Previous winners
2025: Eduardo Augusto Ern, process engineer with Hitachi Energy
Eduardo Augusto Ern is the embodiment of the “Rising Star” spirit—a leader who combines deep technical mastery with a relentless drive for operational excellence. Since joining the power sector in 2020, Eduardo has rapidly progressed from a specialist in Brazil to a key contributor to Hitachi Energy’s U.S. manufacturing strategy, playing a pivotal role in the production of Medium Distribution Transformers (MDT) that are critical to modernizing the global grid.
His selection for this award is anchored in three primary areas of impact:
- Process Transformation and Advanced Manufacturing. Eduardo has significantly raised what is possible on the factory floor. By introducing proprietary winding on core leg (WOCL) technology and optimizing stacked core cutting, he has delivered nearly a 20% increase in production capacity. His leadership in implementing the “wire drop” winding process—nearly three times faster than traditional methods—has cut production costs by about 40%, directly strengthening the firm’s position in advanced manufacturing.
- Strategic Capital Expenditure and Scaling. A master of execution, Eduardo has played a leading role in more than $10 million in capital investment projects in the U.S. alone. These projects did not just add machines; they added capability. His oversight of duo core cutting technology enabled a 25% increase in production while simultaneously reducing raw material usage (copper, aluminum, and steel) by up to 16%, demonstrating that industrial growth can be both lean and sustainable.
- A Vision for 2029 and Beyond. Beyond the machines, Eduardo is a forward-thinking strategist. He is a lead engineer preparing Hitachi Energy’s manufacturing operations for the Department of Energy (DOE) 2029 Efficiency Standards, translating complex regulatory requirements into actionable factory-floor changes that keep the company ahead of the curve in delivering energy-efficient transformers with a lower carbon footprint.
A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with a background in mechanical and industrial engineering, Eduardo is recognized by his peers not just for his data-driven decision-making, but for his ability to build high-performing teams. He is more than a process engineer; he is a technologist whose leadership ensures that the infrastructure for a clean energy future is built with precision, efficiency, and measurable impact.
