Rick Kline Jr. is the president and fourth-generation co-owner of Gardner Business Media Inc., America’s leading publisher of durable-goods-related media. He has deep knowledge of the functions and purchasing trends of the U.S. original equipment manufacturers and manufacturing supply chain as well as extensive global relationships. PRESS KIT

Melissa is Chief Culture Officer and secretary of the board of directors for Gardner. Melissa started working for Gardner during summers when she was 14 years old. She is a fourth-generation descendant of Gardner Business Media’s founder, Don Gardner, who started the company in 1928 in Cincinnati, with the introduction of Modern Machine Shop magazine. Melissa received her Bachelor of Arts from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. She is a past board member of Cincinnati’s Goering Center for Family Business, and on the board of directors for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband Steve and their three daughters.

Allison officially joined GBM in June of 2000, after graduating from Ohio University with a degree in Organizational Communications and Spanish. The Organizational Communications was to help in her desire to be a part of Gardner; and the Spanish was simply part of a desire to study abroad to Alicante, Spain and Merida, Mexico. She started as the Tradeshow Manager, traveling to various industry events on behalf of Gardner, setting up, tearing down, and managing Gardner’s booth needs. From there she moved into the Marketing department, handling the marketing for PM and PF – where she ultimately relaunched the Electroless Nickel Conference and fell in love with event management. In 2010, she became the Director of Events at Gardner, and has since worked with her team and countless others to create a robust and profitable event’s department.

Fun Fact: Allison was the first female pole vaulter in the State of Ohio. Just don’t ask how high the bar was placed :)

Ernie has been leading accounting and financial strategy at Gardner for nearly four decades. He received his B.S. in accounting from Pennsylvania State University, and before joining Gardner, he worked at IBM and with the Cincinnati Reds, first in Internal Audit before being named Controller. Fun fact: Ernie was with the Reds when they won the 1990 World Series - and he has the ring to prove it!

Bryce Ellis has been working with exhibitors and advertising customers with Gardner Business Media since 2011. He began his career as an Exhibitor Advertising Manager with Map Your Show where he worked with exhibitors to maximize their investment at tradeshows. In 2014, he became District Manager with Gardner Business Media’s metalworking brands where he worked with manufacturing suppliers in the Midwest to achieve their marketing goals and objectives. In 2019, Bryce was promoted to his current position as Publisher of Modern Machine Shop. Bryce received his BA in Communications from the University of Cincinnati.

Kate is a B-to-B media strategist with expertise in operations, project management, process optimization, staff organization, and - above all - rich, immersive Content, no matter the form. As part of Gardner Business Media's executive team, she leads the Web Development Team, the Magazine Production Teams and Human Resources, working closely with all of our brands to research and promote the very best in content-first editorial practices, engage teams in continuing education and strategize future content types, revenue streams, and staffing needs.  Kate earned her BA in English and Philosophy from John Carroll University and her MSJ from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Kate lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two hilarious kids and two muppet dogs. She owns at least 30 red lipsticks. 

Claude Mas is the Executive Director of International Business for Gardner Business Media with a current focus on Business Development in Mexico and Latin America. Having worked for multiple organizations in Europe and in the U.S., and since 2004 for Gardner Business Media, Claude is well established in supporting communications between buyers and sellers domestically and globally. Culturally diverse and with multiple nationalities, he has always welcomed the opportunities to understand and develop strategies to integrate socially and economically into international communities. Claude has spoken on this subject among others, at conferences in the U.S., Mexico, India, South Africa, and China.

Dave leads product and business development at Gardner Business Media with an emphasis on identifying, implementing and scaling digital, in-person and intelligence-based business and audience opportunities. His previous roles at Gardner Business Media span brand marketing, event management and business strategy, including serving as Director of Marketing, Director of Events, Modern Machine Shop brand manager and Manager of the Amerimold Expo, Precision Machining Technology Show (PMTS), Additive Manufacturing Expo (AME) and Top Shops Expo (TSE). Dave earned BA/BS/MA degrees from the University of Dayton. He currently resides in Cincinnati, OH, with his wife and two children. Away from work, Dave enjoys playing tennis, seeing live music, and answering questions about his last name.

Jeff is Gardner Business Media's EVP of Brand, leading the organization's efforts to build and grow world-class media brands serving the durable goods manufacturing industries. His deep passion for all things design, advertising and manufacturing equals his broad understanding of and experience in creating strong marketing and creative teams. In addition to his day-to-day marketing and creative efforts, he also jumps behind the camera as Gardner's studio, event and field photographer. Occasionally breaking out of the media landscape, Jeff crafts custom signage and commissioned pieces using the tools of our trade and often journeys back west to explore the mountains of Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

After joining Gardner Business Media, Inc. in September 1963, Rick became District Manager of the Detroit area. He returned to Cincinnati in 1977 as Marketing Manager and was named President of Gardner Business Media, Inc. in 1981 and presently serves as Chairman, CEO. Currently, Rick also serves on the Board of the American Precision Museum. Rick is the grandson of the company's founder Don Gardner. Five of Don Gardner’s six great-grandchildren (the 4th generation) work for Gardner. And in 2020, the first great, great-grandchild (5th generation) joined the family business.

Brian, former Chairman and now Executive Advisor to the Board of Mazak Corp., received the prestigious M. Eugene Merchant Manufacturing Medal of ASME/SME. Throughout his career, Papke has promoted, supported and expanded applications of machine tools and manufacturing technology in ways that set the stage for digital manufacturing, drove standardization for manufacturing interconnectivity and improved the overall competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers.

Kerry is founder and CEO of Metacomet Advisors, which provides strategic advisory and board services to technology, marketing services, information companies and event owners and, via Metacomet Ventures, co-invests in early-stage and growth businesses. Kerry co-founded and served as a director and CEO of Questex, a leading global business information and event producer, and previously held senior executive positions at Reed Exhibitions, Advanstar, and IDG. His industry affiliations include prior service as chairman at the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO) and service as a board member of Connectiv, the global business information association division of SIIA.