STEP Awards recognize women in manufacturing.

Press Release Summary:



The Manufacturing Institute, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, University of Phoenix, and Deloitte announced recipients of first Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Awards, which honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of manufacturing industry, from factory-floor to C suite. Awards are part of larger STEP Ahead initiative launched to examine and promote the role of women in manufacturing.



Original Press Release:



Women in Manufacturing STEP Awards Recognize 122 Women for Excellence in Manufacturing



WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The Manufacturing Institute, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, University of Phoenix, and Deloitte today announced the recipients of the first Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Awards. The inaugural STEP Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in their careers and represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory-floor to the C suite.



“These 122 women are the faces of exciting careers in manufacturing,” said Jennifer McNelly, president, The Manufacturing Institute. “We chose to honor these women because they each made significant achievements in manufacturing through positive impact on their company and the industry as a whole.”



The STEP Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative launched to examine and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and best practices for attracting, advancing, and retaining strong female talent.



“The STEP Ahead initiative was founded to change perceptions of the manufacturing industry and create new opportunities for women in the sector,” said Latondra Newton, group vice president at Toyota Motor North America, Inc. and chairwoman of the STEP Ahead initiative. “This initiative is the call for action to transform the face of today's manufacturing talent and ensure that women can contribute to the future of this industry.”



“The stories of these 122 women—and the leadership they demonstrate in a diversity of careers—are also meant to inspire the next generation of women leaders in manufacturing,” said Tim Welsh, SVP National Industry Strategy Group, University of Phoenix. “We must empower today’s leaders to help attract and educate our future workforce to keep our manufacturing base and our economy competitive.”



A recent survey from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute found that nearly 70 percent of American manufacturing companies have a moderate to severe shortage of available, qualified workers. Manufacturing companies cannot fill as many as 600,000 skilled positions, even as unemployment numbers hover at historically high levels.



“As the nation emerges from the recession, we know that manufacturing is critical to our economy, and critical to the success of each manufacturer is a high-quality workforce,” said Mark C. Tomlinson, executive director/CEO, SME. “By telling the stories of real women in manufacturing, we not only will celebrate great careers, but also make a profound public statement about the significance of manufacturing.”



On February 5, The Manufacturing Institute and its STEP Ahead initiative partners will recognize the 122 recipients of the STEP Awards at a reception in Washington, D.C. The STEP Awards program will highlight each honoree’s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.



2013 STEP Award recipients include:

Karla Aaron                          Hialeah Metal Spinning, Inc.                                   Hialeah, FL

Lorrie Acord                         Pelco Products Inc.                                                  Edmond, OK

Susan Adams                      Able Manufacturing & Assembly, LLC                  Joplin, MO

Tracy Albers                         GrafTech International                                             Parma, OH

Amy Alberts                          Plexus                                                                       Neenah, WI

Deb Anderson                      Summers Manufacturing Co., Inc.                         Maddock, ND

Cathy Bailey                         Modine Manufacturing Company                           Trenton, MO

Connie Baker                       RoyOMartin                                                              Alexandria, LA

Jennifer Bare                        ConMed Linvatec                                                    Largo, FL

Teresa Beach-Shelow         Superior Joining Technologies, Inc.                      Machesney Park, IL

Christine Benz                      TRUMPF Inc.                                                            Farmington, CT

Ruby Bernard                        Eastman Chemical Company                                Kingsport, TN

Allison Blodig                        Bio-Microbics, Inc.                                                   Shawnee, KS

Diane Bond                           Commercial Vehicle Group, Inc.                            Edgewood, IA

Donna Bossman                   Ingersoll Rand                                                          La Crosse, WI

Sharon Bower                       ConocoPhillips                                                         Houston, TX

Norma Byron                          Ashlawn Energy, LLC                                             Painesville, OH

Margaret Cannon                  Eastman Chemical Company                                Kingsport, TN

Mary Jo Cartwright                Batesville Casket Company                                   Manchester, TN

Dawn Cavaliere                     LivingHR                                                                   Tampa, FL

Laurie Chandley                    Southeastern Container, Inc                                    Enka, NC

Lin Chape                              Vermeer Corporation                                               Pella, IA

Andrea Chavez                     Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp                    Boulder, CO

Terri Chicosky                       LAMATEK                                                                 West Deptford, NJ

Raquel Chole                        Dudek & Bock Spring Manufacturing Co.              Chicago, IL

Nancy Cole                            NCC Engineering                                                     Fernandina Beach, FL

Martha Collins                       Air Products                                                               Allentown, PA

Molly Conn                             HOERBIGER Corporation of America                   Pompano Beach, FL

Colleen Wood Cordova       Kennametal, Inc.                                                        Latrobe, PA

Cathy Costanzo                    Exide Technologies                                                   Milton, GA

Carol Craig                           Craig Technologies                                                   Melbourne, FL

Nancy Crews                        Custom Manufacturing & Engineering (CME)        Pinellas Park, FL

Bobbi Cummins                    Leggett & Platt                                                           LaVergne, TN

Leah Curry                            Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Indiana                       Princeton, IN

Bethanne Dearmitt               Somerset Welding & Steel, Inc.                               Boswell, PA

Vickie DeThomas                 FLIR                                                                            Freeport, PA

Diana Devlin                         Spartan Motors, Inc.                                                   Charlotte, MI

Julia DiCorleto                      Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics                        Aurora, OH

Melinda Donnelly                  The Novaflex Group                                                   Richmond Hill, ON

Annette Doyle                       TRUMPF Inc.                                                               Farmington, CT

Laura Drahn                          U.S. Silica Co.                                                            West Columbia, SC

Cindy Dyrda                          Meyer Tool & Manufacturing, Inc.                             Oak Lawn, IL

Cynthia Farrer                       Ingersoll Rand                                                             Carmel, IN

Dale Foerster                        Starr Manufacturing                                                   Vienna, OH

Cynthia Fowle                        LORD Corporation                                                    Erie, PA

Rosalind Fox                         John Deere Turf Care                                                Fuquay-Varina, NC

Elin Gabriel                            Alvogen                                                                       Pine Brook, NJ

Natalie Genova                     Honeywell International                                              Tempe, AZ

Wendy Gifford                       SC Johnson & Son                                                    Racine, WI

Sharron Gilbert                      Septimatech Group Inc.                                            Waterloo, ON

Karen Gilgenbach                 Airgas USA, LLC                                                       Milwaukee, WI

Arlene Gonzalez                    NCI Group, Inc.                                                           Houston, TX

Rebecca Guinn                      Deere & Company                                                    Moline, IL

Kelly Hagedorn                      Kifco, Inc.                                                                    Havana, IL

Michelle Helm                        HOERBIGER Corporation of America                    Houston, TX

Erika Hendricksen                The Dow Chemical Company                                   Wilmington, IL

Anne Herman                        Mine Safety Appliances Company                           Cranberry Twp., PA

Jan Herschkowitz                  PRL, Inc.                                                                      Cornwall, PA

Amber Hinkle                        Bayer MaterialScience LLC                                      Baytown, TX

Collie Hutter                           Click Bond, Inc.                                                          Carson City, NV

Martina Igel                            Kennametal                                                                 Latrobe, PA

Mary Isbister                          GenMet Corp.                                                             Mequon, WI

Brandy Johnson                    Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc.  Charlotte, NC

Kellie Johnson                       ACE Clearwater Enterprises                                    Torrance, CA

Claire Jones - Barboni         HOERBIGER Corporation of America                     Pompano Beach, FL

Pamela Kan                           Bishop-Wisecarver Corporation                               Pittsburgh, CA

Valerie Kelso                         Steinwall, Inc.                                                               Coon Rapids, MN

Tracy Kemp                            Ingersoll Rand                                                             Carmel, IN

Sherry Knipp                          John Deere Engine Works                                         Waterloo, IA

Christine Kurek                      Air Products                                                                 Allentown, PA

Kathy Lamb                            ADCO Products, Inc.                                                   Michigan Center, MI

Alexie Lee                              GLOBALFOUNDRIES                                                Milpitas, CA

Teresa Lee                             NCI Group, Inc.                                                             Houston, TX

Susan Lewis                           The Dow Chemical Company                                    Houston, TX

Amalie Lyday                          Walex Products Company, Inc.                                  Leland, NC

Kathryn Lyublanovits              ConMed Linvatec                                                        Largo, FL

Heather Macholan                  Behlen Manufacturing Co.                                          Columbus, NE

Darlene Miller                         PERMAC Industries                                                    Burnsville, MN

Tammie Nelson                      AGCO                                                                           Beloit, KS

Annette Norris                         Enterprise Group                                                         Jackson, MI

Heather Olson                         Incertec                                                                         Fridley, MN

Linda Palladino                      Schneider Packaging Equipment Company, Inc.     Brewerton, NY

Nina Pathy                               AGCO Corporation                                                      Duluth, GA

Lisa Pauley                             Ball Corporation                                                            Broomfield, CO

Rona Pepmeier                      Rolls-Royce plc                                                             Indianapolis, IN

Carol Peters                            A.O. Smith Water Products Company                       McBee, SC

Charlotte Pett                          HOERBIGER Corporation of America                       Houston, TX

Kelley Platt                              Thomas Built Buses                                                      High Point, NC

Angela Ramsey                     Central Florida Box Corporation                                  Lake Mary, FL

Karen Randall                        Westinghouse Electric LLC                                          Windsor, CT

Kathryn Raymond                  ConMed Linvatec                                                           Largo, FL

Colleen Reiter                        MillerCoors LLC                                                             Golden, CO

Myrna Reyes                          TRUMPF Inc.                                                                   Farmington, CT

Becky Rieger                         Braun Northwest, Inc.                                                     Chehalis, WA

Charmaine Riggins               LORD Corporation                                                         Cary, NC

Lisa Rimpf                              Babcock & Wilcox                                                          Charlotte, NC

Sheila Rogers                        PTC                                                                                  Needham, MA

Kimberly Rosenberry             Miltec UV                                                                         Stevensville, MD

Liz Russell                               Stella-Jones Corporation                                              Pittsburgh, PA

Mary Pat Salomone               Babcock & Wilcox                                                          Charlotte, NC

Jan Santerre                           Hillenbrand                                                                       Batesville, IN

Joan Schork                            Air Products                                                                     Allentown, PA

Donna Shinkunas                   HOERBIGER Corporation of America                          Pompano Beach, FL

Dana Smith                             Spirit AeroSystems Inc                                                   Wichita, KS

Erikka Storch                          Ohio Valley Steel Company                                           Wheeling, WV

Jacki Strauss                          Paulsboro Refining Company                                        Paulsboro, NJ

Betsy Sundalius                      Metalist International Incorporated                                 Lansing, MI

Barb Suski                              Bison Gear & Engineering                                              St. Charles, IL

Gretchen Swain                      Air Products                                                                      Allentown, PA

Mena Tazegul                         John Deere Engine Works                                              Wateroo, IA

Athena Theodorakis               LORD Corporation                                                          Cary, NC

Ngoc Kim Tran                        HOERBIGER Corporation of America                          Houston, TX

Dollie Unger                             HOERBIGER Corporation of America                         Pompano Beach, FL

Tana Utley                                Caterpillar Inc.                                                                  Mossville, IL

Anna Wald                               Wyoming Machine, Inc.                                                   Stacy, MN

Noelle Walsh                           The Dow Chemical Company                                         Midland, MI

Barbara Walz                          Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association   Westminster, CO

Sandra Westlund-Deenihan  Quality Float Works, Inc.                                                  Schaumburg, IL

Karen Wilder                           The Schwan Food Company                                          Marshall, MN

Ellen Williams                          BP plc                                                                                London, UK

Racquel Willis                         Governair, LLC                                                                 Oklahoma City, OK

Lisa Witte                                Thermo Fisher Scientific                                                  Waltham, MA



About the Manufacturing Institute

The Manufacturing Institute (the Institute) is the 501 (c) 3 affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers. As a non-partisan organization, the Institute is committed to delivering leading-edge information and services to the nation's manufacturers. The Institute is the authority on the attraction, qualification, and development of world-class manufacturing talent. Visit www.themanufacturinginstitute.org



About the Society of Manufacturing Engineers

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) is the premier source for manufacturing knowledge, education and networking. Through its many programs, events, activities and online training division, Tooling U, SME connects manufacturing practitioners to each other, to the latest technologies and to the most up-to-date manufacturing processes. SME has members around the world and is supported by a network of chapters and technical communities. A 501(c)3 organization, SME is a leader in manufacturing workforce development issues, working with industry, academic and government partners to support the current and future skilled workforce.



About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning can help students pursue personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.



About Deloitte’s Process & Industrial Products Sector

Deloitte’s Process & Industrial Products Sector serves more than 670 clients in the United States, including the vast majority of market category leaders in chemicals, metals, industrial goods and paper products. Deloitte currently provides services to 95 percent of all Fortune 500 Industrial Companies. Please see www.deloitte.com/view/en_US/us/Industries/Process-Industrial-Products/index.htm

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