United States Mint Director David J. Ryder announced that Sculptor-Engraver Joe Menna has been named Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.

Menna joined the Mint in 2005, and he brings 32 years of professional experience and classical training to the position. He was the first full-time digitally skilled artist hired by the UnitedStates Mint. Menna was instrumental in the development of the United States Mint's first digitally sculpted coins and continues to distinguish himself as a leader in this constantly evolvingcraft.

Prior to joining the Mint, Menna worked as a sculptor and instructor at the Johnson Atelier Fine Art Foundry in Mercer County, N.J., creating life-sized figures and working digitally on projectsfor a variety of clients. Concurrently, he pursued his own sculpting and created many works, notably a seven-foot tall cupro-nickel statue for the Grounds for Sculpture and a temporary 30-foot tallmonument for the Hamilton train station in Hamilton, N.J.

His work has won multiple Krause Publications' Coin of the Year awards in various categories. Menna has been honored both for coins he sculpted and designed, and for coins he sculpted from otherartists' designs. In addition to his work at the United States Mint, he maintains an active freelance career in toys and collectibles, and he is recognized as one of the world's leading practitionersof digital sculpture.

Menna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of the Arts, a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the New York Academy of Art, with post- graduate study atthe Saint Petersburg Stieglitz State Academy of Art and Design in St. Petersburg, Russia. His continuing professional education includes studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art, the SculptureCenter, and the Art Students League.

To read the complete press release, see:
Joe Menna Named Chief Engraver of the United States Mint(https://www.usmint.gov/news/press-releases/joe-menna-named-chief-engraver)

To read the complete article, see:
Joseph Menna brings his unique portfolio of talents to the position of chiefengraver (https://mintnewsblog.com/joseph-menna-brings-his-unique-portfolio-of-talents-to-the-position-of-chief-engraver/)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
JOESPH MENNA: DESIGNER OF WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON DOLLAR COIN PORTRAITS (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n49a21.html)
U.S. MINT PROFILES MEDALLIC SCULPTOR JOSEPH MENNA (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v17n51a16.html)
VIDEO: U.S. MINT SCULPTOR JOSEPH MENNA (https://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n11a14.html)