGen Group and his leadership in CESMII’s Smart Manufacturing Acceleration Framework, Jim has helped manufacturers—especially small and medium enterprises—unlock real, measurable outcomes:
📈 22% revenue growth
🛠 32% throughput improvement
💡 16% increase in profit
♻️ 15% waste reduction
From strategy to execution, Jim has mentored over 100 professionals, delivered more than 20 digital roadmaps, and led workshops that have inspired 600+ industry leaders nationwide.
Jim—thank you for showing what visionary, servant leadership looks like in action. This award is so well-deserved. 🏆
Additional Resources
About Manufacturing Leadership Council
Founded in 2008 and now a division of the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to help manufacturing companies transition to the digital model of manufacturing by focusing on the technological, organizational and leadership dimensions of change. With more than 2,500 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.
About CESMII
CESMII – the Smart Manufacturing Institute – has a total current investment commitment of $201M from Department of Energy funding and public/private partnership contributions, with a mandate to create a more competitive manufacturing environment here in the US through advanced sensing, analytics, modeling, control and platforms. CESMII is one of 18 Manufacturing USA institutes on this mission to increase manufacturing productivity, global competitiveness, and reinvestment by increasing energy productivity, improving economic performance and raising workforce capacity. University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is the program and administrative home of CESMII. For more information about CESMII, its history and Smart Manufacturing, visit cesmii.org.