Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation Announces 2021 Class of Hall of Fame Inductees

Nine Outstanding Industry Leaders Among Second-Ever Class

CLEVELAND, OH—August 17, 2021— The Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF) is thrilled to announce the members of the 2021 class of Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees. The group of nine outstanding women leaders will be officially welcomed to the Hall of Fame with a ceremony and gala on October 6, 2021, as part of WiM’s 11th annual SUMMIT in Cleveland, OH.  

The Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame opened with its inaugural class in 2020 and honors women who have made outstanding contributions during the course of their established careers in manufacturing. Recipients include women who are dedicated to supporting, promoting, and inspiring women in the manufacturing industry.

“The nine honorees who make up our second-ever class are a prestigious group, each of whom has made significant, lasting contributions to our industry,” said WiM and WiMEF President Allison Grealis. “They are true trailblazers who have created opportunity for countless other women. We are thrilled and honored to recognize them in this special way."

The 2021 class of Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame inductees:

• Janet Duffey, Vice President Supply Chain - Aeronautics, Lockheed Martin
• Peggy Gulick, Director Smart Factory, Kohler Co.
• Millie Marshall, Retired President, Toyota Motor North America
• Marie Metzger, Retired Vice President Energy and Verbund Management, BASF
• Kathy Miller, President and Founder, yk2020 LLC
• Terry Onica, Director - Automotive, QAD
• Nereida (Neddy) Perez, Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, McCormick and Company
• Carlonda Reilly, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Kennametal Inc.
• Arvis Williams, Vice President Quality, Manufacturing and Program Management, BorgWarner Inc.

Inductees were nominated by their colleagues and industry peers and selected by a judging panel of Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation (WiMEF) board members as well as staff.  The inductees were chosen based on their contributions to the advancement of women in manufacturing.

“The creation of the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame in 2020 and the announcement of this impressive class of inductees speaks to the work the Women in Manufacturing Education Foundation is doing to support, promote, and inspire women in industry,” said WiMEF Board Chair Mary Ellen Grom, Executive Director of Customer Experience Solutions at AFL.  “These nine women represent how far we have come as an ever-changing industry and inspire those who are taking steps to continue propelling this industry forward.”

In addition to the 2021 Hall of Fame class induction, this year’s ceremony and celebration will also include the presentation of the first-ever William E. Gaskin Women in Manufacturing Ally Award to an individual who has significantly supported the advancement of women within his or her company and industry, and inspired others to champion women in the industry through his or her actions and work.

The inaugural recipient of the William E. Gaskin Ally Award is William E. Gaskin, President Emeritus of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA). Throughout his distinguished career, Gaskin strongly advocated for women in the industry and generously supported the creation and launch of the PMA Women in Metalforming group, today the Women in Manufacturing Association. 

The William E. Gaskin Ally Award is sponsored by Gretchen Zierick of Zierick Manufacturing Corporation, who was the first female chair of PMA, the inaugural chair of WiM, and a founding member and current board member of the WiM Education Foundation.

For more information about the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame and the 2021 WiM SUMMIT, visit the WiM and WiMEF websites or follow us on social media. 

The WiM Education Foundation (WiMEF) is the 501(c)(3) arm of Women in Manufacturing® Association, a nearly 8,000-member-strong national association dedicated to supporting, promoting and inspiring women who have chosen a career in manufacturing. WiMEF provides and supports effective and affordable educational opportunities for women in manufacturing. For more information, visit www.wimef.org and www.womeninmanufacturing.org.