Women Breaking the Mold

More women have joined the rubber industry ranks, from shop floors to executive and leadership roles. But when it comes to overall female representation in the work force, statistics show that progress has been slow.

Rubber News is proud to introduce our inaugural Women Breaking the Mold Class of 2023, made up of entrepreneurs, scientists, technicians, innovators and problem-solvers.

Don't expect to hear excuses from Meredith Fendenheim. She has none to give.

Because when she sets out to do something—achieve something—she puts everything she has into it. And that's evident from the work she does as HB Chemical Corp.'s vice president of operations.

That drive and determination also is exemplified in the level of her performance at HB Chemical, as well as excellence behind it. And is the foundation for her Women Breaking the Mold nomination—another honor she is proud to have received.

Perhaps one of the most underestimated aspects of growth is the courage needed to achieve it. It takes bravery to try new things, ask for help and ask questions. It requires a drive that takes you out of your comfort zone—and out of your way—to try new things, understand new things and excel at them.

Tugba Basaran is one of those of those kinds of people. The courageous, curious type. And it is that trait that has allowed her to thrive at Prometeon Tyre Group S.R.L.

As a member of the Prometeon Turkey operation's marketing department, she brings big ideas and fresh perspectives that are setting the company up for success. She even broke a glass ceiling along the way, becoming the first female employee in the marketing department.

At age 24, Victoria Rooke is one of the youngest, most cross-trained individuals at Westminster Tool.

Her training spans all categories of technical and professional skills in over six different complex operations, including aerospace part production, electrical discharge machining, CNC milling and manual critical inspection. Victoria joined the Westminster Tool team while still in high school as part of Windham Technical School's work-based learning program, an initiative that allows students to work part time during shop class hours throughout the year.

While Victoria still wants to be hands-on in her work, she is honing her leadership skills and striving to meet her professional goals.

While Stephenie Davis never planned to enter the rubber industry 16 years ago, she also never plans to leave it.

One year after entering the industry in sales, the Davis Industrial president and CEO bought out the company in which she started, and in the 15 years since has expanded it from just three employees to almost 50 with two branches.

Now on track for presidency within the National Industrial Belting Association's executive committee in 2026, Davis displays what it means to pull oneself up by her bootstraps.

And she's not done yet as she targets further sustainable growth for the company in order to provide more opportunities for her employees, customers and community.

From engineering to marketing in the blink of an eye, Sophie Blais has emerged as a marketing and sales leader driving the global growth of Cancarb Ltd. Her approach as a woman and a millennial may be different from some, but the direct, bottom-line approach has worked. Now Blais has set personal goals to expand her role and influence, even if it means having to move from her beloved Alberta.

Marjolein Groeneweg has been in the chemical industry for nearly a quarter of century, the last three of those in rubber. She is happy with her position as global marketing director of synthetic rubber for Poland's Synthos S.A., but is sad that women in industry and business haven't made more inroads in gaining gender equality with their male counterparts.

She thought by this point in her career there would be no difference between males and females in the workplace. While acknowledging the pessimism she is feeling, Groeneweg isn't without hope. She sees female leaders in Synthos—many of them from Eastern Europe—having each other's backs. And when she thinks of a recent discussion her 18-year-old son shared with her, that makes the Synthos exec think better about the future.

Lucy Oldfield expected her career with Wacker Chemical Corp. to be a very short one. She joined the company for a six-month position in the shipping and receiving department.

Nearly 30 years later, she has no plans to move on. After working in shipping and receiving, Oldfield went on to become a technician and a chemist before taking a position as tech service manager. It is through this position she continues to demonstrate her creative and critical thinking skills as well as her lead-by-example leadership style.

Oldfield is always looking for ways to make a difference—both in her company and community—volunteering for initiatives that allow her to give back, care for others and protect the environment in the process.