# TOM KOPERA GETS STERN PINBALL POSITION

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2021-06-20  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2021/06/20/tom-kopera-gets-stern-pinball-position

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## Analysis

Stern Pinball has appointed Tom Kopera as Director of Mechanical Engineering, effective June 2021. Kopera brings 25+ years of coin-op and pinball design experience, including work on iconic Williams titles (Johnny Mnemonic, NBA Fastbreak, Cactus Canyon) and extensive contract work at Stern (The Rolling Stones, toppers, backbox designs). In his new role, he will oversee mechanical engineering, the whitewood lab, model shop, and bill of materials group, reporting to George Gomez.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] Tom Kopera designed mechanical features on Johnny Mnemonic (ball-catching glove) and NBA Fastbreak (basketball shooter) — _Official Stern announcement and pinballnews.com article citing patent records and historical Williams titles_
- [HIGH] Tom Kopera co-designed Cactus Canyon with Matt Coriale as Williams' final traditional-style pinball before Pinball 2000 format — _Article states this was preparation for P2000 platform launch; confirmed in official announcement_
- [HIGH] Kopera created the metal backbox and display panel designs currently used in all Stern games — _Article explicitly states these are 'currently used' in all Stern titles; official announcement confirms extensive contract work_
- [HIGH] Kopera designed all Stern toppers up to The Munsters — _Directly stated in article; consistent across both article and official announcement_
- [HIGH] George Gomez brought Kopera to Midway Games to design video games, then recruited him to Williams/Bally for pinball work — _Article establishes long working relationship: 'brought into Midway Games by George Gomez'; followed him to Williams/Bally_
- [HIGH] Kopera holds 24 US Patents — _Official Stern announcement explicitly states '24 US Patents'_

### Notable Quotes

> "Tom's leadership will help support all of our efforts as we continue to grow the company and continue to produce the most fun and revolutionary pinball machines in the world"
> — **George Gomez**, June 18, 2021 announcement
> _Official endorsement from EVP/CCO emphasizing continuity of design philosophy and company growth trajectory under Kopera's technical leadership_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Tom Kopera | person | Veteran mechanical engineer with 25+ years in coin-op and pinball; newly appointed Director of Mechanical Engineering at Stern Pinball |
| George Gomez | person | EVP and Chief Creative Officer at Stern Pinball; long-time collaborator with Kopera spanning Midway Games, Williams/Bally, and Stern |
| Stern Pinball | company | Major pinball manufacturer; appointed Kopera as Director of Mechanical Engineering with oversight of engineering, whitewood lab, model shop, and BOM group |
| Matt Coriale | person | Co-designer of Cactus Canyon with Tom Kopera at Williams Electronics |
| Johnny Mnemonic | game | Williams pinball title featuring Kopera's ball-catching glove mechanical design |
| NBA Fastbreak | game | Williams pinball title featuring Kopera's basketball shooter device mechanism |
| Cactus Canyon | game | Final traditional-style Williams pinball game before Pinball 2000 format; co-designed by Kopera and Coriale |
| The Rolling Stones | game | Stern pinball title designed by Tom Kopera |
| The Beatles: Beatlemania Pinball | game | Stern pinball title project-engineered by Tom Kopera |
| Elvira's House of Horrors | game | Stern pinball title project-engineered by Tom Kopera |
| The Munsters | game | Stern pinball title; final game for which Kopera designed toppers before new appointment |
| Williams Electronics | company | Historic pinball manufacturer where Kopera worked as mechanical engineer and game designer; later closed pinball division |
| Midway Games | company | Earlier employer where Kopera worked on video game design under George Gomez |
| iLight Technologies | company | Company where Kopera served as Chief Operating Officer prior to Stern appointment |
| Kopera Design & Engineering | company | Kopera's own consulting/design firm prior to joining Stern as full-time Director |
| Pinball 2000 | product | Williams platform innovation that succeeded Cactus Canyon; represented shift from traditional mechanical pinball design |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Personnel move / organizational structure, Mechanical engineering and design leadership, Stern Pinball company growth and operations
- **Secondary:** Historical Williams/Bally game design legacy, Manufacturing and design infrastructure (whitewood lab, model shop, BOM), Leadership continuity under George Gomez

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Announcement is straightforward and celebratory in tone. Emphasizes Kopera's extensive experience, deep relationship with George Gomez, and 24 US patents. No criticism or concerns raised. Positioning focuses on his qualifications and potential to support company growth.

### Signals

- **[business_signal]** Stern Pinball formalizing mechanical engineering leadership structure and consolidating design infrastructure oversight under single director (confidence: high) — New position combines oversight of mechanical engineering, whitewood lab, model shop, and bill of materials group—suggesting organizational consolidation or expansion of engineering discipline
- **[community_signal]** Stern continuing pattern of hiring industry veterans with deep mechanical design expertise and pinball pedigree (confidence: medium) — George Gomez's confidence statement emphasizes Kopera's experience supporting 'continued growth' and production of 'most fun and revolutionary pinball machines'; suggests commitment to design innovation leadership
- **[personnel_signal]** Tom Kopera appointed as Director of Mechanical Engineering at Stern Pinball, representing senior leadership expansion in core engineering disciplines (confidence: high) — Official announcement June 18, 2021; Kopera transitioning from independent consulting to full-time role overseeing mechanical engineering, whitewood lab, model shop, and BOM group

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## Transcript

Stern Pinball have announced that Tom Kopera has been appointed as their new Director of Mechanical Engineering.

![Tom Kopera, Stern Pinball's new Director of Mechanical Engineering](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/news/tom-kopera-stern/01-tom-kopera-stern.jpg)

Tom Kopera, Stern Pinball’s new Director of Mechanical Engineering

Tom is no stranger to coin-op, pinball or indeed Stern, having been brought into Midway Games to help design video games by a certain George Gomez, now Stern Pinball’s EVP and Chief Creative Officer.

When George moved to Williams/Bally to design pinballs, Tom joined him there as a Mechanical Engineer to create mechanisms such as the ball-catching, moving glove on Johnny Mnemonic and the basketball shooter device in NBA Fastbreak. When Williams were looking for a new game designer prior to the launch of their Pinball 2000 platform, Tom teamed up with Matt Coriale to create Cactus Canyon which was to be the company’s final traditional-style game before the Pinball 2000 format was adopted.

When Williams closed their pinball division, Tom moved to their gaming division designing top box and interactive features for their slot machine.

Tom has also worked extensively under contract at Stern Pinball where he designed The Rolling Stones, created the metal backbox and display panel designs which are currently used in all Stern’s games, designed all their toppers up to The Munsters and project engineered their The Beatles: Beatlemania Pinball and Elvira’s House of Horrors titles.

As Stern Pinball’s Director or Mechanical Engineering Tom will not only head-up the Mechanical Engineering section but also be in charge of the Whitewood Lab, the Model Shop, and the Bill of Materials Group. His new appointment begins with immediate effect.

Here’s Stern Pinball’s announcement of Tom’s appointment:

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| CHICAGO, IL – June 18, 2021 – Stern Pinball, Inc. is pleased to announce that Tom Kopera will be joining us as Director of Mechanical Engineering, effective immediately. In his new role, Tom will lead mechanical engineering, the whitewood lab, the model shop, and the bill of materials group. Tom brings a wealth of leadership and hands on experience, both as an engineer and as an executive overseeing large development efforts. Prior to launching Kopera Design & Engineering, Tom served as Chief Operating Officer for iLight Technologies and held a series of directly relevant roles such as: Director of the Top Box Studio at WMS Games, Director of Mechanical Engineering at Midway Games, and Project Engineer on numerous Williams Electronics pinball titles. Tom has also been the Game Designer on several pinball titles including Williams Electronics “Cactus Canyon” and our own “The Rolling Stones”. In addition to his experience with coin operated games, he has also designed products in complex and diverse development environments; including sophisticated CAT and MRI systems for military and NASA applications, industrial equipment, closed-loop electro-mechanical products, hand held educational devices, consumer products and highly regulated vehicle products. He also holds 24 US Patents. “Tom’s leadership will help support all of our efforts as we continue to grow the company and continue to produce the most fun and revolutionary pinball machines in the world,” said George Gomez, EVP and Chief Creative Officer. About Stern Pinball, Inc. Stern Pinball, Inc. is a global lifestyle brand based on the iconic and outrageously fun modern American game of pinball. Headquartered minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in the heart of North America, the company creates, designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and distributes a full line of technologically advanced terrestrial and digital pinball games, parts, accessories, and merchandise. Stern Pinball serves digital, consumer, commercial, and corporate markets around the globe. Recent Stern Pinball titles include The Mandalorian, Led Zeppelin, Avengers: Infinity Quest, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Stranger Things, Elvira’s House of Horrors, Jurassic Park, Black Knight: Sword of Rage, The Munsters, The Beatles, Deadpool, Iron Maiden, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars, Aerosmith, Ghostbusters, KISS, Metallica, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Star Trek, AC/DC, Batman, and Spider-Man. A broad range of players enjoy Stern Pinball’s games from professional pinball players who compete in high-stakes competitions around the globe to novice players who are discovering the allure of the silver ball for the first time. To join the fun and learn more, please visit www.sternpinball.com. |
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_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: 43764e71-1946-40ab-afa8-c9cfb9a3a7dc*