Our Management Team

Barb has held a number of key positions at North American Tool since 1987. She is currently Manager of Tool Design and Customer Service. Previously, Barb was the company’s Purchasing Agent, and has completed several professional programs in the Industrial Purchasing field, having received a Certificate in Distribution Management-Inventory Management from Texas A&M University. During her tenure at NATool, Barb has worked as a machine operator, stockroom clerk, shipping department associate, data entry operator, and purchasing agent. She has the technical knowledge and experience to handle just about any situation she may face in the day-to-day operations of North American Tool, especially with customer services and tool design. Barb is a past President of the AMTMA (American Measuring Tool Manufacturers Association), and past President of WOTM (Women of Today’s Manufacturing).

Bernie joined North American Tool in May, 1993 as National Sales Manager, and was later elected Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and in April of 2001, was elected Senior Vice President of the company. Bernie has extensive national and international experience in cutting tool sales management. He has served on various industry committees, including the ISMA (Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association) Global Trade Committee to promote the export of industrial MROP products. Before joining North American Tool Corporation, Bernie spent more than 25 years with various major companies in the cutting tool industry including Weldon Tool Company, Carboloy Systems and Cleveland Twist Drill. He graduated from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH with a BA in Humanities.

Jim is responsible for developing and implementing operational strategies to strengthen and grow the manufacturing performance of Global Specialty Solutions Inc. companies North American Tool Corporation (South Beloit, IL), Gaylee Saws (Sterling Heights, MI), Bitner Tooling Technologies (Sterling Heights, MI), and Allen Benjamin Inc. (Mesa, AZ). He brings a wealth of relevant manufacturing and management experience to this position. Jim was previously a consultant with Ingenium Technologies providing strategic, results-oriented productivity improvements to industrial manufacturers. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Manufacturing for the Turbine Systems Division of the Woodward Governor Company, a $1.5 Billion provider of energy control systems and components for aircraft and industrial engines and turbines, and was responsible for all manufacturing and facilities management. Prior to that, Jim held manufacturing engineering positions at Hamilton Sundstrand and Honeywell Aerospace. Jim has a BS Engineering degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Arizona State University. He has also completed several executive management level training programs in Six Sigma strategies, lean manufacturing principles and manufacturing process management.

Christi joined North American Tool in 2001 as Manager of Financial Services, and was elected Vice President of Finance and IT in June 2003. Christi has a broad range of experience participating in and leading projects to improve the IT capability and effectiveness of North American Tool. She has strong organizational skills and has an accute accounting/finance background spanning more than 25 years. She is a results-oriented professional with a reputation for relating effectively with management while analyzing operating problems and initiating proactive resolutions.  Christi graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater with a BA degree in accounting.

Curt joined North American Tool in 1988. He was elected Vice President in April 1989; Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in April 1991; Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in April 1995; Executive Vice President in 1998; and was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the company in April 2005. He has been involved in strategic planning in respect to lean manufacturing, streamlining of internal procedures, and organizational effectiveness. Curt has developed and implemented successful leadership training processes and human performance initiatives. Prior to joining the company, Curt was a successful business owner in Beloit, WI. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, majoring in Sociology.