Rise Robotics names Ken Gray VP of Business Development

Rise Robotics, a developer of electric linear actuation solutions, has announced that Ken Gray has joined the company as vice president of Business Development. Gray brings his extensive background in construction and mining equipment innovation to the role, which oversees the expansion and commercialization of Rise technology in industrial applications through collaborations with key heavy equipment manufacturing partners.

Gray has spent more than 25 years in senior product and innovation roles at Caterpillar in the U.S., Asia and Europe. He was involved with the development of Caterpillar’s first hybrid construction machine. In his more than three decades of experience developing, manufacturing, marketing, and supporting construction and mining equipment, Gray established an extensive global network among heavy equipment customers and dealers. Prior to being named Caterpillar’s first Global Director of Innovation, Gray held worldwide P&L responsibility for their large and small excavator product lines.

“Ken Gray has been leading the effort to improve the efficiency of heavy machinery for more than a decade,” said Arron Acosta, CEO of Rise Robotics, Somerville, Mass. “We are thrilled to welcome Ken to our mission as he lends his incredible experience to unlocking new possibilities for Rise technology.”

“Imagine a machine without pumps, valves, blocks, tubes, hoses and seals that uses one-quarter of the energy of the best of today’s machines. Imagine no leaks, no fuel, no emissions. Imagine a machine that’s remarkably quiet and out-lifts, out-digs and operates smoother than anything that’s ever been built,” said Gray. “Rise Robotics’ mission is to enable that imagination to become reality. I’m excited to partner with the team and board to make Rise technology synonymous with Solid-State Hydraulics.”

Gray holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in mechanical engineering from Bradley University and has completed executive development programs at Bradley University, the Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Lausanne, Switzerland, Singularity University and Stanford University.

Designed for medium- and heavy-duty applications, Rise said its cylinder provides fuel and emissions reductions, improves productivity and extends machine life.