DISA Group, a Norican technology, proudly announces the reappointment of seasoned industry expert and Sales Director of DISA North America, Sandra Calabrese to the Foundry Educational Foundation (FEF) board. With a rich background in the foundry industry and a passion for education, Sandy is set to make a significant impact on the foundation's mission and future direction. 

Reconnecting with FEF: A Full Circle Journey

Reflecting on the initial motivation to rejoin FEF, Sandy shared, "I was able to work in the foundry industry because of FEF. As a student at Michigan Tech, I did my Master’s work in the foundry (Metallurgical Engineering department), and we were an FEF Certified school. I attended the FEF College Industry Conference (CIC) as a graduate student and it was there that I made connections for full-time employment. Later, I was able to recruit at the CIC.”

Supporting the FEF Mission

Expressing a deep commitment to FEF's mission, Sandy emphasized, "I love the mission of the FEF, and the Foundation is as necessary today as it was in 1947 when it began. Through FEF, the industry advocates and provides for new talent to fill the vacancies being left by retirements. I want to help FEF continue to be successful in this mission – we need to continue the legacy to support our industry."

Bringing Expertise and Diversity to the Board

With 22 years of experience in the foundry business, Sandy brings a wealth of knowledge and a track record of recruiting over 200 students from FEF. "I was blessed to work in several different technologies – green sand, precision sand, lost foam casting processes with nodular and gray iron as well as 319 and 356 aluminum alloys. It is important to me to be available as a connection for young people, especially young women, who are interested in the industry. We need diverse leaders as role models and champions for underrepresented groups."

Goals and Vision for the Future

Addressing goals in this newly appointed role, Sandy stated, "My goals are to reconnect with the industry, catch up on the current challenges of the organization, and support the group to meet their goals. I also look forward to growing a stronger connection between FEF and all the lines of businesses of Norican including DISA, ItalPresseGauss, Monitizer, Simpson, StrikoWestofen and Wheelabrator."

Enhancing Industry Involvement

As Director of Sales for DISA North America, she noted, "Being part of the FEF organization allows me to connect not only with professional colleagues but also with universities and students. I can support as a mentor, a speaker, anything that the students need to make the foundry their first choice for employment. Anytime we can serve the younger generations, we are securing our own future.

A Lifelong Passion for FEF

Conveying a heartfelt message to colleagues, Sandy concluded, "Being on the Board of the Foundry Educational Foundation is a lifelong passion – an opportunity to give back to the industry that helped me get my start. It is an honor to serve in this capacity, and I treasure every day that I get to be part of this team."

About DISA and Norican Group

Norican Group is a global leader in providing advanced technology solutions for the foundry and surface treatment industries. With a commitment to innovation and customer success, Norican Group delivers state-of-the-art equipment, expertise, service, and support to enhance efficiency and productivity across various manufacturing processes. DISA, a key power brand within the Norican Group, is a world-class leader in molding equipment and foundry technology, manufacturing a complete range of metal casting and molding equipment, services, and production solutions for the ferrous and non-ferrous foundry industries.