Profiles of the inaugural class members of Rubber & Plastics News' Women in Tire & Rubber will appear daily through Aug. 21. Edited profiles of the entire class were published in the July 27 issue of RPN.
Brenda Berenice Vega Hernandez
Business unit leader
Morgan Polymer Seals
Location: Tijuana, Mexico
Education: College
What drew you to the rubber industry, and what has made your career in the industry rewarding?
The automotive industry has always caught my attention. When I entered Morgan Polymer Seals, I found many challenges to take on a daily basis to improve the processes in the molding of injection machines. That was what taught me to continue developing improvement strategies.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
The leadership of a big work team to meet goals from scrap cost savings such as coaching to continuous improvement.
What do you count as your biggest failure and what has it taught you?
Not completing a big project. This has taught me that it is always good to go little by little and not take leaps and bounds. To reach the goal we need to go step by step without leaps and running because you can fall.
Who or what inspires you?
My family, my team, my boss and the women who work in the automotive industry. It might sound easy, but there is always a lot of work and dedication behind it.
Who were your career mentors, and what role did they play?
Engineers whom I look to (for their) great achievements and a gift of leading work teams to solve problems
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Don't stop to follow the challenges. After the hard work the results are satisfactory and motivational.
If you were CEO of a company what would you do first?
It is important to have a specific and clear goal. If we all know what role we must follow to achieve it, in the end, everything is harmonious and satisfactory. I will add that during the process it is always important and essential to motivate, highlight achievements and work as a team.
What would you tell someone considering a career in the rubber industry?
Never give up. It is a very interesting industry, rich in development from artisan to automatic. There is a lot of field to learn and to teach, many leaders who teach us new things day by day. There will always be opportunities for growth.
In your opinion, what needs to be done to encourage females to pursue STEM-related careers?
It is motivating that, in a market where the male gender generally stands out, the female gender is also given the opportunity. We are all human, we are all thinking and capable of designing, understanding, solving problems and doing projects. A gender does not define us. What defines us is our work, performance, dedication and continuous preparation. All women can do it!