EWI, the Columbus, Ohio–based nonprofit engineering and technology organization, has announced the appointment of Stephen “Steve” Kelly as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Kelly succeeds Henry Cialone, who has retired after a long and impactful tenure leading the organization.
Kelly brings decades of senior leadership experience across a broad spectrum of organizations, ranging from early-stage ventures and mid-sized growth companies to large, complex institutions. His career has been defined by building innovation-driven teams, scaling applied research capabilities, and aligning technology development with real-world industry needs.
Most recently, Kelly served as Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Innovation Institute, where he played a central role in establishing the organization from the ground up. Under his leadership, the institute was developed into a functioning applied research entity focused on bridging the gap between advanced research and industrial adoption. His experience in creating collaborative ecosystems between industry, government and academia closely aligns with EWI’s mission and operating model.
EWI is widely recognized for its work in helping manufacturers solve complex technical challenges, particularly in areas such as welding, joining, additive manufacturing, materials engineering and advanced production processes. As a nonprofit organization, EWI partners with companies across multiple industries to accelerate innovation, reduce risk, and shorten the time required to bring new products and processes to market.
Kelly’s appointment comes at a time when manufacturers are facing increasing pressure to adopt new technologies, improve productivity and respond to rapidly changing market demands. His background in applied research leadership and organizational growth is expected to support EWI’s continued evolution as a technology partner to industry, while strengthening its role in advanced manufacturing innovation.
The transition also marks the conclusion of Henry Cialone’s leadership chapter at EWI. During his tenure, Cialone helped shape EWI’s reputation as a trusted engineering resource, expanded its technical capabilities, and reinforced its industry-focused, problem-solving approach. His leadership played a key role in positioning EWI as a bridge between emerging technologies and practical manufacturing deployment.
With Kelly stepping into the President and CEO role, EWI aims to build on this foundation while exploring new opportunities to expand its impact. The organization will continue to focus on enabling manufacturers to integrate new processes, overcome production challenges and achieve faster, more efficient commercialization of innovative technologies.
EWI stated that Kelly’s combination of strategic vision, hands-on leadership experience and deep understanding of applied research environments makes him well positioned to guide the organization through its next phase of growth and industry engagement.
