Mike Thies, General Manager for Gema North America, is celebrating 40 years of service with Gema USA.
A graduate of ITT Technical Institute with a degree in Electrical Technology, Thies entered the finishing industry in 1986 and joined Gema as an electrical assembler. Over the next four decades, he steadily advanced through the company, moving from field service into sales and engineering, then to Director of Sales and Engineering, before being named General Manager for Gema North America in 2023.
As Director of Sales and Engineering, Thies built and led the technical sales team that has driven Gema's growth across North America, while also shaping the engineering direction of the company's product line. Since becoming General Manager in 2023, he has led Gema North America's overall operations, drawing on decades of hands-on experience across the company — from the shop floor to the sales organization — to guide its strategy and keep it at the forefront of the powder coating industry.
Throughout his career, Thies’ engineering contributions have earned him several U.S. patents for innovations in powder coating equipment. He has also been an active participant in the powder coating industry, serving as a published author and speaker who has presented at numerous technical conferences. Thies contributes to several industry organizations, serving as Gema's representative on the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Chapter 33 committee, the Powder Coating Institute technical committee, ASTM, and the National Association of Pipe Coating Applicators (NAPCA).
"I am really proud of Mike's incredible career at Gema and thankful for his leadership, team spirit, and important contributions over four decades,” said Claudio Merengo, Gema Global President. “Great people are the real secret ingredient of Gema's success, and Mike is a perfect example of this."
Gema, a Graco Inc. company, manufactures powder coating technology. From manual units to fully automated systems, Gema offers solutions to meet customers' needs across a wide range of end markets. Gema is headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and has a broad worldwide distribution network. Gema operates its North American Headquarters from Indianapolis, Indiana. Visit www.gemapowdercoating.com.
