WiM Member Insight | Rough Seas Make Tough Sailors

The winds of change are always blowing.

We cannot direct the wind, but we can raise our sails and adjust as needed.

Alas, Life never goes exactly as we had planned for the tides change.

But a calm sea never made a good sailor.

At my company American Crane, we have braved rough waters before. But nothing quite like this COVID-19 storm.

I am not afraid of storms, or this storm, for we are learning how to better sail our ship.

Rough seas make stronger sailors. Tough times build greater people.

We are stronger together, and with all hands-on deck, we will navigate this choppy sea.

Storms don’t last forever.

“And once the storm is over,

you won’t remember how you made it through,

how you managed to survive.

You won’t even be sure,

whether the storm is really over.

But one thing is certain.

When you come out of the storm,

 you won’t be the same person who walked in.

That’s what this storm’s all about.”

This storm will change us as people, individual and as companies.

I am confident that who we become will be stronger and greater than who we were before.

Stay Strong. Stay Safe. Stay Gritty. Together we will outlast this storm.

About the Author 

Karen Norheim served as Chair of the Women in Manufacturing Board of Directors in 2019 and founded the WiM Western Pennsylvania Chapter. 

Karen is President & COO of American Crane and Equipment Corporation, overseeing the successful day-to-day operations of a 180-person manufacturing facility headquartered in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. She is the 2nd generation coming into the leadership role for the her family’s company.

In addition to her many roles within the company, Karen also sits on the boards of many industry-leading organizations. She is Vice-President of Crane Manufacturers Association of America, Inc. (CMAA)**,  and also serves as Treasurer and Immediate Past Chair for the National Board of Women in Manufacturing (WiM).*

Karen is an advocate for encouraging young people to consider a career in manufacturing – particularly women!