Goodyear's Moorhead and Perangin-angin honored as ‘outstanding women in manufacturing'

AKRON—Two Goodyear employees received recognition from the Manufacturing Institute (MI) as "outstanding women in manufacturing."

Goodyear's Brandy Moorhead, director of government compliance and product performance, and Margareta Perangin-angin, manufacturing director at Goodyear Japan, were recognized as 2024 Women MAKE Awards Honorees.

The award honors women in manufacturing and encourages them to "mentor the next generation of women through an annual awards gala and leadership training program," Goodyear said in a March 8 news release.

The awards are part of the MI's Women MAKE initiative, "which aims to empower and inspire women in the industry and close the gender gap in manufacturing," according to the news release. MI is a work force development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers.

As director of government compliance and product performance, Moorhead leads the effort in monitoring field performance and continuous improvement of product performance while ensuring all products meet government and industry requirements. She also advises Goodyear's annual STEM Career Day for middle and high school students in Akron, connecting students with Goodyear associates, educational activities and examples of STEM careers.

Goodyear said the event was originally focused on making engineering more accessible to girls in the community, but it has since expanded to welcome participation from all students while still emphasizing inclusion in STEM.

"Brandy is a remarkable leader who has been instrumental in driving Goodyear's product development and quality across our portfolio," Chris Helsel, senior vice president of global operations and chief technology officer of Goodyear, said in a statement. "She is a passionate advocate for STEM education, inspiring young minds to explore the career possibilities in science, technology, engineering and math. We are thrilled that the Manufacturing Institute has recognized her as a Women MAKE Awards Honoree, and we are grateful for her outstanding service and leadership."

Perangin-angin was the first female manufacturing director of the Goodyear Indonesia plant, where she quickly established herself as a compassionate, results-driven leader, according to the news release. It was at this plant that she created a high performing manufacturing organization with improved efficiency and a culture of safety.

In 2023, she became the manufacturing director of Goodyear Japan, where she continues to mentor and sponsor several women.

Perangin-angin also hosts roundtables and presentations for women in her plant and the Asia-Pacific region to discuss professional challenges and career development.

"Margareta is exceptionally skilled in managing complex projects and delivering results," Nat Madarang, president of Goodyear Asia Pacific, said in a statement. "She has also been a role model for many women in manufacturing, encouraging them to pursue their career goals and overcome challenges. We are proud to see her honored among some of the top women in manufacturing, and we thank her for her dedication to Goodyear."

The MI will recognize Moorhead and Perangin-angin, among 130 award recipients, during the Women MAKE Awards gala on April 18 in Washington. The evening will highlight each honoree's story, including their leadership and accomplishments in manufacturing.