2026 Annual Meeting
With over 200 attendees from across the country, our Annual Meeting offers unparalleled opportunities to network and connect with existing and potential business partners.
PowerAmerica’s 2026 Annual Meeting will take place March 10-12 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This two-and-a-half-day gathering of leaders in the SiC and GaN power electronics field will offer networking sessions, keynote remarks, panels, industry perspectives, and an industrial session where companies highlight their latest products and services.
Key Topics
- WBG Tutorials
- GaN Pilot Line Discussion
- AI/Datacenter Panel
- WBG Education and Workforce Development Panel
- Industrial Session Presentations
- New-Member Introductions
- NIST, Polar Semiconductor, and GlobalFoundries Keynotes
- Yole WBG Market Update
Keynote Presentations
Mike Molnar
Director
Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office
Bio
Mike Molnar is the founding director of the Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office, the interagency team responsible for the Manufacturing USA program. Mike also leads the NIST Office of Advanced Manufacturing and serves as co-chair of the National Science and Technology Council, Subcommittee on Advanced Manufacturing – the team responsible for the National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing.
Prior to joining federal service in 2011 Mike had a successful industry career, including 25 years leading manufacturing and technology development at Cummins, a U.S. based global company that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines and power generation products. Midcareer he served as the first Manufacturing Policy Fellow in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. He earned a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and Master’s in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and an Executive MBA from the University of Notre Dame. He is a licensed Professional Engineer, Certified Manufacturing Engineer, and was elected a Fellow of SME and a Fellow and Honorary Member of ASME.
Rajesh Appat
Vice President of Business Development
Polar Semiconductor
Bio
Rajesh joined Polar Semiconductor in 2012 and is now responsible for the company’s growth strategy, technology roadmap, and expanding revenue streams and portfolios.
His semiconductor industry expertise includes leadership roles in Technology Development, Engineering, and Quality (at Polar Semiconductor), Yield and Integration Engineering (at Cypress Semiconductor), and Process R&D (at Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Systems).
Rajesh holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from NIT Trichy, an MS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University, and an MBA from Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. He has attended various Leadership and Finance training programs at the Harvard Business School. Most recently, Rajesh completed the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) program from the Wharton School of Business.
Want more details?
PowerAmerica members get access to our Member Portal — which provides links to presentation slides and other resources shared in past meetings.