AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology presented Harry Moser with its prestigious Albert W. Moore AMT Leadership Award on March 12, 2026, at The MFG Meeting 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“Harry Moser has been one of the most relentless and effective advocates for U.S. manufacturing in our generation,” said AMT President Doug Woods. “Through the Reshoring Initiative, he has built a data-driven movement that empowers manufacturers to compete globally and invest confidently in American production. From uniting industry associations and major manufacturers to testifying before Congress and shaping national policy discussions, Harry has strengthened the foundation of modern manufacturing. His leadership is not only visionary – it also delivers measurable results.”
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Harry Moser was shaped by a city defined by industrial strength. The massive Singer sewing machine factory – spanning 3 million square feet and employing more than 5,000 workers – stood as a symbol of American manufacturing excellence. His grandfather served as a foreman there, and his father was a supervisor. At just 15 years old, Moser began working summers at the plant, gaining firsthand experience in an industrial operation.
However, global shifts eventually reshaped that landscape. Witnessing those changes later helped fuel Moser’s determination to rebuild and strengthen domestic manufacturing for a new era – one defined by advanced technology, a skilled workforce, and global competitiveness.
“It was 20 years ago that I drove by that area, and there is nothing there. There are no Singer sewing machines made in the United States now. They are all imported,” Moser recalls. “Seeing that emptiness was one of the reasons I founded the Reshoring Initiative. I knew we had to bring manufacturing back to this country.”
A Leader Is Built
After earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Moser joined GE’s manufacturing management program. He later completed his MBA at the University of Chicago while working full-time. Over the course of his career, he held multiple senior leadership roles in manufacturing firms, ultimately serving as president of high-end machine tool supplier GF AgieCharmilles and retiring in 2010 as chairman emeritus.
Retirement, however, was simply a transition.
An Initiative Is Born
Determined to address the decline of U.S. manufacturing capacity, Moser transformed a data-driven strategy into what would become the Reshoring Initiative – a national effort focused on rebuilding advanced domestic manufacturing.
The initiative provides companies with practical tools to evaluate total cost, mitigate risk, and make informed sourcing decisions. Its signature resource, the free Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Estimator, enables manufacturers to account for all relevant factors – from logistics and inventory to quality and geopolitical risk – helping them see that domestic production is often more competitive than they assume.
The impact has been measurable. According to the Reshoring Initiative’s 2024 Annual Report, more than 240,000 U.S. manufacturing jobs were announced that year through reshoring and foreign direct investment. The initiative’s long-term goal – increasing domestic manufacturing by 40% – would significantly rebalance trade while driving substantial growth in demand for machine and cutting tools.
A Movement Grows
Moser understood early that reshoring would require more than analysis – it would require alignment.
Leveraging decades of industry relationships, he brought associations, including AMT, the National Tooling and Machining Association, and the American Foundry Society, together with major manufacturers and financial institutions. By aligning these stakeholders around shared data and economic impact, he transformed reshoring from a concept into a coordinated national movement.
Supported by sponsors and industry partners, the Reshoring Initiative provides the TCO Estimator and other strategic resources free of charge, equipping manufacturers with data-driven tools.
“We have excellent support from the manufacturing industry, but we always welcome more,” Moser says. “We deliver free tools that help distributors sell more effectively and demonstrate why OEMs should manufacture here and partner with domestic job shops. Any manufacturer can benefit from understanding their true total cost and making strategic sourcing decisions.”
His leadership extends beyond the industry itself. Moser has provided expert testimony before Congress, participated in national policy forums, and contributed to discussions shaping U.S. trade, supply chain resilience, and industrial strategy. In 2026, he will attend his 19th IMTS – a testament to his lifelong commitment to advancing manufacturing technology.
Throughout his career, Moser has led with clarity and conviction. Reflecting on a lesson from his former supervisor, Roy Kuhn, he explains: “Roy taught me that a leader is someone people believe they’ll be better off if they follow them. To lead, you must have a clear plan and show that following it will lead to success.”
That philosophy has defined his work.
A Future Built on Strength
Today, U.S. manufacturing is more advanced and technology-driven than ever before – powered by precision machining, automation, digital tools, and a highly skilled workforce. Through the Reshoring Initiative, Moser has helped ensure that this modern manufacturing ecosystem continues to grow.
“When domestic manufacturing grows, it’s like a rising tide,” Moser says. “It lifts all companies by making the market bigger. The Reshoring Initiative is about creating that rising tide.”
By championing data-driven decision-making, strengthening industry collaboration, and advocating at the highest levels of policy, Harry Moser has helped shape a stronger, more competitive future for American manufacturing. With the presentation of the 2026 Albert W. Moore AMT Leadership Award, AMT proudly recognizes a leader whose work resonates across the industry and will reshape the conversation around domestic manufacturing for decades to come.
Harry Moser receives the prestigious Albert W. Moore AMT Leadership Award during The AMT Chairman's Dinner at The MFG Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
