Meyer: A diverse class of Women Breaking the Mold

I loved reading the bios of the nearly 30 members of Rubber News' second annual class of Women Breaking the Mold.

They truly represent what is best and brightest about the rubber industry, and exemplify the "New, Now, Next" theme of the conference Rubber News and sister publication Plastics News are staging this November that will celebrate our combined class of honorees.

My hat goes off to RN's Online Content Editor Sam Cottrill and Managing Editor Erin Pustay Beaven for collecting nominations and putting together a class that is as diverse as our industry.

The honorees are from a variety of generations, some with a couple of years in tire and rubber, to others with more than three decades in the business. The class has members working in a wide swath of positions, from the shop floor to those in marketing and customer service roles, along with executives and company owners.

They come from suppliers and rubber goods makers, and represent small and medium size companies, along with a few multinational corporations. One even works in a rural town where there are more cows than people.

One of the things I like most about this program is how it brings companies and individuals across our radar that we might not otherwise hear from, along with their wide range of experiences and opinions. We learn about what brought them into the industry, their successes and failures, and what leadership means to them.

Not surprisingly, a good number of the honorees never intended to enter the rubber industry as a career, but now would recommend it to other women as a viable career path. A common theme is how they view success through the lens of what those working for them accomplish, rather than through personal achievement. Many pointed to the role that mentors—both female and male—have played in their career development, and how they, too, look to help others who need it early in their careers.

Several advised of the importance of keeping a proper work-life balance in a world where work seems to constantly require more of an individual's time.

Their stories also give a lens into how they navigate work in a traditionally male-dominated industry. They give candid—and some differing—perspectives on where the rubber industry has made strides in closing the gender equality gap, and where improvements still are needed.

Please join me in congratulating the 2024 Rubber News Women Breaking the Mold honorees.

Meyer is editor of Rubber News. Connect with him on LinkedIn and contact him at [email protected].