SCTCC Interim Dean of Trades and Industry, Aaron Barker, was named the 2020 CMMA Collaborator of the Year by the Central Minnesota Manufacturers Association.
Barker was presented the award to celebrate his commitment to CMMA as well as his work to educate and inspire students from grade school through college to enter the manufacturing field.
Before he became the Interim Dean, Barker had been the department head and instructor in SCTCC’s Energy & Electronics Department since 2009. He also spearheaded the Minnesota VEX Robotics program, which uses robotics to introduce middle and high school students to STEM in a fun environment. Since the first Minnesota VEX competition in 2012, the program has grown every year.
This year, the CMMA made a $500 donation to the award winner’s charity of choice, and Barker chose VEX Robotics through the SCTCC Foundation.
The CMMA is a membership organization that serves the manufacturing industry in Central Minnesota to offer peer networking, benefit programs, legislative voice, industry awareness, and more.