USTMA sends Manufacturing Ambassadors to lobby against tire cord tariffs

WASHINGTON—For Nichole Williams and Alison Kubiak, being selected to participate in the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association's first-ever Tire Manufacturing Ambassadors was a unique and exciting opportunity.

"I loved doing the Manufacturing Ambassadors program," said Williams, a Six Sigma Master Black Belt at the Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. facility in Tupelo, Miss. "When the day was over, all of us were saying, 'When can we do this again? What can we do to keep the momentum going?' "

"One of the big things we wanted to show was how the tire industry seeks to be a good member of the community," said Kubiak, technology manager at Michelin North America Inc. in Greenville, S.C. "We were furthering an understanding of the tire industry as a significant part of the American economy, providing job opportunities and community support."

Nine tire manufacturing members of the USTMA sent hand-picked hourly and middle management workers from their facilities to Capitol Hill Sept. 15.

The Manufacturing Ambassadors represented the industry on one specific issue: to exempt steel used in tire manufacturing from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Commerce to determine the effects of steel imports on national security.

According to the USTMA, domestic steel producers cannot make steel cord, rod or bead wire that meets the quality or quantity demands of U.S. tire makers. Placing tariffs or other restrictions on imported tire-grade steel could do great harm to the domestic tire industry, and also compromise tire safety, the association said.

Even more, however, the USTMA and its members wanted to put a human face on the tire industry. The Manufacturing Ambassadors told congressional staffers of their roles in their companies, how those companies contribute to their local communities, and how they add to federal, state and local economies.

Seeking engaged representatives

According to the USTMA, its members set four qualifications for selecting the Manufacturing Ambassadors. They sought employees who:

• Take initiative and motivate others to excel;

• Demonstrate significant organizational commitment;

• Lead by example to improve productivity; and

• Demonstrate professionalism and ethical behavior.

Workers at the nine companies applied for the Manufacturing Ambassadors program. Kubiak said she found out she was selected when her manager came to her and said, "Alison, I want to talk to you."

"That made me a little nervous," she said. "When your manager calls you over for a private chat, that's not always a good thing. But when I found out I was chosen for the program, I was delighted."

Both Williams and Kubiak consistently have shown the dedication and initiative their employers sought for the program, both professionally and personally.

A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Williams became interested in Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing principles in her college engineering courses. She joined Cooper as an associate engineer in 2013, and has progressed through the ranks as Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt and Master Black Belt.

Among other activities, Williams is a member of Cooper's Dream Team, in which she joins other Cooper employees across the U.S. to work with young people as part of the company's Dream It, Do It program.

The purpose of the Dream It, Do It program is to raise the awareness of middle- and high-school students, especially girls, about the importance of manufacturing and the opportunities it offers to young people.

As a member of the Dream Team, Williams has addressed both eighth-grade science and high school engineering classes. At a career fair in Tupelo, she said, she met some 7,000 eighth-graders in three days.

At Michelin, Kubiak is responsible for managing the North American Technology Portfolio for the Passenger and Light Truck Group in Greenville. She is responsible for ensuring the on-time deployment of new technologies important to maintaining Michelin's market leadership, the USTMA said.

Outside of work, Kubiak is a regular volunteer with both Meals on Wheels and United Way. She also is chairperson of Michelin's Challenge Education program on Michelin Americas Research Center's campus.

In the Challenge Education program, Kubiak has worked with students in six Greenville-area high schools, two middle schools and four elementary schools.

"We're working with kids during lunch, with an emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses," she said. "Students in Greenville County have to pass certain tests before they can graduate, so we offer our assistance to help them study for those tests."

Spreading the word

On Sept. 15, the Manufacturing Ambassadors were divided into three groups to visit the offices of senators and congressmen who represent them in Congress.

Williams and Kubiak were in the same group, visiting the offices of elected officials representing South Carolina and Mississippi. They visited the offices of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott of South Carolina, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi and Reps. Trey Gowdy and Joe Wilson of South Carolina.

Both women found the congressional staffers receptive to their message, and thanked the USTMA for paving the way for them.

"They were super-interested in the things we were talking about," Williams said. "Our visit helped them to put a face to the industry—that it was their constituents they were talking to."

Both Williams and Kubiak said the Manufacturing Ambassador program gave them a heightened interest in government and the political process.

"I was born and raised in Woodbridge, Va., just outside of Washington," Kubiak said. "Growing up in that area, politics is not something you can ignore.

"I'm not especially intrigued by politics, but I plan to stay more on top of legislative affairs," she said.

"These are issues we all need to understand on at least a macro level."

Besides the aforementioned elected officials, the participating congressional offices in the Manufacturing Ambassadors program included Sens. Johnny Isaakson and David Perdue of Georgia; Reps. Barry Loudermilk, Sanford Bishop and Tom Graves of Georgia; Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma; Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia; Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois; Sen. Kristen Gillibrand of New York; Rep. Brian Higgins of New York; Rep. Morgan Griffith of Virginia; and Rep. Mike Bost of Illinois.

Besides Wallace and Kubiak, other Manufacturing Ambassadors were:

• Todd Heath, machine operator, Bridgestone Americas Inc., Aiken, S.C.;

• Mark Sterner, lead supervisor, Continental Tire the Americas L.L.C., Mount Vernon, Ill.;

• James Lee, maintenance and facilities manager, Pirelli Tire North America, Rome, Ga.;

• Tom Calpin, HR manager, Sumitomo Rubber North America Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.;

• Gary Sloan, senior technology engineering specialist, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Lawton, Okla.;

• Steven Altomare, replacement product tire engineering group leader, Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., White, Ga.; and

• Scott Doss, shift superintendent, Yokohama Tire Corp., Salem, Va.