The Manufacturing Institute will present a Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award to Manufacturing Engineering Manager Lynn Graykowski from Welbilt, Inc. The sixth annual STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in manufacturing careers. Honorees represent all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the executive suite. On April 10, The Manufacturing Institute will recognize 130 recipients of this year’s STEP Ahead Awards at a reception in Washington, D.C.
“Lynn is one of the key leaders within our manufacturing team and has been instrumental in supporting our global Manitowoc® Ice product line, including manufacturing facilities in Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Monterrey, Mexico; and Hangzhou, China,” says Lee Wichlacz, Senior Vice President, Global Product Management and Engineering & Managing Director, Manitowoc Ice. “With her unassuming management style, she encourages teammates from all levels to focus on challenges and work together to find solutions.”
“In addition to her expertise in managing complex projects across our global production footprint, Lynn has a strong focus on workplace safety,” says Ian McLeod, Vice President, Global Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Quality, Welbilt. “She revitalized our complex safety management system for our facility in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, substantially reducing recordable injuries and improving safety scores. We were pleased to nominate her for this award and are delighted to see her achievements recognized on a national level.”
“Companies across the U.S. agree there is a talent shortage in manufacturing. 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 be role 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 an impact in their communities with meaningful careers that offer significant opportunities for growth.”
According to The Manufacturing Institute, women constitute one of manufacturing’s largest pools of untapped talent, totaling about 47 percent of the U.S. labor force in 2016 but only 29 percent of the manufacturing workforce.
The STEP Ahead 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 leadership for attracting, advancing and retaining strong female talent.
