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Control Engineering has announced the Engineering Leaders Under 40 Class of 2025 highlighting engineering professionals who are advancing the future of automation, controls, and more. These rising leaders are not only driving technical innovation but also shaping what modern engineering leadership looks like—collaborative, forward-thinking, and people-focused.
This year, ACE is proud to celebrate two of our own among these honorees — Mena Francis and Patrick McKinley.
Mena exemplifies leadership through his outstanding technical skills, dedication to continuous learning, and commitment to mentoring the next generation of engineers. With 10 years of experience in pharma and life sciences, he specializes in Class II medical device manufacturing and operations.
He also has extensive expertise in continuous improvement and is well-versed in GAMP, ISO 13485, and FDA standards and requirements. Inspired by the mentorship he received early in his career, Mena now strives to foster a culture of growth, collaboration, and innovation.
“Mena Francis brings an engineer’s analysis into every project he manages. His attention to detail and scrutiny has been beneficial to ACE delivering OT cybersecurity projects to our customers in the energy sector.” — Mike Lennon, Vice President
Learn more about Mena Francis
What Makes Patrick an Engineering Leader
Patrick has a proven track record of leading control upgrades and plant commissioning projects to success. As a project engineer, his extensive knowledge of Allen-Bradley and Siemens platforms—paired with his automation expertise—has been especially valuable in the metals and mining industry.
He balances technical proficiency with clear communication, guiding teams through complex process challenges. In addition, his commitment to mentorship and knowledge sharing further distinguishes him as an emerging leader in engineering.
“Patrick McKinley is a key technical leader at ACE. Patrick is going to play a vital role as ACE expands our reach in the Pittsburgh region and beyond." — Mike Lennon, Vice President
ACE congratulates Mena and Patrick for this accomplishment. We look forward to yourcontinued success.
Interested in working for ACE? Visit our Careers page.
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