The FABRICATOR - Biographies
The foremost authority on metal fabricating technology
Dan Davis – Editor-in-Chief
Dan Davis is editor-in-chief of The FABRICATOR, the industry's most widely circulated metal fabricating and forming
magazine, and its sister publications, STAMPING Journal, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal, and Practical Welding Today. He
has been with the publication since April 2002.
He has written about U.S. manufacturing trends and issues for more than a decade. During that time, he has covered
appliance manufacturing, the finishing industry, and manufacturing and business software development. During those
years he has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe, visiting manufacturing facilities and attending the
world's most important manufacturing events.
He is a 1990 Louisiana State University journalism graduate. He lives with his wife and two children in Crystal Lake, Ill.
Tim Heston – Senior Editor
Tim Heston, The FABRICATOR’s senior editor, has covered the metal fabrication industry since 1998, starting his career
at the American Welding Society’s Welding Journal. Since then he has covered the full range of metal fabrication
processes, from stamping, bending, and cutting to grinding and polishing. He joined The FABRICATOR's staff in
October 2007. In 2000 Tim received a Silver Award of Excellence from the Florida Magazine Association for a technical feature about manufacturing brass musical instruments, and in 2005 Tim received another editorial award for his
coverage of adaptive welding. He is a 1996 graduate of Ohio University’s E. W. Scripps School of Journalism.
Michael Bishop – Assistant Editor
Michael Bishop joined the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl., earlier this year as assistant editor for The
FABRICATOR, STAMPING Journal, TPJ-The Tube & Pipe Journal, and Practical Welding Today. He produces the publications'
Industry News and Product News sections. His duties with The FABRICATOR include coordinating the Product
Highlights and Applications sections and writing editorial items for The Back Page.
Michael graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from Illinois State University in 2006. He previously has
written for Illinois State University's student newspaper and worked part-time in the sports department for the
Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Ill.
Stephen Barlas – Freelance Writer - Around Washington
Stephen Barlas has covered Washington for The FABRICATOR for nearly nine years. He has also reported from the
Capitol for numerous other trade and professional magazines since he became a full-time freelancer in 1981. From
the start, he has followed numerous EPA rulemakings in the area of toxic substances and air and water emissions,
particularly where they affect metals and solvents. Another longtime area of expertise is OSHA's workplace standard
rulemakings, which have affected electrical and cutting machinery, and use of metalworking solvents.
Gerald Davis – Contributing Writer - Precision Matters
Gerald Davis is a native of Denver, attended the University of Northern Colorado, served in the U.S. Navy as a data
systems technician, and was the president of DSM Manufacturing from 1988 to 2003. In his career, he has worked as
a machine operator, business owner, and designer. He is very familiar with metal cutting lasers, CNC punching,
milling, press brake operation, lathe work, and stereolithographic apparatus. He started writing the monthly column
"Precision Matters" for The FABRICATOR magazine in 2002, and his book, Wise Business Words, is based on the first
three years of those columns.
Amy Nickel – Contributing Editor
Amy Nickel has worked for FMA Communications for 18 years. After working for eight years in the office as assistant
editor, associate editor, and senior editor for FMA's publications and as editor of its books, she switched to working
from home while raising her three sons. As contributing editor, Amy sorts press releases, edits articles and releases,
transcribes interviews, and takes on other assignments to support the editorial department. Amy holds a bachelor’s
degree in English from Rockford College.
