Gema North America GM Celebrated 40-Year Career
Mike Thies reflects on four decades of scaling the powder coating equipment manufacturer's technical reach.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in People
Mike Thies has marked 40 years of service at Gema North America, the Indianapolis-based powder coating equipment manufacturer. Thies currently serves as General Manager, a role he assumed in 2023.
Why it matters
The milestone highlights the long-term internal development of specialized technical expertise within the industrial equipment sector. Maintaining staff continuity in roles spanning engineering and sales can be a key driver for technical product line stability and regulatory standard compliance.
Mike Thies has completed 40 years of service at Gema, having started as an electrical assembler in 1986. His tenure spans multiple technical and sales roles prior to his 2023 appointment as General Manager of the North American operations.
The players
Mike Thies
General Manager of Gema North America with four decades of experience in field service, sales, and technical engineering.
Gema North America
An Indianapolis-based subsidiary of the Swiss powder coating equipment manufacturer that provides industrial finishing solutions.
The details
Thies progressed through field service, sales, and engineering functions before reaching senior management. His operational influence included shaping the firm's product line engineering direction and representing Gema on the National Fire Protection Association Chapter 33 committee. He also holds U.S. patents for powder coating equipment and remains active in technical committees for ASTM, the Powder Coating Institute, and NAPCA.
Timeline
1986: Mike Thies joined Gema as an electrical assembler.
2023: Mike Thies was appointed General Manager of Gema North America.
September 2026: Mike Thies celebrated 40 years of service.
Market Landscape
Professional involvement in bodies like the National Fire Protection Association Chapter 33 committee is a standard practice for leaders in industrial equipment manufacturing. This technical integration helps firms shape safety standards and ensure their products remain aligned with evolving regulatory requirements.
Operators in specialized manufacturing should look to the tenure of technical leadership as a barometer for institutional knowledge retention and product engineering continuity. Managers should evaluate if their own internal technical experts are sufficiently represented on industry standards committees.
The takeaway
Thies' progression from electrical assembler to General Manager underscores the value of maintaining deep internal technical knowledge for high-precision industrial firms. Operators can implement this by mapping out clear career paths that bridge front-line service roles with higher-level engineering management.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership and personnel shifts, visit the People section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fabricating and Metalworking.
