Matthew Chang
Founder
An expert in advanced manufacturing and autonomous systems, Matthew founded Chang Robotics in 2017 and has led projects from autonomous mass transit to fully autonomous manufacturing.
Our Story
Built on Conviction. Driven by Engineering.
We're a Christ-centered engineering firm building Factory 5.0 automation for American manufacturing. This page is who we are and why.
Chang Robotics exists because American manufacturing deserves better engineering.
Matthew Chang and his founding partners, Kate McAfoose and Ross Barnard, built their careers on factory floors, in plants that run around the clock and can't afford systems that don't.
Across those years they kept meeting the same problem: integrators selling whatever hardware they made, proposals shaped around the vendor's margin instead of the floor, and systems that worked in the demo, struggled in production, and had no one left on site to make the numbers real.
So Matthew, a licensed Professional Engineer, founded Chang Robotics in 2017 to work the other way around: start with the problem, pick the best technology no matter who makes it, stay through commissioning and beyond, and put the company's name on every project.
Statement of Faith
Chang Robotics is a Christian company with a biblical worldview.
Leadership
The Team Behind the Mission
Ross Barnard
Chief Technology Officer
Sixteen years delivering autonomous vehicle and automation projects for Coca-Cola and top food and beverage companies.
Kate McAfoose
President
A licensed Professional Engineer and executive who led the world's largest autonomous vehicle fleet in manufacturing, and was named Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Technology.
Phil Hudgens
CFO
Leads the Chang Robotics finance team and serves as General Partner of the Chang Robotics Fund, after an investment banking career with Credit Suisse and Standard Chartered.
Dr. Tim Wei
Chief Scientist
Former dean of engineering whose research has secured millions in grant funding across thirty years in industry and academia.
Dr. Don Capener
Chief Strategy & Culture Officer
Co-founded Above the Rim and brings forty years across industry and academia to Chang Robotics strategy and culture.
Philip Blackwelder
Vice President of Engineering
Twenty-seven years leading automation programs, including directing large-scale ASRS systems from storage through WES integration.
Dorsett Watson
Robotics Solutions Engineer
Over seven years deploying autonomous mobile robots, including an 80-plus AMR, multi-site deployment for Keurig Dr Pepper and systems for Coca-Cola.
Joe Tenga
Chief Information Officer
Thirty-five years in IT across healthcare, transportation, and e-payments, now leading cybersecurity strategy and AI development at Chang Robotics.
Mission & Values
What We Build On
Chang Robotics is a Christ-centered company. That is the foundation of how we work, who we hire, and why we hold the standard we do.
- Value / 01
Generosity
We strive to be go-givers. Business trains people to give to get: give to potential clients so you can expect new business in return. We agree, with one exception: we give to give. If we live by the golden rule and believe in the goodness of humanity to pay it forward, we need nothing in return for our giving.
- Value / 02
Diversity
Diversity is not a corporate strategy; it is an attitude. We value diversity above conventional performance metrics, and the result is a winning team that accomplishes more. Men should be surrounded by women and women by men, and no one should look around the room and see only themselves.
- Value / 03
Mentorship
Mentorship is a cornerstone of who we are. We should all have mentors and mentor the next generation, and often the mentor receives as much from the exchange as the mentee. Mentorship keeps us humble and grateful, reminding us we did not make it on our own. We are proud supporters of marketplace ministry through Lifework Leadership.
- Value / 04
Integrity
Our team members seek to always do the right thing. We treat our customers, partners, suppliers, and third parties fairly and transparently. We honor our commitments. We value integrity in everything that we do.
- Value / 05
Exceptional Accountability
We are committed to exceptional accountability, working ethically and effectively. We take a collegial approach to problem solving and demand mutual respect when compromise is required. We honor the resources our clients entrust to us, fulfill our responsibilities, and recognize our collective successes.
- Value / 06
Innovative Thinking
We constantly challenge the status quo while using best practices. That combination leads to innovative thinking: a fresh view of the problem and creative alternatives to the conventional solution, for problems that have never been solved before.
American-Owned.
American-Focused.
Built for American Factories. By Americans.
We are American engineers building for American manufacturers.
This is about proximity. We understand the labor market, the regulatory environment, the reshoring pressures, and the operational culture of U.S. manufacturing because we live it. Every day. On your floor.
OriginUSA
HQJacksonville, FL
Now You Know Who We Are. Tell Us What You're Building.
Tell us what you're trying to solve. We'll tell you what automation can and can't fix.