MPMA Announces President Succession Plan

Croson Retires April 1; Blackford Assumes Role as 8th MPMA President

The Motion + Power Manufacturers Alliance (MPMA) announces that its President, Matthew Croson, will retire on April 1. Jennifer Blackford will assume the role of President, effective immediately.

“Matt Croson joined AGMA in its 100th year, and has, for the past ten years, provided the leadership and energy required to move the industry forward,” noted Sara Zimmerman, MPMA Chair and Vice President, Customer Experience and Product at Sumitomo Drive Technologies USA.  “He has been a change agent that was needed to re-energize and focus the traditions of AGMA and ABMA.”  

Croson has been an association executive for 29 years, with leadership stints at the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute (PMMI), Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) and AGMA, including 16 years as President for ASC and AGMA, combined.  

During his ten years at AGMA, then MPMA, working closely with the Executive Committee and Board, the organization:

• Merged with the American Bearings Manufacturers Association (ABMA), two 100-year-old organizations with a 20-year history of program collaboration
• Adjusted Gear Expo to MPT Expo, to respond to the long-term trend of suppliers providing total power transmission solutions
• Launched the National Training Center, which has doubled the number of classes and capacity in support of its workforce development efforts
• Purchased the Intellectual Property of 90% of its classes while positioning the organization as a leader in technical education
• Acquired the assets of Randall Publications, including Gear Technology and Power Transmission Engineering
• Evolved its standards development process from a committee structure to a working group approach, modeling ISO production formats
• Created Alliances with leading organizations supporting the power transmission industry including Federtec (Italy) for educational programming, Eurotrans (EU) for advocacy collaboration and Virgo Communications (India) for Gear Technology India.
• Navigated through COVID, while transforming the staff structure to a remote workforce that now includes 20 team members in 10 different states.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, we want to thank Matt for his service to the industry,” added Steve Janke, MPMA Board Treasurer and President of Brelie Gear. “We wish him the very best in retirement and look forward to working with Jenny Blackford as our next President.”

Blackford joined AGMA in 2000 as Director of Marketing & Communications.  Over the past 25 years at AGMA, she managed all aspects of communications and its tradeshow for 15 years, and led its business division.  As AGMA Vice President, Business Division, she was named President of ABMA, serving in that position for five years, until the ABMA merger with AGMA in 2025.    

In 2024, she was named Chief Operating Officer and oversaw contracts, operations and human resources.  In 2025, she began overseeing strategy and in 2026, finances, as part of the succession plan developed by the Executive Committee.

As Chief Operating Officer, she:

• Steered the post-merger integration of AGMA and ABMA, bringing together 400 members across the gear and bearing industries under a unified organization
• Built MPMA’s Advocacy program from the ground up, leading its first DC Fly-In and securing meetings with Executive and Legislative Branch officials on trade, tariffs, and manufacturing competitiveness
• Transformed ABMA’s financial position from $100K in reserves to more than $500K within four years, while driving member value and positioning the organization for its successful merger with AGMA
• Drove an enterprise-wide operational transformation — from financial systems to member engagement platforms — building the infrastructure needed to execute MPMA’s long-term strategy
• Led MPT Expo (formerly Gear Expo) for 14 years, executing the strategic rebranding to reflect the industry’s evolution toward power transmission solutions
• Cultivated partnerships that expanded association reach and member value — including co-locating with ASM’s Heat Treat show beginning in 2009 and joint programming collaborations with NFPA, PTDA, and STLE
• Serves as Secretariat for one of the three standing committees of the World Bearing Association (WBA), leading global anti-counterfeiting efforts to protect the integrity of the bearing industry worldwide

“The Board stands firmly behind Jenny Blackford. She knows our members, she knows this industry, and she has a track record of getting things done. She steps into this role with deep institutional knowledge and a clear vision for where MPMA needs to go as we lead our members through a period of change,” noted Janke.

Croson transitioned to serve as Special Assistant to the President, supporting the leadership change while finalizing strategic programs through February 2027.

“It’s been a privilege to serve this wonderful community who cares so much for the organization” said Croson, Special Assistant to the President.  “And it’s been an absolute blessing to work side by side with the devoted staff team as we challenged ourselves to develop new programs, adjust during COVID, and have a fun time working on behalf of industry.”

“Bringing AGMA and ABMA together was just the beginning. As we build one unified organization, I’m committed to making sure MPMA is the indispensable partner our members turn to — whether they’re navigating trade, developing talent, or preparing for what’s next in manufacturing,” said Blackford, President, MPMA. “I look forward to working with MPMA’s Board of Directors, our volunteers, and our MPMA team to ensure value for our members in the years to come.”