Ray Nejadfard

Ray Nejadfard is an advanced manufacturing executive and academic leader with more than 30 years of experience across aerospace composites, nondestructive testing, industrial software/IT, and semiconductor workforce development. He currently serves as Dean and Executive Director of the Engineering & Manufacturing Center of Excellence at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri‑C), where he leads regional initiatives in Industry 4.0, smart automation, and high‑tech talent pipelines.

Ray’s background includes engineering leadership in carbon‑fiber composite tooling, implementing advanced NDT and quality systems as a Six Sigma Black Belt, driving digital transformation through CNC macro programming and multi‑site ERP integration, and shaping semiconductor and microelectronics education—including launching the nation’s first Bachelor of Applied Science in Integrated Digital Manufacturing Engineering Technology (IDMET).