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Our People
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Us > Our People
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(Note:
Page position does not refer to senority or tenure.)
 Joe
R. Bekker, B.S.M.E.
- President
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- Joe R. Bekker is the founder and President of Thrustmaster
of Texas, Inc. Joe is a graduate of the University of Amsterdam
in the Netherlands, holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical
Engineering. He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects
and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and the American Society of Naval
Engineers (ASNE).
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 Shaw
X. Dou, B.S.M.E., M.S.M.E., Ph.D.
- V.P. Engineering
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- Dr. Shaw X. Dou, is a specialist in geared power transmissions
and holds both a B.S. and M.S. from Jiao Tong University in Shanghai,
China, and a Ph.D. from Tennessee Technological University, all
in Mechanical Engineering. Shaw has been designing cyclo-palloid
and rotational gear transmissions and sub-systems for marine
thrusters at Thrustmaster for more than 10 years. She is a member
of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
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 Jason
D. Small, B.Sc.Mar.E
- Engineering Manager
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- Jason Small is a graduate of Texas A&M University and
holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering. Prior
to coming to Thrustmaster, Jason conducted research in dynamic
positioning control logic and served aboard ship for Kirby Inland
Marine as a member of the deck department holding a U.S. Coast
Guard master's license for near coastal motor vessels. Jason
is responsible for the overall management of work flow through
the engineering department as well as design of hydraulic and
electrical power transmission systems.
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 Paul
Rembach, B.Sc.E.E.
- Electrical Power Systems Manager
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- Paul Rembach's experience spans 32 years in electrical power
and control applications marine drilling, offshore marine propulsion,
and industrial applications. Paul has concentrated experience
with shipyard production of jack-up and semi-submersible Mobile
Offshore Drilling Units (MODU), drill ships, and offshore supply
vessels. His manufacturing experience includes design of shipboard
power generation and power distribution systems with automation
controls and interfaces and includes patented and patent-pending
power and control products. Paul developed and tested both stored
and harvested energy hybrid power systems for marine propulsion
applications. His previous career experience includes Ross Hill
Controls, OMC Services, Global Marine Drilling (Global Santa
Fe), and Legacy Automation, Power and Design. Paul Rembach earned
a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University
of Houston. At Thrustmaster, Paul Rembach heads up the shipboard
and other specialized electrical power applications design and
integration team.
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 Sylvia
Salinas
- Executive Administrator
Sylvia oversees the day-to-day administrative operations of the
company as Mr. Bekker’s Executive Administrator. She is
a skilled Administrative Professional with over 24 years experience
and has been with Thrustmaster for over 15 years. Throughout
the companies history Sylvia has managed many duties within the
Thrustmaster organization including administrative, human resources,
sales, marketing, field service and accounts receivable.
- Sylvia relieves the President of administrative duties and
performs a wide variety administrative services including special
projects, assignments of a confidential and complex nature, develops
and provides training in areas of administrative expertise, designs
and administers administrative procedures to improve administrative
efficiency as well as trains and supervises all other administrative
assistants and services.
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 Adam
P. Jost, B.Sc.E.E.
- Production Manager - Project Manager
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- Adam Jost brings a wealth of project management experience
for manufacturing equipment, controls, and industrial electrical
systems. Adam earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from Texas
A&M University and has extensive knowledge of project planning,
execution and management. Adam Jost is assigned to manage Production
Operations along with a broad range of projects involving Thrustmaster's
marine propulsion equipment. Adam is a member of the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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 Jesse
S. Cañas
Manufacturing Manager
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- Jesse Cañas has over 20 years of diversified worldwide
manufacturing experience and holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in Business from City University in Seattle, Washington. Jesse
leads, manages, and directs all aspects of Manufacturing Operations
at Thrustmaster of Texas. He is responsible for Production (final
assembly, welding, and machine shop), Inventory / Production
Control (MRP), Logistics, Safety (HSE), Industrial Engineering,
Facilities, and Quality departments. Jesse has also received
extensive advanced training and mentorship by Japanese Sensei's
in Lean methodology based on the teachings of Toyota Production
System as well as being a Six Sigma Black Belt.
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 Fred
Brasher
- Service Manager
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- Fred Brasher has over 25 years combined maintenance and service
related experience, including 18 years as certified machinist
and as a field service technician in the heavy industrial equipment
industries as well as six years as a Field Service Engineer with
Thrustmaster. Fred Brasher is in charge of managing Thrustmaster's
service department as well as handling customer requests for
service, repairs and rebuilds.
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 Norm
Waters
- Facilities Manager
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- With a Canadian background Norm brings over a quarter century
of experience in managing and lead positions in maintenance,
facilty operations / relocation, and on the manufacturing floor.
Norm has worked for Thrustmaster for several years and was instrumental
in filling various roles during Thrustmasters continuous growth.
Norm is also an experienced pilot and owns his own airplane.
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 Bert
Ault
- International Sales Manager
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- Bert has more than thirty years experience in sales of engineered
capital equipment all over the world and travels extensively
to visit customers anywhere in the world. In addition to
direct sales Bert is manager of the Sales and Marketing departments
and frequently heads up entertainment and socials for the company.
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 Rick
Stinson
- Southeast Sales Manager
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- Rick Stinson has over twenty years experience in marine propulsion.
After leaving the U.S.
Army as a missile technician, Rick started in production
at Halter Marine's fiberglass boat facility in Pearlington, MS,
rising to quality control manager and later to general manager.
Rick is the Southeast Sales Manager for Thrustmaster, and covers
the U.S. Gulf Coast including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana, and Texas.
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 Jack
Chancellor
- U.S. Sales Manager
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- Jack achieved his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
at Nicholls State University in 1973 and brings more than 30
years of experience in managing substantial business commitments
and sales to major industrial, marine, and offshore customers.
He was Sales Manager 2000 to 2009 for Schottel Inc. in
St. Rose. La. responsible for development and maintenance of
customer base in the Americas. From 1981 to 1988 Jack worked
with Wartsila Diesel, Inc New Orleans, La. with regional sales
responsibility for the Southeastern United States and also held
other General and Branch management positions involving various
diesel marine engines, oil field and marine supplies and equipment.
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 Yeong
Jin, Hong
- Korean Special Projects Manager
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- Yeong Jin, Hong has 23 years experience as international
Procurement manager at Hyundai Heavy Inc in South Korea including
four (4) years at HHI Houston as Branch Manager (1999 to 2003).
He is now responsible for Sales Promotion and Coordination as
Area Sales Manager for Korean Shipbuilding Companies such as
Hyundai Heavy Inc, Samsung Heavy Inc, DSME and STX . His
target projects will be for Drill-ship, FPSO, F+LNG, and Semi-submersibles.
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 Doo
Kim, B.Sc. Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
- Sales Application Engineer
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- Mr. Doo Kim has an impressive record of accomplishments in
the marine engineering field as a naval architect with structural
engineering background and holds a Bachelor of Science degree
in Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering from Seoul National
University in Seoul. Mr. Doo Kim worked in The Granherne Inc
(subsidiary of Kellogg Brown & Root) for eight years. He
was responsible for the conceptual design, Pre-FEED and FEED
of hull and topside structure of FPSO, FSO and LNG FPSO for the
oil and gas ocean field in GoM, Australia, Indonesia and China.
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- Mr. Doo Kim also has 24 years experience in design, construction,
sales engineering and research & development of ships in
Samsung Heavy Industries in Korea. As a general manager and deputy
director of naval architect, Mr. Doo Kim’s shipyard engineering
experience covered from Pre-FEED to Structural detail design
for oil tankers(20K to 360K deadweight), bulk carriers, container
ships(1200TEU to 5500TEU), multi purpose cargo ships and shuttle
tankers. He attended many resistance and propulsion tests of
models of ship and propeller designs in the model basin.
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- Jorge
Novoa, B.Sc. M.E.
- Manufacturing Engineer
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- Jorge joins Thrustmaster as a Manufacturing Engineer with
responsiblity for creating and updating routers, assembly and
manufacturing procedures/instructions and implementing manufacturing
improvements. Jorge graduated from the University of Texas with
a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and brings almost
fifteen years experience in Manufacturing and Supplier Quality
Engineering in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry.
Jorge also has over ten years experience working in lean manufacturing
environments.
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 Wim
La Maitre, B.Sc.M.E.
General Manager Thrustmaster do Brasil Ltda.
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- Wim La Maitre has 25 year experience in marine propulsion
and propulsor-engine interaction, with experience both in engineering
and sales of complex propulsion solutions. He has a Bachelor
of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from HTS Tilburg
in the Netherlands with additional training in marine hydrodynamics
from Marin, the Netherlands.
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 Ira
Woods
- Quality Manager
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- With over 20 years experience in rotating equipment and over
13 years experience as a Certified Lead Auditor, Ira brings to
Thrustmaster a wealth of experience. Ira has numerous certifications
in Non-Destructive Testing including Level II ultrasonic as well
as magnetic particle and liquid penetrant procedures. In his
position as Quality Manager, Ira is responsible for maintaining
day-to-day quality procedures throughout the company, supervision
of the quality control inspectors, as well as monitoring strict
adherence to the Thrustmaster ISO-9001:2000 quality program.
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 Hee
Seok Ahn, Ph.D.
- Senior Design Engineer
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- Dr. Ahn is a specialist in computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
and has a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M
University, as well as a master's and bachelor's degree in mechanical
engineering from Korea University in Seoul, Korea. Prior to coming
on board Thrustmaster as a senior design engineer, Dr. Ahn, completed
a post-doctorate in mechanical (nuclear) engineering where he
conducted research on multi-phasic flow and heat transfer. Dr.
Ahn previously worked as a senior research engineer for the Hyundai
Motor Company's engine research division. At Thrustmaster, Dr.
Ahn conducts research and development on thruster performance
and other fluid dynamics projects related to marine propulsion.
He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE).
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 Babu
Sridharala, Ph.D.
- Engineering Supervisor
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- Dr. Sridharala has a doctorate in mechanical engineering
from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he conducted
research on product optimization and Finite Element Analysis
(FEA). Babu's undergraduate education was in mechanical engineering
at the Bapatla Engineering College in Southern India before earning
a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Tennessee Technical
University. Since joining Thrustmaster, Dr. Sridharala has enhanced
the expertise of the engineering department particularly in the
areas of solid and 3-D modeling, shock analysis, and FEA where
he has been widely published. Babu Sridharala is a member of
the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Society
for the Advancement of Materials and Process Engineering (SAMPE),
and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).
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 Venkat
Mudupu, Ph.D.
- Design Engineer
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- Venkat Mudupu is a specialist in design of control systems
for dynamic applications including programmable logic controllers
for both marine and aerospace applications. Dr. Mudupu has a
doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Nevada,
Las Vegas, where he conducted research on feedback control, adaptive
and fuzzy logic, and non-linear control systems. Dr. Mudupu is
responsible for design and implementation of both analog and
digital thruster control systems.
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 Yonghee
Lee, M.Sc.M.E.
- Design Engineer
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- Yonghee Lee hails from Seoul, Korea, where he earned a Bachelor
of Science in machine design from Sungkyunkwan University's College
of Science and Engineering before working as an engineer for
Hyundai's automotive division. Mr. Lee then decided to pursue
a Master of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University,
graduating with honors. At Thrustmaster, Mr. Lee is responsible
for the design of mechanical power transmission systems including
3-D modeling of thruster components and systems.
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 Walter
Leenes, B.Sc.M.E.
- Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
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- Walter Leenes is a Dutch native with more than 20 years experience
in the design and manufacturing of rotating machinery and marine
propulsion systems. Walter has 10 years experience in the design,
manufacture, and installation of azimuthing thrusters including
design of cyclo-palloid right-angle gear transmission systems
in accordance with major marine classification society rules.
Walter earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
from HTS Rotterdam in the Netherlands and has completed hydraulic
systems design course as well as the Klingelnberg gear design
course in Zurich, Switzerland. At Thrustmaster, Walter Leenes
specializes in the design of azimuthing thrusters used in ice
class applications.
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- Phani
K. Bolloju, M.Sc.M.E.
- Hydraulic Systems Design Engineer
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- Phani Bolloju comes to Thrustmaster's engineering team with
diversified hydraulic systems design experience including the
design and development of hydraulic tools for rail maintenance
and the designing and prototyping hydraulic systems for heavy
off-road machinery equipment for Caterpillar, Inc. Phani earned
a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Osmania
University in India prior to completing his Master of Mechanical
Engineering at the University of Kentucky. Phani Bolloju is responsible
for the design of hydraulic power systems both for marine propulsion
and motive auxiliary power for thruster functionality.
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 Peter
S. Walter, B.Sc.M.E.
- Mechanical Design Engineer
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- Pete Walter started his education at the PSG College of Technology
in India by earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
and completing numerous mechanical engineering courses at Olivet
Nazarene University in Illinois. Peter brings 11 years of automated
machine design, CNC machining, quality assurance and Finite Element
Analysis experience to Thrustmaster's engineering team. At Thrustmaster,
Pete Walter is responsible for the engineering quality assurance
of manufactured components, the production of assembly technical
drawings and specifications, and the design of assembly and test
fixtures.
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 Matt
Noble, B.Sc.M.E.
- Mechanical Design Engineer
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- Matt Noble earned a Bachelor of Science in Ocean Engineering
from Texas A&M University prior to joining Thrustmaster's
engineering team. Matt has experience in designing ocean structures
such as spar rigs and the testing of effects of wave dynamics.
Matt Noble currently supports the engineering department through
the automation of manufacturing and engineering resource planning.
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 Duc
P. Le, B.Sc.E.E.
- Marine Electrical Design Engineer
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- Mr. Duc Le has more than 13 years experience in the design
of shipboard electrical, power generation and management, vessel
automation and dynamic positioning interfacing systems for the
offshore and ocean drilling industries. Mr. Le earned a Bachelor
of Science in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University,
starting his career with Toshiba International building and testing
low and medium voltage motor controllers, AC variable frequency
drives, and controls for motor starting and regulation. Duc Le
is an experienced senior project engineer for marine electrical
design and is responsible for the design and testing of power
generation, distribution, and factory acceptance testing of electrical
systems for the offshore marine industry. Mr. Duc Le is a member
of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
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 David
P. Le, B.Sc.E.E.
- Marine Electrical Design Engineer
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- David Le comes to Thrustmaster with more than 16 years of
marine, shipboard, and electrical design experience. Mr. Le earned
a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Control Engineering from
Texas A&M University as well as completing numerous courses
in applied electrical engineering for both marine and land oil
field applications. For the last six years, David Le has been
extensively involved in the design, installation, and testing
of shipboard and drilling vessel power generation systems including
DC SCR, AC variable frequency drives, motor control centers,
and generator controls. At Thrustmaster, David Le is responsible
for the design and testing of power generation, distribution,
and factory acceptance testing of electrical systems for the
offshore marine industry.
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 Manas
Goyal
Electrical Engineer
Manas holds a Bachelors of Engineering degree in Electronics
and Communications from Thapar University in Patiala, India.
Prior to joining the company he was an Associate Software
Engineer for Accenture. Manas is also a Microsoft Certified
Professional Developer Enterprise Applications (MCPDEA), Massachusetts
Institute Of Technology (MIT) Certified Application Developer
and a Certified Professional in Mechanical CADD. Manas
joined Thrustmaster as Electrical Engineer and will be working
in designing of control systems for dynamic applications including
programmable logic controllers for marine applications.
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- Louis
James, (Jim) Levy
- Drafting Manager
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- Jim Levy has overseen the engineering design graphics department
at Thrustmaster for over 12 years. Jim is a graduate of the Maryland
Drafting Institute in Springfield, Virginia, and has earned various
certifications in mechanical and architectural drafting as well
as completing advanced training in AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Geometric
Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T), and the design of hydraulic
fluid power systems.
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 Sam
R. Moore, M.Sc.M.E.
- Technical Project Manager
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- Sam Moore is Thrustmaster's technical project manager for
azimuthing thrusters used in drill ship and semi-submersible
platform applications. Sam earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural
Engineering and Master of Science in Mechanical and Agriculture
Engineering from Texas Tech University and has more than 40 years
of experience in the design, manufacture, and project administration
of rotating and hydraulic-powered equipment including offshore
deep water drilling and production applications. His previous
experience has included design engineer, development engineer,
chief engineer, vice president of engineering, vice president
of manufacturing, project manager, and senior consulting engineer
for various concerns involved in the design and manufacture of
heavy construction equipment, non-destructive oil field tubulars
test equipment, and offshore deep water systems.
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 Rob
Watson
- Project Manager - Marketing Director
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