The Manufacturing Institute announced that it will award Sarah Tannahill with the Women in Manufacturing Emerging Leader STEP Ahead Award. The STEP Ahead 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.
Sarah Tannahill, Account Manager, INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA
In recognition of Sarah being honored with the Emerging Leader Award Mike Nagle, CEO for INEOS O&P USA, commented “Sarah possesses the ability to understand complex technical requirements and translate them into actionable plans and products to serve our customers. Her ability to clearly communicate and drive performance with cross-functional teams has resulted in improved products and significant growth. Her passion and drive extend beyond the workplace with her focus on fitness initiatives being a participant, leader, and mentor in the INEOS Namibian Desert Challenge, and supporting various charity initiatives such as Go Run For Fun and the MS150 Ride to Austin. Sarah is a great role model for emerging leaders within and outside INEOS.”
As Sarah notes, “I’m passionate about manufacturing because of the unique complexity and challenges posed by working with physical assets to create diverse products. It is exciting being on the ground floor of technology innovation that will ultimately result in positive, tangible changes to society and the consumer experience across multiple markets.”
The 2020 STEP Ahead Honorees and Emerging Leaders represent the exciting opportunities available in manufacturing and help inspire more women to pursue these careers,” said Teressa Szelest, 2020 Chair of STEP Ahead and President, Market and Business Development North America, BASF Corporation. “There is an evolution of the manufacturing workforce as more women enter into leadership roles, bringing innovative ideas and transforming how we work and increase productivity.
“Companies across the U.S. agree there is a talent shortage in manufacturing – a skills gap. Through the STEP Ahead Awards, we hope to take another step toward closing this gap by highlighting the stories of successful women in manufacturing and giving them a platform to encourage other women to join the industry and berole models for the next generation,” said Carolyn Lee, executive director of The Manufacturing Institute.“The women being honored demonstrate what modern manufacturing careers are all about: making animpact in their communities with meaningful careers that offer significant opportunities for growth.”
The STEP Women’s Initiative is the nation’s marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. STEPworks to foster a 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in themanufacturing industry through recognition, research and leadership, as well as by motivating alumnae to payit forward by mentoring the next generation. The STEP Ahead Awards honor exceptional women inmanufacturing and motivates them to mentor the next generation through an annual awards gala andassociated leadership training program. The stories of these women and the leadership they show will helpinspire next generation female leaders in manufacturing and support current female talent within theindustry. In five years, STEP Ahead Award winners have impacted more than 300,000 individuals — from peersin the industry to school-aged children.
The biggest challenge facing manufacturers continues to be the growing workforce crisis. Women account for~1/2 of the U.S. labor force but represent less than ~1/3 of the manufacturing workforce. Manufacturersstruggling to find qualified workers can close the skills gap by 50% simply by bringing 10% more women intothe industry.
On April 30, The Manufacturing Institute will recognize 130 recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards at areception in Washington, D.C. The STEP Ahead Awards program will highlight each honoree’s story, includingtheir leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.
