Aaron Brandt is President and CEO of Hypertherm Associates, a 100% employee-owned ESOP corporation and global manufacturer of industrial cutting solutions, headquartered in Hanover, NH. First joining the company as a design engineer over 25 years ago, Aaron held positions in engineering management before becoming General Manager of the Heavy Industrial Plasma Systems team. In this role he participated in the development of products and technologies that continue to lead the industry today. In 2014, Aaron joined the executive management team, providing leadership to enterprise product and technology development, and general management of the company’s software, laser, and waterjet businesses. In 2024 he was named President and COO, and in 2025 became Hypertherm Associates’ third CEO since its founding in 1968. Aaron received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State and holds numerous US patents. He was recently welcomed to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s New England Advisory Council to represent the needs of businesses in New England.

In addition to being passionate about technology and manufacturing, Aaron is a strong supporter of employee ownership and the positive effect a purpose-led business can have on the people and the communities it serves. Hypertherm Associates’ purpose statement, “Innovating together to build a better future, for all,” encapsulates Aaron’s vision to utilize the company’s industry-leading innovation mindset for triple-bottom-line impact.