PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Local Motors, Inc. today announced that Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot, has joined its Board of Directors, effective January 30, 2014.
Pettis has been CEO of MakerBot since co-founding the company in 2009. Under his leadership, MakerBot has established one of the largest installed bases of desktop 3D printers sold to innovative and industry-leading customers worldwide, including engineers, architects, designers, educators and consumers. The Company has been honored with many accolades, including Popular Mechanics’ “Overall Winner” for best 3D printer, Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2012,” Popular Mechanics’ “Editor’s Choice Award,” Popular Science’s “Product of the Year,” Fast Company’s “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics,” and many more. MakerBot recently became a subsidiary of Stratasys, Ltd. through a strategic acquisition.
Prior to co-founding MakerBot, Pettis co-founded the Brooklyn hacker collective NYC Resistor, where MakerBot technology was first created, tested, and proven. He was instrumental in building the first prototypes of MakerBot’s 3D printers, and has become known worldwide as a leading evangelist for personal manufacturing. He has contributed deeply to Make: Magazine, Etsy, and started out as an art teacher in the Seattle Public Schools system.
Pettis is passionate about providing the tools for individuals and organizations to create the world around them. He has spoken publicly about empowering students to solve the problems of the future, and worked behind the scenes to bring professional-quality 3D printing technology into the hands of average consumers.
Recently honored by The Economist with a 2013 Innovation Award, Pettis was also honored in 2012 with the Disruptive Innovation Award from the Tribeca Film Festival, for "creating an entire ecosystem for desktop 3D printing." He has been a highly sought-after speaker and interview subject, gracing the cover of numerous magazines (most recently WIRED), and been a guest on The Colbert Report, and many more.
About the appointment of Pettis as an independent Board member, Jay Rogers, CEO of Local Motors, said, “I have long admired Bre as a great American entrepreneur. He is, at his core, an independent maker and innovator who successfully pursued these passions to become a defining figure in the Maker Movement and Third Industrial Revolution. His thoughtful advice will be of immeasurable value as we continue our march to democratize production methods using advanced manufacturing techniques.”
Pettis' expertise will play an important role in driving Local Motors' recently announced intention to build the first production vehicle completely from additive manufacturing by the end of 2014. His input will reduce significant friction in the pursuit of such an ambitious target.
Of his decision to join the Local Motors Board, Pettis said, “I’ve watched with amazement as Local Motors has pioneered a co-creation and micro-manufacturing model that has democratized the development and production of complex machines, effectively transforming consumer choice from supply-driven to demand-driven. Not to mention I’ve wanted a Rally Fighter, their first community co-created product, from the moment I saw it. I’m a car guy at heart. That vehicle really speaks to the power of the crowd. I’m finally building my own in April.”
The addition of Pettis increases the number of Local Motors Board members to four. He joins existing Board members Jay Rogers, Thomas D. Lehrman and Mark Smith. Lehrman co-founded and formerly served as co-CEO of the Gerson Lehrman Group, the world’s most successful expert network. Smith founded Factory Five Racing, the world’s largest maker of component cars.
“The architect of a global network of expert advice -- plus the founder of the most successful alternative vehicle production company -- working with a leader in the democratization of data-driven manufacturing,” Rogers concludes, “this Board is our dream team for guiding the future of Local Motors.”
About Local Motors, Inc.
Local Motors co-creates vehicles and related components with a global community of designers, engineers, fabricators and enthusiasts. Local Motors has pioneered the online design and hardware co-creation market by making available low-cost professional tools, efficient small-scale manufacturing capabilities, and go-to-market strategies that empower hobbyist innovators and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) alike. Visit localmotors.com today to design, engineer and purchase your next vehicle innovation.
