2017 STEP AHEAD Media Kit

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1 2017 STEP AHEAD Media Kit

2 Dear Reader, This media kit has been designed to introduce you to the STEP Ahead initiative and awards and help you develop a media plan that leverages The Manufacturing Institute s national communications strategy. STEP Ahead is a growing grassroots movement of manufacturers dedicated to overcoming the shared challenges facing manufacturers today. The most pressing issue facing manufacturers is a gap in skilled labor: 84 percent of executives agree there is a talent shortage in U.S. manufacturing, and six out of ten open skilled production positions are unfilled due to the talent shortage. Part of the skills gap is the underrepresentation of women in the industry. While women make up approximately 47 percent of the labor force, that number is only about 27 percent in the manufacturing labor force. With the looming talent shortage, the industry has an opportunity to mitigate the gap by encouraging more women join the ranks of manufacturing employees. STEP Ahead gives manufacturers an opportunity to raise awareness of these issues and to begin to address them by showcasing their talent. Through this collective effort, STEP Ahead draws public attention to manufacturing s present-day reality and encourages job seekers to develop the skills they need to qualify for a long-term career in this secure and growing sector of the economy. This media kit provides information about the movement, including links to key online resources, a sample press release, and provides manufacturing facts and graphics. Please also visit to learn more about the 2017 STEP Ahead Awards. If you need additional information or resources, we encourage you to STEPAhead@nam.org. Thank you for your support.

3 STEP Ahead Overview Manufacturing faces a serious skills gap. Part of this gap is the underrepresentation of women in the industry. Women make up about 47 percent of the labor force, but only 27 percent of the manufacturing workforce. To help improve upon this, The Manufacturing Institute is promoting the role of women in manufacturing through the STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Production) Ahead initiative, which serves to mentor and recognize women while also leading research efforts tackling this important topic. The Manufacturing Institute launched the STEP Ahead initiative in 2012 to celebrate women in the manufacturing industry that are making a difference through advocacy, mentorship, engagement, promotion, and leadership. The STEP Ahead Awards highlight the achievements of real women in manufacturing on a national stage with a formal gala to celebrate their accomplishments. The 2017 STEP Ahead Awards will take place from April 19 through April 21, with the Awards Dinner Gala on the night of April 20 in Washington, D.C. This coming year, the STEP Ahead theme is IMPACT. STEP Ahead women all across the U.S. have made a pledge to promote the importance of women in manufacturing. In 2017, The Institute will showcase the impact these women have had throughout the years in their companies, in their communities, and with themselves.

Press The Manufacturing Institute will publish press releases about significant, initiative-wide developments, building momentum to the STEP Ahead Awards on April 20, 2017.

4 Press The Manufacturing Institute will publish press releases about significant, initiative-wide developments, building momentum to the STEP Ahead Awards on April 20, All the STEP Ahead press releases will be posted on The Manufacturing Institute s website on the press page as they are released. Highlights to date include: 3/1/17 Honorees/Emerging Leaders and companies are publically announced 4/3/16 Program details announced 4/20/17 5 th STEP Ahead program and awards The Manufacturing Institute will also be working with companies to release op-eds regarding women in manufacturing beginning in March Please contact Cristina Crawford at ccrawford@nam.org by January 13 if your company s Honoree or Emerging Leader is interested in authoring a piece. How to Share A Company Press Release Local on the move news sections in local newspapers Local Business Journals Trade Publications Social Media Manufacturing Institute STEP Ahead Twitter Hash tag: #MFGWomen We will be sending out daily Tweets of each honorees profile between March 1-April 18, If your company has a Twitter hash tag, please notify us so that we can Tweet at you. The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) will tweeting (@ShopFloorNAM) and posting news items on their Facebook page. Connect with their Facebook page and repost content. Website All of the Honorees profiles will be added to The Manufacturing Institute s website on March 1, The Manufacturing Institute will publish news items about the above-mentioned press releases, building momentum to the STEP Awards on April 20, 2017.

5 STEP Ahead FAQ What are the STEP Ahead Awards? The STEP Ahead Awards celebrate women who have demonstrated Science, Technology, Engineering and Production excellence in manufacturing. The STEP Ahead Awards recognizes women and their achievements at all levels of a manufacturing organization, from the factory floor to the C-suite. How were the Honorees selected? Honorees were nominated by their peers, company officials, or professional service firms. Nominators were asked to articulate how the nominee made significant achievements in manufacturing through their positive impact on a company and the manufacturing industry as a whole. Nominators also had to explain, and support with specific outcomes, the contributions the nominee made to her company as a leader. Nominators qualified the specific technical contributions the nominee made, considering outcomes like increased revenues, reduced costs, greater productivity, improved customer satisfaction, and development of employee talent, etc. How many Honorees are there? There are 130 Honorees from over 93 companies; this includes Honorees and Emerging Leaders (women under 30 years of age). They represent all levels of manufacturing, and show the diversity of manufacturing careers. The Honorees companies are of all sizes and represent varying sectors of manufacturing. Why are you recognizing women in manufacturing? Manufacturing faces a serious skills gap. Part of this skills gap can be attributed to an underrepresentation of women in the industry. While women make up approximately 47% of the labor force, that number is only about 27% in the manufacturing labor force. What can these women do to help that? By telling the real stories of these women, we will demonstrate leadership and opportunities in a diversity of manufacturing careers and use them to inspire the next-generation of talent to pursue careers in the industry. The STEP Awards are also meant to empower Honorees to lead in their companies, communities, and networks on the importance of manufacturing and issues related to attracting, advancing, and retaining strong manufacturing talent. When and where are the STEP Awards? The 2017 STEP Ahead Awards will take place from April 19 through April 21, with the Awards Dinner Gala on the night of April 20 at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. Who should attend the STEP Awards? The STEP Awards are meant for anyone who supports women manufacturers, and would like to help close the gender gap in manufacturing. This includes manufacturers, educators, media, civic leaders, and local communities.

6 PRESS RELEASE FOR HONOREE For Immediate Release 5 th STEP Ahead Awards Recognize Women for Excellence in Manufacturing The Manufacturing Institute Will Honor HONOREE, TITLE at COMPANY CITY, March 1, 2017: The Manufacturing Institute announced they will award HONOREE with the Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) 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. QUOTE from Honoree QUOTE from Company Executive These women exemplify the path an exciting career in manufacturing can take, said Heidi Alderman, 2017 Chair of STEP Ahead and Senior Vice President of Intermediates North America, BASF Corporation. "STEP Ahead recognizes women nationwide for their significant achievements to the field of manufacturing, and the positive impact on their companies and the industry as a whole." 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. A recent survey from Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute found that six out of ten open skilled production positions are unfilled due to the talent shortage. Closing the skills gap means closing the gender gap. On April 20, The Manufacturing Institute will recognize 130 recipients of the STEP Ahead Awards at a reception in Washington, D.C. The STEP Ahead Awards program will highlight each honoree s story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing. ### About COMPANY Sentence about company. For more information, please visit 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. For more information, please visit

7 SAMPLE LETTER TO ELECTED OFFICAL The Honorable Dear Governor/Senator/Representative/Etc. The Manufacturing Institute is pleased to inform you that NAME of HONOREE from COMPANY will be honored with a STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Award on April 20, Women are vital to the growth and profitability of the manufacturing industry. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women in the manufacturing industry 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 awards are a part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, which inspires next generation female leaders to pursue a career in manufacturing and showcases the amazing opportunities the manufacturing industry can offer. We would like to request that you make a proclamation recognizing NAME of HONOREE receiving this national honor. We have provided a sample proclamation, below, for your convenience. The manufacturing industry is extremely important to the United States economy and supports millions of American jobs. Our efforts and the STEP Ahead initiative continues to support the growth of this industry. For more information about this award please visit, Thank you in advance for your consideration and approval of our request, knowing that manufacturing makes America strong. Please contact AJ Jorgenson, ajjorgenson@nam.org, with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, NAME

8 SAMPLE PROCLAMATION FROM ELECTED OFFICAL Whereas, The Manufacturing Institute s STEP Ahead Awards will be observed on April 20, 2017 as an effective way to change the perception of manufacturing careers and to showcase the rewarding and high-paid manufacturing jobs in the industry; and WHEREAS, each day hundreds of thousands of manufacturing jobs go unfilled because of misperceptions and a lack of skill; and WHEREAS, women are an untapped talent resource for manufacturers, representing only 27% of the workforce; and WHEREAS, NAME of HONOREE, from COMPANY, will be honored as [HONOREE/EMERGING LEADER] to inspire them to consider a career in manufacturing; and WHEREAS, by honoring women leaders, manufacturers will begin to address the skills gap they face, connect with future generations and take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry; and WHEREAS, the STATE commends and supports this important cause and the organizations involved; NOW, THEREFORE, I, NAME, Governor of STATE, do hereby proclaim XXXXX..

9 Talking Points U.S. Manufacturing and the Skills Gap Manufacturers power the economy. Investments in manufacturing multiply across the economy, creating jobs and growth in other sectors. o Every dollar in final sales of manufactured products supports $1.37 in output from other sectors the largest multiplier of any sector. To ensure continued success, we must focus on two drivers: innovation and a skilled talent pipeline. According to U.S. manufacturing executives, a skilled, educated workforce is the single most critical element of innovation success, but the hardest asset to acquire. Today, 80 percent of manufacturers can t find the skilled workers they need. o Part of this skills gap can be attributed to an underrepresentation of women in the industry. o While women make up approximately 47% of the labor force, but only about 27% in the manufacturing labor force. STEP Ahead In 2012, The Manufacturing Institute launched the Science, Technology, Engineering and Production (STEP) initiative to honor and promote the role of women in the manufacturing industry through recognition, research, and leadership. The STEP Awards, part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative, were launched to examine and promote the role of women in manufacturing. The STEP Awards celebrate women who have demonstrated excellence in manufacturing. They are the best of the best; only a fraction of the female talent in the industry. The STEP Awards recognizes women and their achievements at all levels of a manufacturing organization, from the factory floor to the C-suite. Honorees were nominated by their peers, company officials, or professional service firms. This year, there are 130 Honorees and Emerging Leaders (women under 30) from over 100 companies. To date, more than 400 women have been recognized as Honorees. o Emerging Leaders connect tomorrow s leaders with today s mentors, creating a talent pipeline for decades to come. By telling the real stories of these women, we inspire the next-generation of talent to pursue careers in the industry and encourage current female talent within the manufacturing industry. We are empowering Honorees as ambassadors of the manufacturing industry to lead in their companies, communities, and networks on the importance of manufacturing and talent issues. STEP Ahead calls upon these women to advocate for the manufacturing industry, mentor young women/girls with the National Girls Collaborative Project, engage an affinity group to generate ideas and share best practices, promote personal development, and lead as an ambassador for manufacturing education.

Please contact ajjorgenson@nam.org for any specific questions.

10 Artwork Below are low-resolution versions of the official STEP Ahead logo. If you would like highresolution copies for publication, please contact The logo has been trademarked and cannot be edited or modified, except as shown below. When using the logo, it also must be include proper recognition for The Manufacturing Institute. Please contact for any specific questions. Print and Social Graphics The Manufacturing Institute has developed several social media graphics for your use. Please contact for high-resolution copies.

11 SAMPLE COMPANY STORY For Internal Newsletters/Websites/Etc On April 20, The Manufacturing Institute recognized NAME of HONOREE as well as 129 other women in Washington, D.C. as recipients of the fifth-annual Women in Manufacturing STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women at all manufacturing levels who have demonstrated leadership and excellence in their careers. These women exemplify the path an exciting career in manufacturing can take, said Heidi Alderman, 2017 Chair of STEP Ahead and Senior Vice President of Intermediates North America, BASF Corporation. "STEP Ahead recognizes women nationwide for their significant achievements to the field of manufacturing, and the positive impact on their companies and the industry as a whole." The STEP Ahead Awards are part of the larger STEP Ahead initiative launched to promote the role of women in manufacturing through recognition and research. The stories of these women and the leadership they show will help inspire next generation female leaders in manufacturing and support current female talent within the industry. The manufacturing industry is currently experiencing a shortage of women in the workforce, representing only 27 percent of the manufacturing labor force. Women represent manufacturing s largest pool of untapped talent, which makes them a critical factor in closing the skills gap. The STEP Ahead initiative continues to support and encourage women to become leaders in manufacturing and inspire others to pursue the amazing career opportunities available in this industry. For more information about the STEP Ahead Awards, please contact STEPAhead@nam.org.

12 Draft Agenda Wednesday, April 19, 2017 STEP Ahead Class of 2017 Welcome JW Marriott Washington, DC 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC :30 pm 7:00 pm Welcome Reception (Open to STEP Ahead Class of 2017 Only) Penn Ave Terrace Kickoff the festivities at the Welcome Reception and meet your fellow Class of 2017 STEP Ahead Honorees and Emerging Leaders. 7:00 pm 9:00 pm Moonlight Bus Tour (Optional Open to STEP Ahead Class of 2017 and Guests Only) Thursday, April 20, 2017 STEP Ahead Leadership Program Day 1 JW Marriott Washington, DC 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC Visit DC s most popular attractions on a moonlight guided tour. 7:00 am 8:00 am Networking Breakfast & Chair s Remarks Capitol Ballroom DE 8:00 am 10:15 am Building your Networks Reciprocity Ring Capitol Ballroom DE Presenter: Nancy Riegle, Vice President, Human Resources, NAM Built on the concept of paying it forward, the session is designed to support problem solving by building and expanding individual networks. During your Reciprocity Ring experience, Honorees and Emerging Leaders will: Learn the power and practice of reciprocity; Find solutions to your issues while focusing on contributing to others; and Build trust as you learn about and help one another. 10:15 am 12:00 pm Leading from Strength StrengthsFinder 2.0 (2017 Emerging Leaders Only) Russell Room Presenter: Jennifer McNelly, Facilitator, President, 180 Skills Robin Wink, Facilitator, Principal, Rudman Wink Associates, LLC All people have a unique combination of talents, knowledge, and skills their strengths - which they use in their daily lives to do their work, achieve their goals, and interact with others. Gallup has found that when people understand and apply their strengths, the effect on their lives and work is transformational. Suggested for Emerging Leaders and those who haven t participated in Gallup s StrengthsFinder.

13 10:15 am 11:00 am Breakout Workshops Round 1 (Open to STEP Ahead Alumni & 2017 Honorees) 11:00 am 11:15 am Break 1) The Suite Spot: Getting to the C-Suite and on Boards Hart Room Lead by Diversified Search, this session will train women who aspire to be CEO, President, or GM of manufacturing companies gain access to those leadership opportunities. 2) Shattered Glass: Women CEOs and Senior Leadership Cannon Room 11:15 am 12:00 pm Breakout Workshops Round 2 (Open to STEP Ahead Alumni & 2017 Honorees) 12:00 pm 1:00 pm Networking Luncheon A fishbowl discussion on career paths to becoming a CEO or Senior Leader in a manufacturing company. Suggested for managers and directors aspiring to leadership positions. 1) The Suite Spot: Getting to the C-Suite and on Boards Hart Room Lead by Diversified Search, this session will train women who aspire to be CEO, President, or GM of manufacturing companies gain access to those leadership opportunities. Suggested for middle management and senior leadership. 2) Breaking Through: Barriers for Women Cannon Room 1:00 pm 3:30 pm Influencing and Negotiating for Women Capitol Ballroom DE 3:30 pm Day One Program Conclusion 3:30 pm 5:00 pm Open Photos Capitol Ballroom DE A fishbowl discussion on how to anticipate, deal with, and overcome obstacles, especially as a woman in manufacturing. Suggested for any Honoree or Emerging Leader dealing with obstacles. Learn to approach your influencing and negotiating efforts strategically. This program will provide you with an in-depth understanding of the structure of the influencing and negotiating process and how the elements can be ordered and applied to produce superior outcomes. This workshop will enable women to more effectively influence others, both internally within their own organization and externally with their clients, suppliers, and business partners.

14 The stage will be open for individual photos by a professional photographer 5:00 pm Group Photo for Honorees/ Emerging Leaders Lobby of Hotel STEP Ahead Awards Reception and Dinner (Open to Class of 2017 and Ticket Holders Only) Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC Room: Atrium Hall and Atrium 6:00 pm 7:00 pm Reception 7:00 pm 9:00 pm STEP Ahead Award Dinner Program 9:00 pm Program Conclusion STEP Ahead Awards After-Party (Open to ALL attendees) JW Marriott Washington, DC 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC Room: Penn Ave Terrace 9:00 pm 11:00 pm After-Party Celebration Friday, April 21, 2017 STEP Ahead Leadership Development Program Day 2 JW Marriott Washington, DC 1331 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC :00 am 9:00 am Family Breakfast Capitol Ballroom DE 9:00 am 10:00 am IMPACT the Next Generation Capitol Ballroom DE Going off the theme of IMPACT, Honorees and Emerging Leaders will have the opportunity to engage with STEM students from the local community and share with them your personal story into manufacturing and answer their questions about the industry. This session will give the students a chance to learn about career opportunities in manufacturing. 10:00 am 11:00 am LEAD: Becoming an Ambassador & My Personal STEP Commitment Capitol Ballroom DE 11:00 am Program Conclusion STEP Ahead is grounded in the philosophy that it only takes one person to inspire another. Develop personal STEP commitments and learn how you can take action within your own community to advance the STEP initiative with the help of the LEAD Toolkit.

15 Media Release Subject: Location: I grant to The Manufacturing Institute, its representatives and employees the right to take photographs of me and my property in connection with the above-identified subject. I authorize The Manufacturing Institute, its assigns and transferees to copyright, use and publish the same in print and/or electronically. I agree that The Manufacturing Institute may use such photographs of me with or without my name and for any lawful purpose, including for example such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising, and Web content. I have read and understand the above: Signature Printed name

2018 STEP AHEAD AWARDS MEDIA KIT

2018 STEP AHEAD AWARDS MEDIA KIT MEDIA KIT Dear Reader, This media kit has been designed to introduce you to the STEP Ahead initiative and awards and help you develop a media plan that leverages The Manufacturing Institute s national