About WBTO
We Boil The Ocean
Our students, our schools, and our manufacturing economy are worth the effort.
The driving force behind WBTO is envisioning a world where students gain lucrative manufacturing career opportunities — right out of high school. To accomplish our goal, we assembled industry professionals to collaborate with educators, bringing industry expertise to CTE classroom instructors.
Through these partnerships, WBTO bridges industry and education, empowering students while establishing a robust talent pipeline for the manufacturing sector.
Join us. Together, we can create meaningful connections, address larger challenges, and inspire a new generation of talent. We are dedicated to excellence, passionate about our work, and committed to making a difference.
Some people ask why we picked our name, “We Boil the Ocean.” Our answer? Our students, our schools, and our manufacturing economy are worth the effort.
Meet the Team
Chris Holden
Founder & Principal Consultant
Chris Holden is an experienced CEO and consultant with a passion for education and training in the manufacturing industry. He is the CEO of WBTO, LLC, a leading technical support services provider for the manufacturing and education sectors in the Pacific Northwest. With over a decade of experience as the owner of KCR Manufacturing, where he designed and manufactured firefighting equipment and provided specialized manufacturing services, and his time serving in various roles at Willamette Pattern Works, Inc., including Vice President and General Manager, Chris brings a wealth of experience to WBTO. Chris has received the Career and Technical Education Promising Practices Award from the Oregon Association for Career and Technical Education.
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Carol Egan
Education Expert
Carol Egan brings over 30 years of experience in K-18 systems as a teacher and district leader. She is a visionary and a “get things done” type of education coach, mentor, and advocate for students and school staff. Her innovation in education creates authentic learning experiences that prepare students for careers and college. As Director of the Center for Advanced Learning, she expanded CTE programs, summer camps, business partnerships, and industry-specific internships, while also receiving multiple grants. Carol is passionate about creating an educational environment that empowers students and teachers while encouraging their growth.
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Ashley Schaer
Fractional COO & Workforce Readiness
Ashley Schaer serves as WBTO's Fractional Chief Operating Officer. Her expertise in business management and leadership development is essential in promoting manufacturing education and workforce development in the Pacific Northwest. Ashley provides our workforce readiness training to ensure students are prepared with the interpersonal skills needed by industry. She works collaboratively with multiple community partners, analyzes and evaluates practices, and makes recommendations to improve processes and procedures.
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Wayne Ikola
Industry Partnerships
Wayne Ikola is a seasoned manufacturing professional, employer partnerships specialist, and relationship builder with 37 years of experience at Cascade Corporation, starting in his father's machine shop. Wayne brings deep knowledge in production management, quality management, and process improvement. His role involves developing employer partnerships, expanding student opportunities in manufacturing, and building connections with his vast network. He has also served on advisory committees at MHCC.
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Brad Scott
Industry Partnerships
Brad Scott has 45 years of experience in the Investment Casting Industry, having held positions including Engineering Program Manager and Rapid Prototyping Team Manager. He has worked with global customers in aerospace, medical, land-based gas turbine engines, and pump/compressor industries, gaining valuable insight into employers' needs and next-generation skills. At WBTO, Brad builds employer partnerships and aligns programs with industry standards, expanding opportunities for students.
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Sean Squires
CTE Instructor Training & Support
Sean Squires specializes in providing technical support and training to CTE instructors, with over 25 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. Starting at Viking Industries after attending MHCC for electrical engineering, Sean later worked at Freightliner and Jones Heavy Equipment, earning his AAS in machine tool technology in 1998. He rose from machinist assistant to CNC machine programmer at Cascade Corporation, earned his BAS in business administration in 2014, and recently retired from Cascade after 25 years of service.
Brandon Roberts
Fractional CFO
Brandon serves as WBTO's Fractional CFO, providing financial oversight built on extensive experience in accounting and financial management. With expertise in managing accounting operations, analyzing financial data, and developing budgets and projections, Brandon helps ensure WBTO has a sound financial footing to carry out its mission of promoting manufacturing education and workforce development in the Pacific Northwest.
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Cassandra Chilson
Accounting Expert
Cassandra Chilson is a skilled tax preparer and bookkeeper with extensive experience in payroll, tax preparation, and bookkeeping. She has worked for several accounting firms, including Neumann Curtis CPAs and Fischer, Hayes, Joye & Allen LLC, and currently runs her own bookkeeping business, Bravura Bookkeeping. Her expertise supports WBTO's efforts to improve manufacturing education and workforce development in the Pacific Northwest.
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Tom Sage
Engineering Consultant
Tom Sage is a highly experienced consulting engineer and owner of Sage Machine Design with over 24 years in the field. He has provided expertise to companies including Metalcraft Fabrication and Premier Gear and Machine Works, been a member/partner of KCR Manufacturing, and an engineer at the Rokenbok Toy Company. Tom supports WBTO through engineering projects and repairing equipment in high school manufacturing programs.
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Anthony Deblock
Manufacturing Consultant
Anthony Deblock is an experienced manufacturing professional with a passion for CNC programming and production supervision. He has held key positions at KCR Manufacturing, Willamette Pattern Works, and WATERAX. As President of Deblock Manufacturing and CNC Programmer at Rantech, Anthony has deep expertise in Mastercam and Fusion 360. At WBTO, he provides equipment repair, project development, technical support, and curriculum development.
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Brent Thompson
CNC Service & Repair
Brent Thompson owns Northwest CNC Service & Repair, providing CNC maintenance, service, and repair. He previously served as a Service Engineer at Selway Machine Tool Company and as a Machine Shop Supervisor at Haas Automation for over 14 years. Brent supports WBTO's mission by repairing machine tools and manufacturing equipment in high schools and partner employers throughout the Pacific Northwest.
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Ricardo Gonzalez
CNC Machinist & Program Facilitator
Ricardo Gonzalez, an experienced CNC machinist and manufacturing engineer in the aerospace and commercial machining industries for over a decade, joined WBTO as a program facilitator and CNC mentor. He teaches high school students the basics of manufacturing engineering and CNC machining, focusing on CAD/CAM work, SolidWorks, and G&M code, including reading and writing G&M code by hand. He collaborated with a robotics and AR/VR team on a project to create a 3D camera mount for an RC car.
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