A new director of the Iowa Manufacturing Technology Center has been selected.

Willem Bakker, chairman of Manufacturing Systems, Inc. and ERS-Tech, Inc. in Peoria, Ill., assumed the position Sunday for the Ankeny-based center.

Bakker’s new position is a testament of his accomplished resume, said Stan Johnson, vice provost of Extension, in a press release.

“Willem Bakker brings an excellent background in manufacturing to the Iowa Manufacturing Technology Center,” Johnson said. “He has a strong record both in the human and technical issues that manufacturers deal with daily.”

Johnson added that Bakker’s appointment “should come as exciting news for all small and mid-sized manufacturers in the state.”

The press release states that Manufacturing System Services, Inc., which Bakker founded in 1993, designs, repairs and services factory automation.

In 1989 Bakker founded ERS-Tech Inc., a company that develops and markets human-performance assessment systems and other medical devices.

Bakker has served as vice president of Advanced Technology Services, Inc. from 1989 to 1993. He also was vice president of the TransTechnology Corporation from 1972 to 1988.

The Iowa Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) is managed by Iowa State University Extension. The company provides technical and business assistance to small and mid-sized manufacturers.