Five industry professionals recognized for their contributions to leadership, engineering, operations, mentorship, and innovation at PVIC 2026.
The Empowering Industry Awards celebrate the individuals who are making a difference across the industrial community. From improving equipment reliability and advancing engineering solutions to mentoring future leaders, these professionals demonstrate the knowledge, dedication, and leadership that keep our industry moving forward.
Announced at the 2026 Pumps & Valves Innovation Conference (PVIC), this year’s awards recognize five outstanding professionals whose work reflects the importance of innovation, collaboration, and workforce development.
We are proud to announce the 2026 Empowering Industry Award winners and share more about the people behind these achievements.
Industry Person of the Year:
Nick Mallas
Vice President, Americas | simatec, inc.
With more than 15 years of experience in industrial maintenance solutions, Nick Mallas has built his career around helping manufacturers improve equipment reliability, optimize lubrication practices, and reduce maintenance costs.
His background spans production, maintenance, engineering, on-site service, business development, and sales management, giving him a broad understanding of the challenges industrial teams face every day.
As Vice President, Americas at simatec, Nick supports customers and business operations with a focus on practical lubrication solutions that improve long-term equipment performance. His approach emphasizes strong partnerships, accountability, and helping maintenance professionals achieve meaningful results.
Nick’s commitment to supporting the people and equipment that keep industrial facilities running makes him a fitting recipient of the 2026 Industry Person of the Year Award.
Operator of the Year:
Nadine Tribur
Senior Director | FTI Consulting
Nadine Tribur, PE, MBA, brings 20 years of experience working with owner-operators, engineering, procurement and construction firms, and organizations across oil and gas, construction, and other capital-intensive industries.
Throughout her career, Nadine has led complex engineering operations, including an organization of more than 500 professionals.
Her experience has given her firsthand insight into the challenges created by disconnected systems, processes, and information.
At FTI Consulting, Nadine helps organizations connect technology, information, and business processes to improve decision-making, operational efficiency, and access to critical information. Her work addresses challenges that can contribute to safety risks, compliance issues, costly rework, and operational inefficiencies.
Through her focus on practical solutions and connected operations, Nadine demonstrates the leadership and operational expertise recognized by the 2026 Operator of the Year Award.
Engineer of the Year:
Victor C. Machie
Reliability Engineer | Evonik
Victor Chukwudi Machie is an engineering professional with more than 12 years of experience across manufacturing, power generation, oil and gas, and marine industries.
As a Reliability Engineer at Evonik, Victor specializes in predictive maintenance, failure analysis, mechanical integrity, and asset management strategies. His work focuses on improving equipment performance, safety, and availability through preventive maintenance optimization, root cause analysis, and data-driven reliability practices.
Victor holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a Master of Science in Engineering Technology, and an MBA. He is also a professional member of the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals and the American Society for Quality.
His professional recognition includes being named a 2026 Reliability Champion finalist, receiving the 2025–2026 QAHE Outstanding Educator Award, and being recognized as Most Innovative Reliability Engineering Leader 2026 (USA) by Acquisition International.
Beyond his technical accomplishments, Victor is passionate about mentoring young engineers and encouraging continuous improvement. His dedication to advancing reliability practices and developing future engineering talent makes him a deserving recipient of the 2026 Engineer of the Year Award.
Emerging Leader of the Year:
Abubakar Rashid
Senior R&D Engineer, New Product
Development, Turbomachinery & Systems | Flowserve Corporation
Abubakar Rashid has turned a lifelong curiosity about how things work into a
career advancing pump and turbomachinery technology.
He began his professional journey in a large petrochemical complex, gaining hands-on experience in maintenance, equipment diagnostics, preventive and predictive maintenance, and root cause analysis. Wanting to better understand the engineering and design behind rotating equipment, he pursued a master’s degree in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University, focusing on turbomachinery performance and reliability.
Today, Abubakar works in new product development at Flowserve Corporation, where he combines engineering fundamentals, analytical thinking, and cross-functional collaboration to improve equipment performance and processes.
Abubakar is also passionate about mentoring young engineers and exploring the potential of artificial intelligence in rotating equipment design, diagnostics, and reliability.
His curiosity, technical contributions, and commitment to continuous improvement represent the qualities recognized by the 2026 Emerging Leader of the Year Award
Mentor of the Year:
Jackie Herrera
Chief Marketing Officer and Bridgebuilder | ChasmBridge
Jackie Herrera, also known professionally as Jaclyn Herrera, is a strategic marketing leader focused on helping businesses navigate growth, transformation, and new market opportunities.
As Chief Marketing Officer and Bridgebuilder at ChasmBridge, Jackie works with organizations seeking to strengthen their market position, improve revenue performance, and manage significant business or cultural change.
Her experience includes brand management, customer experience strategy, lead generation, and business development.
Throughout her career, she has helped organizations identify new revenue opportunities, improve customer engagement, and develop strategies that deliver measurable results. Her leadership has earned recognition across business, marketing, product launches, and industry projects.
Through her focus on building connections, guiding organizations through change, and developing strategies for long-term success, Jackie represents the leadership and relationship-building values celebrated by the 2026 Mentor of the Year Award.
Recognizing the People Who Move Industry Forward
The 2026 Empowering Industry Award winners represent the diverse expertise and dedication that drive progress across our industry. Their contributions extend beyond their individual roles, influencing equipment reliability, operational performance, engineering innovation, professional development, and industry collaboration.
Congratulations to Nick Mallas, Nadine Tribur, Victor C. Machie, Abubakar Rashid, and Jackie Herrera on their well-deserved recognition!
